Utah

Revisiting the Jazz’s draft picks and potential prospects

Published

1 year ago

January 29, 2023

Press Room

We’re slightly greater than midway by the season and the school basketball season is beginning to ramp up towards the conclusion of the common season so it’s time to revisit draft place and what prospects are presently in vary of the Utah Jazz this upcoming draft.

If the season ended right this moment, right here’s the place the Jazz would decide based mostly on the picks/rights they personal.

No. 13 (Personal decide)
No. 18 (through Minnesota)
No. 28 (through Philadelphia)

In earlier editions of this collection we’ve checked out quite a few different gamers together with Kel’el Ware, Terquavion Smith, Ausar Thompson, Tyrese Proctor, Kris Murray, Harrison Ingram, Leonard Miller, Jarace Walker, and Jordan Walsh. A couple of of these gamers have drifted out of Utah’s vary or even perhaps curiosity, however right this moment we’ll add 9 extra names to the record of potentialities.

We’ll have a look at who’s in Utah’s vary and who present mock drafts have the Jazz deciding on. The reference for particular picks might be a consensus massive board constructed by our very personal Anthony Cheng. It compiles the newest of 11 mock drafts and ranks them by common rank on massive boards or draft place in mock drafts.

Based mostly on the present consensus rankings, the Jazz could be projected to draft Gregory “GG” Jackson II, a 6-10 freshman ahead out of South Carolina at 13. At 18 Utah would decide 7-foot heart Kel’el Ware, a freshman out of Oregon. And at 28 the Jazz would choose Duke’s 7-foot-1 freshman heart.

Suffice to say these consensus picks, whereas informative on the place these prospects rank for the time being, don’t assist us out in predicting who the Jazz may very well take. Contemplating a power of Utah’s roster going ahead is in its greater forwards and facilities (Lauri Markkanen, Walker Kessler, Jarred Vanderbilt) it’s unlikely the Jazz will load up on extra measurement. The primary-round picks will most likely be used so as to add versatility on the wing and ball-handling.

Listed below are a number of prospects I’d spotlight which can be presently in Utah’s vary.

The mid-first vary

Gradey Dick

Kansas | Freshman | 6-8 | No. 12 in consensus (12.94 ADP)

Photograph by Ed Zurga/Getty Photographs

The freshman wing is a little bit of a shock soar into lottery consideration however his play has justified that rise. Dick isn’t essentially the most high-flying wing and isn’t massive at simply 205 kilos. However he’s been a dynamite shooter (42.7 p.c from three) and a stable scorer (14.8 factors per sport).

If Dick is ready to fill out his body he might be an excellent 3-and-D participant on the very least. He already ranks excessive in defensive metrics on the collegiate stage and will get steals at a stable charge (almost three per 100 possession). Including extra weight also needs to make him a greater finisher on the rim.

Gregory “GG” Jackson II

South Carolina | Freshman | 6-10 | No. 13 in consensus (14.73 ADP)

Regardless of writing Jackson off a bit within the above paragraph, there’s a risk Jackson might draw curiosity from the Jazz. Though he possesses measurement that might lend to him clashing with Markkanen position-wise, he’s a really fashionable ahead, one who handles the ball and works from the perimeter.

The draw back of Jackson is that proper now he’s very inefficient. Of 1,196 NCAA gamers with no less than 150 discipline purpose makes an attempt Jackson ranks 1,117 in True Capturing Share. He’s taking quite a lot of photographs, the sort usually taken by major scorers, however these photographs are usually not falling for him at a charge to be comfy handing him the ball and asking him to attain within the NBA. Maybe he might develop in that space however it’ll take time. He does have loads of that although. Jackson is simply 18 years outdated and gained’t flip 19 till December.

