Utah
Top 3 Draft Targets for the Utah Jazz at Pick 21
The NBA Draft Lottery is right around the corner, causing the anticipation and anxiety to spread like a plague across the Salt Lake Valley. It is a pivotal moment in Utah Jazz franchise history. A chance to land a future Hall of Famer and a true potential championship caliber player in Cooper Flagg, or it is where we settle for a swing pick if we fall to 5.
Now, all we can do is wait, but what we do know is that we have another 1st round pick already set in stone, slotted at pick 21. There is plenty of talent in the draft, and the Utah Jazz have proven to be successful in selecting with later picks. From John Stockton (pick 16) to Rudy Gobert (pick 27) and more recently the promising talent in Isaiah Collier (29th) and Kyle Filipowski (32nd) — despite organizational changes — the Jazz have found talent, capitalizing on other teams’ scouting blunders.
Can the Jazz do it again this year with the 21st pick in the 2025 NBA Draft? Here are my personal top 3 picks the Utah Jazz should target at 21 (if available)!
1 – Labaron Philon | G | Alabama | 6’4 |
My Ranking: 6th | ESPN’s Ranking: 43rd
Stats: 10.6 PPG | 3.8 APG | 3.3 RPG | 1.4 SPG | 45.2% FG | 31.5% 3FG | 76.7 FT%
Player Comparisons: Rajon Rondo / Jrue Holiday / Rod Strickland / Jose Alverado
First things first, I have got to take some shots at ESPN and Jonathan Givony. Ranking Labaron Philon 43rd in their latest big board is a complete joke. He was very impactful for the Crimson Tide this whole season and played a big role in taking their team to the Elite 8 — they lost to Cooper Flagg and the rest of the Blue Devils. After their veteran guard, Latrell Wrightsell Jr, went down with a ruptured Achilles tendon in the first month of play, Labaron Philon came in and filled that secondary ball handler role next to Sears, where they won 15 of their next 16 games. I will touch on more of what Philon can do, but I just have to say that ESPN and media boards in general have criminally underrated Labaron to the point where I question credibility. 43rd, ha.
Labaron Philon is a defensive playmaker on one side of the court, and on the other, he is a pass-first, tempo-pushing point guard with a developing shot. Out of all of the draft-eligible freshmen, he is top 3 in assist-to-turnover ratio (A:TO), and of those 3, he is the tallest who also has the best defensive metrics. As I stated earlier, the shot is developing. After a rough start to the year in shooting the three-ball and free throws, Labaron Philon crawled his way back into the safe zone for prospect shooting indicators for a guard (>30% from 3 and a >75% FT). Other guards that had close to the same shooting indicators are Bradley Beal, John Wall, Anthony Edwards, Marcus Smart, Donovan Mitchell, Collin Sexton, and more. I am very optimistic that Philon will become a league-average shooter with time and repetitions. One of my favorite things about Philon is the pace at which he plays, it is slow and methodical. He reads the offense very well, he knows when to attack, and he knows where/when to make the right pass. Because he plays at such a methodical pace, it allows his teammates to run their sets cleaner, ultimately leading to the best possible look.
This draft cycle, I have been deeply valuing the importance of the ability to scale down. In a competitive team construct, being able to scale down and play off the ball has become vital to winning, especially for a guard and especially in the playoffs. Labaron Philon was in the perfect setting for practicing that skill as he played alongside Alabama star and First-Team All-American, Mark Sears. He was able to move off the ball, whether that be spotting up, cutting to the basket, or being in a position to make the quick extra pass for an open look. Philon embodied being a team player.
Why Utah?
I get the confusion; we already have a guard-heavy roster, so why would we want more? I may be on a small island when it comes to our young guards, but I am not bought in on any of our guards long-term. Isaiah Collier had a year full of ups and downs; he broke the Utah Jazz total assist record (he surpassed John Stockton), but then he shot 24.9% from 3 and 68.2% from the FT line — those percentages are not positive indicators at all that he will be a consistent league average shooter, and a smaller, non-shooting guard does not sound very appealing to me. Keyonte George hasn’t shown much outside of being a potential scorer off the bench, but he will still likely be inconsistent and a defensive liability in bigger games.
