Five Utah Jazz Late First Round Draft Options
Jun 15, 2023, 4:27 PM | Updated: 8:55 pm
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Jazz own three first-round selections in next week’s draft, and while the main focus will be on picks nine and 16, the team also owns the 28th pick courtesy of the Philadelphia 76ers.
While the Jazz are likely to shop the 28th pick on or before draft night, there is still a decent chance they wind up making the selection.
With that in mind, here are five names Jazz fans should be familiar with if the team winds up keeping the 28th pick.
Utah Jazz Late First-Round Draft Options
Noah Clowney: F/C – Alabama
Averages: 9.8 ppg | 7.9 RPG | 0.8 APG | 48 FG% | 28 3Pt % | 65 FT%
Standing 6-foot-10 with long arms and above-average athleticism, Noah Clowney has unicorn attributes due to his lanky frame and three-point shooting potential.
Though Clowney only knocked down 28 percent of his three-point attempts as a freshman, he has a comfortable release that lends itself to improved efficiency with more practice.
Here’s a nice 23 second clip of what Noah Clowney could look like at his best at the next level.
Pick and pop threat that has potential as a shooter. He’s only good shooting the ball while standing still. On the other end flashed some slight switchability and shot-blocking… pic.twitter.com/L2rKTo0iW7
— Global Scouting (@GlobalScouting_) June 14, 2023
The South Carolina native’s length will be an asset in the NBA on the defensive end, but his slight build may prevent him from developing into a primary rim protector or true low-post defender.
Clowney is a project, but as one of the younger players in the draft, has room to develop into one of the more unique three-and-D prospects in the NBA.
Leonard Miller: F/C – G League Ignite
Averages: 18.0 ppg | 11.0 RPG | 1.6 APG | 55 FG% | 32 3Pt % | 79 FT%
Standing just over 6-foot-8 with a 7-foot-2 wingspan, Leonard Miller has good size for an NBA frontcourt player, teamed with very translatable athleticism.
Miller isn’t the best athlete that is likely to be selected later in the first round, but he uses his fluidity, strength, and body control far better than most 19-year-olds.
The Toronto native can get to the rim using his ballhandling and has terrific touch once he gets there, highlighting his potential as a creator in the half-court.
Leonard Miller was locked in during the first half for @gleagueignite ⚡
12 PTS (4-6 FGM) pic.twitter.com/E8u2rGkKcg
— NBA (@NBA) October 6, 2022
Despite his strong scoring ability at the rim, Miller has yet to prove he can consistently knock down the deep ball in the G League.
Additionally, his defensive fundamentals are lacking, calling into question his versatility on that end.
Miller’s motor, fluidity, and existing skill set are a solid base entering the league, but his game may require some simplification at the next level as he likely won’t get the same freedom in the NBA that he did in the G League.
Trayce Jackson-Davis: F/C – Indiana
Averages: 20.9 ppg | 10.8 RPG | 4.0 APG | 58 FG% | NA 3Pt % | 69 FT%
One of the most productive players in all of college basketball, Trayce Jackson-Davis is the prototypical upperclassman that projects as a late first-round draft pick.
Standing 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot-1 wingspan, Jackson-Davis simply dominated younger players in college with his physical style of play and upper-echelon athleticism.
The Indiana native loves to dunk the ball and is a real threat in transition, and caught a ton of lobs in the halfcourt.
Trayce Jackson-Davis doing it all for the Hoosiers 👀
(via @br_CBB)
pic.twitter.com/sFDpydDYle— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) November 10, 2021
Jackson-Davis’s rebounding, shot-blocking, and passing are also a plus, highlighting his overall feel for the game in addition to his athleticism.
At 23 years old, Davis doesn’t have the same room for growth as some other bigs projected to be selected late in the first round. The bouncy forward is a complete non-shooter from the perimeter, attempting only three deep balls total in four years at Indiana.
Davis won’t dominate the bigger players in the NBA like he did in college, but his varied skillset should give him multiple pathways to figure out how to become a contributor at the next level.
Andre Jackson: G/F – UConn
Averages: 6.7 ppg | 6.2 RPG | 4.7 APG | 43 FG% | 28 3Pt % | 64 FT%
One of the best connectors in all of college basketball, Andre Jackson proved to be invaluable on the national championship-winning UConn Huskies.
Jackson is a classic jack-of-all-trades master-of-none prospect who has a natural feel for the game on both sides of the floor allowing him to create for others on offense while making plays on the perimeter defensively.
MONSTER SLAM 😤 @UConnMBB pic.twitter.com/Jl74vU8VuD
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) April 2, 2023
Standing 6-foot-5 with a 6-foot-9 wingspan, Jackson has elite vertical athleticism that should translate well to the NBA, especially in transition.
Jackson is a poor shooter and tends to play out of control when trying to create for his teammates, despite his excellent assist numbers.
The New York native might be better served filling the gaps on a championship contender in the mold of Juan Toscano-Anderson on the Golden State Warriors or Christian Bruan for the Denver Nuggets, rather than landing on a team trying to build for the future.
Brandin Podziemski: G – Santa Clara
Averages: 19.9 ppg | 8.8 RPG | 3.7 APG | 48 FG% | 43 3Pt % | 77 FT%
After a nearly non-existent season at Illinois as a freshman, Brandin Podziemski transferred to Santa Clara and became of the most productive players in all of college basketball.
Standing just under 6-foot-4, with a 6-foot-5 wingspan, “Air Pod” has good size for the lead guard position.
Podziemski is a deadly three-point shooter knocking down 2.5 per game as a sophomore on impressive percentages, shooting off the dribble, in transition, and in catch-and-shoot situations.
Brandin Podziemski should be in more conversations as one of the best shooters in this draft. On the season he shot 43.8% from three on great volume. Excels as a shooter off the catch and off the dribble. Has deep range past the NBA line. Arguably has the best touch in the draft. pic.twitter.com/DtCoNtnfZg
— Global Scouting (@GlobalScouting_) June 13, 2023
The Wisconsin native also has good touch inside the arc showing off a nice floater and even some moves with his back to the basket.
Though he recorded a 39 inch max vertical, Podziemski’s athleticism did not jump out in college. He lacks quickness which hurts his creation off the dribble and when trying to stay with his man defensively.
The 20-year-old will likely only be able to guard one position at the NBA level which limits his lineup versatility.
Podziemski’s bizarrely high rebounding numbers are a sign that there may be more to his game than just scoring, but his style of play at Santa Clara won’t resemble the opportunity he gets in the NBA.
Ben Anderson is the Utah Jazz insider for KSL Sports and the co-host of Jake and Ben from 10-12p with Jake Scott on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone. Find Ben on Twitter at @BensHoops or on Instagram @BensHoops.
