Utah Jazz: Five reasons No. 21 pick Grayson Allen will succeed

By Ryan Aston | Jun 24, 2018

BROOKLYN, NY - JUNE 21: Grayson Allen talks with Donovan Mitchell after being selected twenty-first overall by the Utah Jazz during the 2018 NBA Draft on June 21, 2018 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Jasear Thompson/NBAE via Getty Images) /

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Duke’s Grayson Allen, front, and Kansas’ Devonte’ Graham chase down a loose ball on March 25, 2018, in the NCAA Midwest Region Final in Omaha, Neb. (Rich Sugg/Kansas City Star/TNS via Getty Images) /

3) He’s a Hustle Player

While his passion on the floor has occasionally boiled over into making bad decisions and dirty plays, Allen nevertheless embodies one of key tenets of Jazzdom. Specifically, he’s a hard-nosed, hustle player.

When you ask fans about “Jazz DNA,” those are the words that immediately come to mind. Grit and competitiveness have always played in Salt Lake City and that continues to be the case with the current iteration of the Jazz under Quin Snyder.

At Duke, Allen was a pest defensively. And he was often the first player on the floor to battle for a loose ball. That mindset will be key in his ability to show value on both ends of the court.

He may have some limitations defensively with his lateral quickness and he doesn’t possess elite size either, but that scrappy nature will allow Allen to make an impact on games regardless. It will also endear him to his teammates, many of whom also have a reputation for laying it all out on the hardwood.

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