He is exactly who I wanted Sexton to be, though Sexton is an electric 3-level scorer that Philon may not reach, but Philon embodies an impact driving, more old-school/traditional scrappy guard that are guys that I fall in love with almost every draft cycle (Jalen Suggs, Cason Wallace, and Stephon Castle — I am also a huge Andrew Nembhard fan). Philon is a perfect pick-and-roll guy with any type of big man. If we can get a well-rounded guard at pick 21 who impacts winning on a higher level, then I am picking them 10 times out of 10.
2 – Carter Bryant | F | Arizona | 6’8 |
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My Ranking: 14th | ESPN’s Ranking: 18th
Stats: 6.5 PPG | 4.1 RPG | 1.0 APG | 1.9 STK/G | 46% FG | 37.1 3FG
NBA Comparisons: Jeff Green, Trevor Ariza, Rui Hachimura, Dorian Finney-Smith, Mikal Bridges
Carter Bryant is a swing pick that has shown plenty of production to be excited about. He is probably the 3rd best defender out of all freshmen in the draft behind Cooper Flagg and VJ Edgecombe, nabbing a cumulative stock% of 8.6% (really good for a forward). He has an NBA-ready body with great foot speed, allowing him to keep up with quick offensive players on defense, and the athleticism to not only contest and swat shots, but offensively, he is a gifted cutter and mover off the ball. He has a relatively safe floor (ideally) as a 3&D wing with positional size, but we really did not see what he could do with the ball in his hands because of how guard-dominant Arizona was this year. Bryant totaled a usage rate of 16%, which is hardly anything — 92.3% of his made 3’s were assisted this year. What this entails is that a team could/probably fall in love with him after they bring him out for workouts. If Carter Bryant develops a game where he can create his own shot, then you are looking at a scary good player who could easily bring back top 5-10 value in the entire draft class.
Again, a player that is scalable. Carter Bryant doesn’t need to dominate the ball to be impactful, and it reflects in his production/numbers.
Why Utah?
The Utah Jazz already have a logjam at the forward position as well with the likes of Lauri Markkanen, Kyle Filipowski, Taylor Hendricks, maybe Cooper Flagg if we are lucky, and, depending on what position you believe he is, Cody Williams. However, the Utah Jazz have been the worst defensive team in the league for 2 straight seasons. If they want to get better in that area, they’d better start adding some defensive pieces to the roster, and Carter Bryant would be a great piece to that puzzle.
Carter Bryant would likely be starting in the G-League for the first part of the year if we were to draft him, much like what we did with Taylor Hendricks.
Carter Bryant was everywhere for Arizona in the opening weekend of the NCAA Tourney—defending 1-5, rotating for highlight swats, knocking down 3s, finishing ferociously at the rim, and making countless hustle plays.
Cooper Flagg and Duke await in the Sweet 16. pic.twitter.com/fQUz67ljbk
— League Him (@League_Him) March 25, 2025
3 – Ryan Kalkbrenner | C | Creighton | 7’1
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My Ranking: 18th | ESPN’s Ranking: 33rd
Stats: 19.2 PPG | 8.7 RPG | 1.5 APG | 2.7 BPG | 65.3% FG | 34.4% 3FG
NBA Comparisons: Brook Lopez / Jakob Poeltl / Donovan Clingan / Zach Edey
Despite his age, Ryan Kalkbrenner is one of the most seasoned and productive big men in the draft. A four-year anchor for Creighton and a multiple-time Defensive Player of the Year in the Big East, Kalkbrenner brings elite shot-blocking instincts, strong fundamentals, and the kind of rim deterrence that instantly improves a team’s backline defense.
At 7’1” with a 7’5” -ish wingspan, he’s an imposing interior presence who doesn’t chase blocks recklessly — he stays vertical, rotates early, and clogs the paint without fouling. He’s a classic drop-coverage center who excels at funneling drivers into tough finishes.
Offensively, Kalkbrenner is efficient, physical, and poised. He shot over 65% from the field, thriving in pick-and-roll situations, as a lob target, and with short post hooks. But what really elevates his profile in a modern NBA context is his developing ability to space the floor. His 34.4% mark from three — on low volume but growing confidence — hints at legit pick-and-pop potential.
