Grading the Utah Jazz final selection Brice Sensabaugh

As the first round of the 2023 NBA Draft came to a close, the Utah Jazz were able to land Ohio State forward Brice Sensabaugh with the 28th overall pick. Questions arose during his pre-draft workouts concerning a knee injury suffered in early March, which dropped him from a lottery pick to a mid-late first rounder. The Jazz don’t see this injury as a long-term concern and were ecstatic to be able to draft him so late.

Draft Grade: B

As seen with Utah’s first selection, Jazz GM Danny Ainge loves his high-upside wings. Sensabaugh is a knockdown shooter with a fluid midrange jumper and the ability to back down the defense in the post. He’s more of a reluctant passer but has shown potential to develop that part of his game better.

The upside:

Sensabaugh is an incredible scorer. Averaging over 16 PPG for the Buckeyes, he has shown a real prowess for getting to the rim and is a real catch-and-shoot threat. He hits contested shots; he loves to pull-up from midrange; and his side-step threes are nothing to scoff at either. Aware of his positioning, Sensabaugh loves cutting, handoffs, and generally just moving off the ball.

Sensabaugh’s fit on the Utah Jazz:

Between the ball dominance of Collin Sexton and Lauri Markkanen, Sensabaugh makes a great fit with his off-the-ball style of play. His catch-and-shoot ability gives him the chance to be an incredible outlet pass for his teammates driving to the rim. Given time and mentorship, this Ohio State sensation could make for a really good piece on future Utah Jazz rosters.

Danny Ainge landed a real steal at 28 if Sensabaugh can stay healthy. This sort of upside doesn’t come around every day, and with time and some veteran leadership, this Ohio State sensation could make for a really good piece on future Utah Jazz rosters.