Jett Howard

Michigan | Freshman | 6-8 | No. 14 in consensus (15.79 ADP)

The solar of former Michigan nice, Juwan Howard, Jett is a participant with all-around scoring capability however his ground is no less than that of a floor-spacing ahead. Howard is making 38.2 p.c of his 3-pointers at a charge of almost seven per sport. Per Synergy Sports activities he ranks within the 91st percentile in spot-up taking pictures.

Defensively there’s some potential. He’s not been a world-beater on that finish and it might restrict his potential if the off-the-bounce scoring doesn’t translate to the NBA as properly. One other space of concern on the defensive finish is rebounding. Regardless of having good measurement, he solely grabs 2.7 per sport and he’s one of many greater gamers on his crew (except for the 7-1 Hunter Dickinson).

Brice Sensabaugh

Ohio State | Freshman | 6-6 | No. 19 in consensus (20.85 ADP)

The upside for Sensabaugh, who’s been taking pictures up draft boards (The Athletic has him at 14th of their mock draft/massive board), is his scoring potential. Regardless of shouldering a rising scoring load (he wasn’t even a starter to start the 12 months) and taking all types of inauspicious photographs, Sensabaugh is making 50.6 p.c of his photographs general and 47.4 p.c of his threes. At 235 kilos, Sensabaugh is a wrecking ball within the paint however athletic sufficient to get across the courtroom.

The place skeptics could come up is the truth that Sensabaugh is probably going not going to proceed making the photographs he’s taking at this present clip, particularly not on the subsequent stage. But when he really is a particular shot-maker he might be a steal within the mid first spherical.

Rayan Rupert

New Zealand Breakers | 18 years outdated | 6-6 (7-2 Wingspan) | No. 22 in consensus (24.35 ADP)

The Jazz have already proven curiosity within the younger Rupert (turns 19 in late Could). Utah was one in every of 9 NBA groups that despatched representatives to a Breakers sport on Jan. 26.

Rupert’s upside is rooted deeply in his potential to turn out to be a 3-and-D wing. He has the dimensions to do wo at 6-foot-6 and a wingspan of round 7-foot-2 Nevertheless, his 3-point shot is a piece in progress. This season Rupert has made simply 26.2 p.c of his 3-pointers and within the final 4 seasons in varied leagues hasn’t shot above 33 p.c from deep.

The late-first vary

Colby Jones

Xavier | Junior | 6-6 | No. 30 in consensus (32.48 ADP)

This 12 months Jones has made a giant soar and it has made him right into a potential first-round choice. His scoring is up from 11.6 factors per sport final 12 months to 14.5. However simply as essential are his jumps in 3-point proportion (29.2 to 40.6) and assists per sport (3.2 to five.0).

Limitations as an athlete could dissuade some from drafting him within the first spherical alongside together with his taking pictures historical past earlier than this season (and low quantity on this environment friendly season). There’s the likelihood, although, of him being a stable bench and rotation participant.

Terrence Shannon Jr.

Illinois | Senior | 6-6 | No. 31 in consensus (35.13 ADP)

Shannon has repeatedly turned down coming into the draft. He might have entered after a breakout sophomore season the place he displayed his athleticism and potential for NBA scouts. He additionally had an opportunity to depart after being a part of a Texas Tech run to the Candy 16. His draft inventory hasn’t actually risen, even after transferring to Illinois and upping his scoring common from 10.4 per sport to 17.4.

Shannon has stable NBA potential with three-level scoring chops and good athleticism. His age at this level does stand out as a destructive however he might discover a spot within the rotation early as a scorer.

Jaime Jaquez Jr.

UCLA | Senior | 6-6 | No. 31 in consensus (35.13 ADP)

Jaquez is a participant that has nearly all the abilities of an NBA gamers however lacks among the athleticism. However he has sufficient athleticism plus stable measurement to have the ability to make the most of these expertise within the NBA. If he places a bit extra work into his 3-point shot (profession 32.7 p.c from three) and he might be a flexible wing with borderline starter potential.

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Revisiting the Jazz’s draft picks and potential prospects