The value of a center who can shoot cannot be overstated. It unclogs driving lanes, keeps defenders honest in ball screens, and forces opposing bigs out of the paint. In a league increasingly reliant on spacing, a stretch five — even in a backup role — adds valuable lineup versatility.
Beyond scoring, Kalkbrenner is also a highly connective player. He doesn’t force touches, moves the ball quickly, and sets hard screens that open up teammates. He won’t rack up assists, but he plays within the flow of the offense and rarely makes mistakes. His processing speed and understanding of team basketball make him a low-usage, high-impact player, particularly for second units.
Why Utah?
Walker Kessler remains a strong piece for Utah’s frontcourt — an elite shot-blocker in his own right with real starter upside. But behind him, there’s room for a reliable, experienced backup who won’t disrupt the team’s identity when he checks in. Kalkbrenner fills that role seamlessly.
As a second-unit anchor, he’d bring consistent interior defense and a steady offensive presence, allowing Utah to maintain rim protection while adding more floor spacing and offensive polish than typical bench bigs. His ability to hit open threes and keep the ball moving fits well with Utah’s modern approach and young core.
Utah’s coaching staff could utilize Kalkbrenner to run second-unit pick-and-pops, giving guards space to operate while providing a safety valve around the rim. His plug-and-play skill set, experience, and floor-spacing potential make him one of the safest big men in the class, especially for teams seeking a specialized role rather than a star.
I also believe that adding a floor spacing big man to the team would allow the young guys to flourish, especially Isaiah Collier — the pick-and-pop game between the two would be incredible.
MORE PROSPECT EVALUATIONS FOR PICK 21 WILL BE ON THE WAY SOON!
Honorable Mentions (I don’t think they will fall to us):
-Collin Murray-Boyles
-Asa Newell
-Noa Essengue
I just want to wish everyone good luck in the lottery tomorrow. I am very scared, but it is out of our control (and out of the front office’s control). It is just basketball at the end of the day. May the odds be ever in our favor. GOOD LUCK!!!
SALT LAKE CITY — “If you don’t think you’re a reader yet, it’s because you haven’t found the right book.”
Utah author Sara B. Larson believes there is a book out there for everyone that can make someone love reading. She and dozens of other authors gathered at StoryCon this weekend to teach and inspire young kids to love reading and writing.
“It’s hard to see the drop in literacy that has happened, but it’s also encouraging to see so many people banding together to try and combat it and help our youth,” Larson said.
StoryCon is a literature conference that brings together authors, educators, teens, tweens and everyone in between to focus on the power of literacy. Around 3,500 people flocked to the Salt Palace Convention Center for workshops on writing concepts, shopping for book merchandise, author signings, and even panels about Brandon Sanderson’s famed fantastical universe known as the Cosmere.
Sanderson, one of the most well-known fantasy authors to come out of Utah, said writing can feel isolating because it is such a solitary activity. He attended a conference similar to StoryCon in Nebraska when he was 18, and the opportunity to connect and meet with real authors was “so invigorating.”
“It was so powerful to just have a community. So I’ve always tried to do what I can to support communities, particularly for young people,” he said.
Aspiring writers don’t need to stress about writing the perfect book immediately, Sanderson advises. While some authors get lucky, like Christopher Paolini, who wrote “Eragon” at just 14 years old, most of the time writing is about exploring genres and just improving your skills over time, he said.
Sanderson himself didn’t love reading at first until between his eighth and ninth grade years.
“I went from being a C student to an A student because of books. This was partially because I found myself in the books; I had a reason to care, but your reading comprehension going up helps in all aspects of life,” he said. “Having a fluency with reading, reading for the love of it, which will just build those muscles in your brain, is extremely important.”
Brandon Mull, author of the “Fablehaven” series, said he also didn’t like reading as a kid until he read “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” which made a “light go on.” He now feels he owes C.S. Lewis the credit for how his life turned out.
