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In NBA All-Star spotlight, Utah looks to change perceptions

Sister Palmer, 19, holds The Book of Mormon while walking around Temple Square in Salt Lake City, on Nov. 15, 2020. Palmer, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is serving an 18-month mission in Salt Lake City while waiting for her visa to continue the mission in Spain. Salt Lake City's hosting of this weekend's NBA All-Star game for the first time in three decades gives Utah another opportunity to reshape a long-held belief that the state is odd or peculiar — a years-long push that Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith and many other influential state leaders have prioritized. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E, File) FILE - Utah Jazz teammates and co-Most Valuable Player winners John Stockton, left, and Karl Malone hold up the All-Star MVP trophy after playing for the West team, which won the 43rd NBA All-Star game 135-130 in Salt Lake City, on Feb. 21, 1993. Malone holds his daughter, Kaydee. Salt Lake City's hosting of this weekend's NBA All-Star game for the first time in three decades gives Utah another opportunity to reshape a long-held belief that the state is odd or peculiar — a years-long push that Jazz owner Ryan Smith and many other influential state leaders have prioritized. (AP Photo/Roberto Borea, File) FILE - The Salt Lake Temple stands at Temple Square in Salt Lake City on Oct. 5, 2019. Salt Lake City's hosting of this weekend's NBA All-Star game for the first time in three decades gives Utah another opportunity to reshape a long-held belief that the state is odd or peculiar — a years-long push that Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith and many other influential state leaders have prioritized. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File) FILE - Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith speaks to reporters during a news conference on,Sept. 26, 2022, in Salt Lake City. Salt Lake City's hosting of this weekend's NBA All-Star game for the first time in three decades gives Utah another opportunity to reshape a long-held belief that the state is odd or peculiar — a years-long push that Smith and many other influential state leaders have prioritized. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File) The Vivint Arena is shown during the transformation taking place inside the arena before the start of the NBA basketball All-Star weekend Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023, in Salt Lake City. More than 60 players are making their way to Salt Lake City for All-Star weekend, some of them for the first time, one of them for the 19th time. And while some events will tout the league's future, many will be celebrating the past.(AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) Photographs of Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James, left, Denver Nuggets' Nikola Jokic, center, and New Orleans Pelicans' Zion Williamson are shown in the Vivint Arena during the transformation taking place inside the arena before the start of the NBA basketball All-Star weekend Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023, in Salt Lake City. More than 60 players are making their way to Salt Lake City for All-Star weekend, some of them for the first time, one of them for the 19th time. And while some events will tout the league's future, many will be celebrating the past.(AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) A statue of former Utah Jazz player Karl Malone is shown in front of the Vivint Arena before the start of the NBA basketball All-Star weekend Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023, in Salt Lake City. More than 60 players are making their way to Salt Lake City for All-Star weekend, some of them for the first time, one of them for the 19th time. And while some events will tout the league's future, many will be celebrating the past.(AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) Members of the media are taken on a tour during the transformation taking place inside Vivint Arena before the start of the NBA basketball All-Star weekend Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023, in Salt Lake City. More than 60 players are making their way to Salt Lake City for All-Star weekend, some of them for the first time, one of them for the 19th time. And while some events will tout the league's future, many will be celebrating the past.(AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) The Vivint Arena is shown during the transformation taking place inside the arena before the start of the NBA basketball All-Star weekend Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023, in Salt Lake City. More than 60 players are making their way to Salt Lake City for All-Star weekend, some of them for the first time, one of them for the 19th time. And while some events will tout the league's future, many will be celebrating the past.(AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) The Vivint Arena scoreboard is shown during the transformation taking place inside the arena before the start of the NBA basketball All-Star weekend Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023, in Salt Lake City. More than 60 players are making their way to Salt Lake City for All-Star weekend, some of them for the first time, one of them for the 19th time. And while some events will tout the league's future, many will be celebrating the past.(AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) The NBA basketball All-Star Money Ball is shown during a media tour before the start of the All-Star weekend Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023, in Salt Lake City. More than 60 players are making their way to Salt Lake City for All-Star weekend, some of them for the first time, one of them for the 19th time. And while some events will tout the league's future, many will be celebrating the past.(AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) Members of the media are taken on a tour during the transformation taking place inside Vivint Arena before the start of the NBA basketball All-Star weekend Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023, in Salt Lake City. More than 60 players are making their way to Salt Lake City for All-Star weekend, some of them for the first time, one of them for the 19th time. And while some events will tout the league's future, many will be celebrating the past.(AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) The Vivint Arena is shown during the transformation taking place inside the arena before the start of the NBA basketball All-Star weekend Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023, in Salt Lake City. More than 60 players are making their way to Salt Lake City for All-Star weekend, some of them for the first time, one of them for the 19th time. And while some events will tout the league's future, many will be celebrating the past.(AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)