Utah Jazz: 3 draft prospects who could make instant impact as Jazzmen

Utah Jazz draft prospect No. 2: Day’Ron Sharpe

If the Utah Jazz brass does decide to select a big, many mock drafts have the franchise slated to draft Croatian forward Roko Prkacin. Although that would be a solid pickup, Prkacin is quite raw as a basketball player and would require significant development. Meanwhile, there is a big who would be able to come in and have an immediate impact: North Carolina’s Day’Ron Sharpe.

It’s common knowledge that Salt Lake City is the home of a top-five NBA center in Rudy Gobert. However, there can definitely be room for improvement in the backup position. Currently, Derrick Favors holds the backup center role, but his statistics have mostly decreased each season the past four years. And the jury is still out on Utah’s late first-round pick last year: Udoka Azubuike.

Adding a player like Sharpe could be exactly what the Jazz need to become even more lethal.

The freshman came off the bench for the Tar Heels and showed many glimpses of a guy who could become a formidable NBA player. During his sole season at UNC, Sharpe averaged 9.5 points and 7.6 rebounds in only 19 minutes of action per game.

When looking at his per-40-minute stats, it becomes evident just how impactful he was on the court. The 6-foot-10 forward averaged 19.9 points, 15.8 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per 40 minutes. Taking this into consideration proves just how good Sharpe is at his current state of development.

With the culture Utah has established, it’s only right to assume that Sharpe could reach his full potential as a Jazzman.

Regardless of what Sharpe could become, he is already one heck of a player. He is an extremely effective rebounder, an adequate low-post scorer, and a big who can hold his own on the defensive side of the floor.

The Utah Jazz coaching staff surely doesn’t want to lose so much defensive power with Gobert on the bench. Although Day’Ron Sharpe wouldn’t come close to replicating the same defensive productivity that Gobert brings to the game, there might not be a dramatic drop-off, at least in a couple of years, should Sharpe be on the court instead.