“When I learned to read for fun as a kid, it changed the trajectory of my life,” Mull said. “I’m a practical example of how big a difference learning to love reading can make for someone.”
Mull focuses on children’s literature and said he tries to write stories that children and families can enjoy. Reading fiction helps children develop “a rich inner life,” learn how to be empathetic and develop their minds to be a place ideas can be explored.
The Utah author will soon be celebrating the 20th anniversary of his book “Fablehaven,” which will include a special illustrated edition of the beloved children’s book, a dramatized full-cast audiobook, and the premiere next year of a film based on the novel. He also will be releasing a new series this year called “Guardians” that he believes is some of his best work.
With so many things competing for kids’ attention every day, it’s crucial to teach them to read, Mull said.
“If we don’t get kids to learn how to read a book and turn it into a story in their head, they are missing an aspect of education that makes them good consumers of information and good consumers of stories,” he said.
Larson agreed with that sentiment, saying people’s brains are being “hijacked” and getting stuck in a loop of only having a 3-second attention span because of social media. Larson has written more than eight fantasy books, including the popular “Defy” trilogy.
“This phenomenon that is happening to our kids, they are losing the ability to focus, losing the ability to even think with any sort of deep analytical process. It’s so vital to get to these kids and help them realize you have got to put down the phone and pick up a book and train yourself to focus,” she said.
There is wealth, knowledge, joy, happiness, peace and calm to be found when you put social media away and instead dive into a book, she said. Reading helps children grow up to be successful adults who can pursue goals, constantly learn and successfully contribute to society.
StoryCon CEO Jennifer Jenkins said it has been overwhelming to see the success of the event. StoryCon was created by the nonprofit Operation Literacy last year and has become the biggest literacy-focused event in Utah.
Growing up, she felt there wasn’t a place for writers compared to athletes or dancers who always had camps and conventions, so she helped found Teen Author Boot Camp, which evolved into StoryCon.
“Kids need to know they are being taken seriously. They need to be validated and know they are being encouraged,” she said. “That’s the why behind all of this. We really want to put them before anything else. These kids are the heart of everything we do.”
The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.
Arizona State basketball is at a crossroads. After back-to-back road losses to Baylor and TCU, the Sun Devils are suddenly fighting just to stay above .500.
Now, with Utah coming to town Saturday afternoon, this isn’t just another conference game. It feels bigger than that. It feels like the moment that decides whether this season still has life or if it quietly fades away.
The Danger of Falling Below .500
All season long, Arizona State has had one strange pattern.
Every time they dropped to .500, they responded with a win. They never let things spiral.
But now they’re sitting right on the edge again.
A loss to Utah would push them below .500 for the first time all year. That might not sound dramatic, but it matters for team morale.
Teams feel that shift. Confidence changes. Urgency changes. And with only a few games left before the Big 12 Tournament, there isn’t much time to recover.
That’s why this Utah game feels different.
Utah Is Playing Better — Especially on Defense
When these two teams met a few weeks ago, Utah was struggling.
Since then, they’ve improved. They’re still built around their top scorers, who combine for around 40 points per game, but the real difference lately has been defense.
Utah has started putting together more complete defensive performances. They’re contesting shots better. They’re finishing possessions. They’re not folding as easily in the second half.
That matters because Arizona State’s biggest issue right now isn’t effort, it’s physical depth.
The Real Niche Problem: Guard-Heavy and Worn Down
Here’s something that doesn’t get talked about enough: Arizona State’s roster balance is off.
Because of injuries, especially the likely season-ending absence of Marcus Adams Jr., the Sun Devils are extremely guard-heavy right now. More than half of the available players are guards. That creates matchup issues, especially against physical teams.
We saw it against TCU. They got to the free-throw line 36 times.
They won the physical battle. Even when their best scorer struggled, they still controlled the game inside.
ASU just doesn’t have the same frontcourt depth.
With only a few true bigs available and some undersized forwards playing bigger roles than expected, the team can get worn down.
Late in games, that shows up in missed rebounds, second-chance points, and tired legs.
It’s not about hustle. It’s about bodies.
Why Saturday Truly Matters
If Arizona State beats Utah, everything changes.
