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5 Utah Jazz players make ESPN’s Top 100 for 2023-2024

By Chad Porto

Oct 10, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) makes an outlet pass after collecting a defensive rebound against the LA Clippers during the third quarter at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 10, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) makes an outlet pass after collecting a defensive rebound against the LA Clippers during the third quarter at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Five Utah Jazz players have made ESPN’s Top 100.

The Utah Jazz continues to be one of the sleeper teams in the NBA for 2023-2024. The team is filled with great talent and the NBA media has highlighted that. Guys like Lauri Markkanen have been getting listed in the Top 30 of the NBA’s best players all offseason, and others like Jordan Clarkson and Walker Kessler have constantly hit the Top 100.

Now, it’s ESPN’s turn, and they seem pretty bullish on Utah as well. In their first article, ranking spots 100-51, they put four Utah Jazz players; Collin Sexton coming in at number 98, John Collins at 90, Jordan Clarkson at 77, and Walker Kessler at 70.  Then in their second piece, ranking plays 50 through 11, they had Lauri Markkanen at 28.

This is about league-average for Markkanen, as Bleacher Report had him at No. 34, CBS at No. 27, and The Ringer at No. 28.

"98. Collin Sexton.90. John Collins.77. Jordan Clarkson.70. Walker Kessler28. Lauri Markkanen"

No Utah Jazz player will be in the Top 10.

Former Utah Jazz players also appeared on the list. Rudy Gobert was at No. 64, and Donovan Mitchell came in at No. 15.

The Jazz should be happy about having as many players as they do in the Top 100. The team has done a great job building up and establishing its young core, and now with the regular season only weeks away, the hope is that the offseason hype turns into regular season excellence.

And of all the guys, the two that have the most upward movement heading into the season and, hopefully, next season’s Top 100 are Walker Kessler and John Collins. Collins was only as low as he was due to the finger injury he dealt with all last year.

As for Kessler, he’s on the verge of breaking out as one of the best, young, two-way centers in the league. He needs more consistency on offense but should he develop a better touch, there’s no way you can deny that he isn’t a Top 50 player with as good as he is already on the defense.

Heck, his defense alone may make him a Top 50 player in 2024’s list. After all, Gobert was 64 this year and that’s mostly due to his defense.

dark. Next. The truth about Kris Dunn and 3 more observations from the Utah Jazz’s preseason debut

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