On his first visit to Salt Lake City, Raul Lopez, the Utah Jazz's first-round pick in the 2001 NBA Draft and the man many look to as the heir apparent of all-cosmos point guard John Stockton, had an important question for Coach Jerry Sloan. On a tour of the Jazz facility in the days leading up to this summer's Rocky Mountain Revue, Lopez was introduced to Sloan during a morning practice session.

"Coach," he asked, "can I play?"

That's the question many Jazz fans have been asking ever since Lopez was selected with the 24th pick: can he play?