Suddenly, you’re heading into Senior Night against Kansas with momentum. Win that, and you’re talking about a possible 7–11 conference finish and a much better Big 12 Tournament matchup.
From there? Anything can happen.
But if they lose Saturday, the math and the hope get much harder.
That’s why this game isn’t just about Utah.
It’s about belief. It’s about roster limitations. And it’s about whether this team has one more push left in them before the season runs out.
SALT LAKE CITY — A controversial Utah proposal to crack down on the presence of immigrants in the country illegally that had seemed stalled gained new life Friday, passing muster in new form in a relatively narrow vote.
In a 39-33 vote, the Utah House approved HB386 — amended with portions of HB88, which stalled in the House on Monday — and the revamped measure now goes to the Utah Senate for consideration.
The reworked version of HB386, originally meant just to repeal outdated immigration legislation, now also contains provisions prohibiting immigrants in the country illegally from being able to tap into in-state university tuition, certain home loan programs and certain professional licensing.
The new HB386 isn’t as far-reaching as HB88, which also would have prohibited immigrants in the country illegally from being able to access certain public benefits like food at food pantries, immunizations for communicable diseases and emergency housing.
Moreover, Rep. Trevor Lee, R-Layton and the HB88 sponsor, stressed that the new provisions in HB386 wouldn’t impact immigrants in the country legally. He touted HB88 as a means of making sure taxpayer money isn’t funneled to programming that immigrants in the country illegally can tap.
Rep. Lisa Shepherd, R-Provo, the HB386 sponsor, sounded a similar message, referencing, with chagrin, the provision allowing certain students in the country illegally to access lower in-state tuition rates at Utah’s public universities. Because of such provisions “we’re taking care of other countries’ children first, and I want to take care of Utahns first. In my campaign I ran and said Utahns first and this bill will put Utahns first,” she said.
If we stop young folks who have lived here much of their life from going to school and getting an education, it is really clear to me that we have hurt that person. It’s not clear to me at all that we have benefitted the rest of us.
–Rep. Ray Ward, R-Bountiful
The relatively narrow 39-33 vote, atypical in the GOP-dominated Utah Legislature, followed several other narrow, hotly contested procedural votes to formally amend HB386. Foes, including both Democrats and Republicans, took particular umbrage with provisions prohibiting immigrants in the country illegally from being able to pay in-state tuition and access certain scholarships.
As is, students in the country illegally who have attended high school for at least three years in Utah and meet other guidelines may pay lower in-state tuition, but if they have to pay out-of-state tuition instead, they could no longer afford to go to college.
“If we stop young folks who have lived here much of their life from going to school and getting an education, it is really clear to me that we have hurt that person. It’s not clear to me at all that we have benefitted the rest of us,” said Rep. Ray Ward, R-Bountiful.
Rep. Hoang Nguyen, D-Salt Lake City, noted her own hardscrabble upbringing as an immigrant from Vietnam and said the changes outlined in the reworked version of HB386 run counter to what she believes Utah stands for.
“I fear that what we’re doing here in Utah is we are eroding what truly makes Utah special, the Utah way. We are starting to adopt policies that are regressive and don’t take care of people. Utahns are one thing. Citizens are one thing. People is the first thing,” she said.
Rep. John Arthur, D-Cottonwood Heights, said the measure sends a negative message to the immigrant students impacted.
“If we pass this bill today, colleagues, we will be telling these young people — again, who have graduated from our high schools, these kids who have gone to at least three years of school here — that you’re no longer a Utahn,” he said.
If we are compassionate to those who come the legal way and we are compassionate to those who already live here, that does not mean that we lack compassion for others in other ways.
–Rep. Kristen Chevrier, R-Highland
Rep. Kristen Chevrier, R-Highland, said the debate underscores a “fallacy” about compassion. She backed the reworked version of HB386, saying Utah resources should be first spend on those in the country legally.
“If we are compassionate to those who come the legal way and we are compassionate to those who already live here, that does not mean that we lack compassion for others in other ways,” she said.
The original version of HB386 calls for repeal of immigration laws on the books that are outdated because other triggering requirements have not been met or they run counter to federal law.
The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.
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