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Utah Jazz: Royce O’Neale proved his worth in 2018 Playoffs

By Zachary Padmore

HOUSTON, TX - MAY 8: Royce O'Neale #23 of the Utah Jazz goes to the basket against the Houston Rockets in Game Five of the Western Conference Semifinals of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on May 8, 2018 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TX - MAY 8: Royce O'Neale #23 of the Utah Jazz goes to the basket against the Houston Rockets in Game Five of the Western Conference Semifinals of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on May 8, 2018 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The Utah Jazz may be headed home and preparing for the offseason, but they have got to be encouraged with the strong play of Royce O’Neale.

Well, the 2017-18 season is over for the Utah Jazz. It was a year of ups and downs, injuries and perseverance. One man who personified the latter and made a statement during the NBA Playoffs was rookie Royce O’Neale.

Before we get started, let’s summarize the adversity that O’Neale has faced in his basketball career. He was unranked coming out of high school. He played two years at the University of Denver, two years at Baylor University, and then went undrafted in 2015.

Not getting picked in the draft is a tough pill to swallow. However, this guy did not give up on his dream of making it to the NBA. He played in Summer League trying to hook on with a team, and found his way playing in countries like Germany and Spain.

O’Neale finally got a shot when he was signed by the Utah Jazz. He fought for the final roster spot with Joel Bolomboy, and narrowly earned said spot. An undrafted rookie would have a hard time sniffing the rotation, and that was the reality for O’Neale in the beginning of the season.

He wasn’t getting very many minutes, but when he did, he made an impression. His hustle, defense, and 3-point shooting caught the eye of many. Now, he’s a huge piece to the Jazz moving forward, and has become a lockdown perimeter defender.

O’Neale played a huge role in the Jazz’s playoff run this season. With Ricky Rubio not playing a single game against the Houston Rockets in the second round, O’Neale started at shooting guard and took advantage of the increased playing time. Whether he was starting or coming off the bench, though, he consistently provided energy and effort.

He averaged 10.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 30.0 minutes per game against the Rockets in the Conference Semifinals. He shot 54 percent from the field, and 33 percent from 3-point range.

Overall in the playoffs, O’Neale averaged 5.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 20.2 minutes per game.

The numbers may not be very flashy or jump out at you, but he was very effective for the Jazz. His defense is sensational, and you’re seeing him get more and more comfortable with the ball in his hands. He did a great job of handling the ball, driving to the hoop and making plays for his teammates as the postseason wore on.

I’ve written before about how O’Neale could potentially be the small forward of the future for the Jazz. The guy can play multiple positions, plays defense and knocks down three balls. What’s not to like? He showed some very good improvement throughout the season, and will be a guy to track during the offseason.

Dennis Lindsey knew what he was doing when he signed O’Neale to a three-year contract last summer. His next two years are non-guaranteed, but I wouldn’t expect O’Neale to hit free agency until after the 2019-20 season.

Next: Utah Jazz drop Game 5 to the Houston Rockets

He’s already a darn good player, and has a chance to develop into something special.

O’Neale is for real, and the Jazz future is looking quite bright.

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