Cody Williams' latest update all but confirms what went wrong his rookie year

Williams' rookie season was one for the ages for all the wrong reasons, but he may change the narrative in Year 2.
Jul 14, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Utah Jazz forward Cody Williams (5) competes against the San Antonio Spurs during the second half of a NBA basketball game at the Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images
Jul 14, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Utah Jazz forward Cody Williams (5) competes against the San Antonio Spurs during the second half of a NBA basketball game at the Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images | Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

Cody Williams' first NBA season with the Utah Jazz was as disastrous as anyone could have feared. Even with all the fair opportunities the Jazz gave him, Williams never capitalized on them, casting much doubt on his long-term future. However, Williams' weight gain indirectly confirms what went wrong in his rookie year: he didn't have an NBA body.

Williams was quite skinny upon coming to the NBA. During Jazz Media Day, it was clear how much different he looked now compared to his rookie season.

Now it is normal for young players who come into the NBA to still be growing into it, and hence, they enter the league being pretty skinny. That was definitely the case with Williams, but it's different now. He confirmed as much.

Williams was pretty invisible when he was on the court. He seemed to lack confidence and didn't really know where to be. Utah knew that he would be raw when the team drafted him, but he looked like if he was going to turn into anything at all, he would be a very long-term project.

The jury is still out on what he could be long-term, but at least Williams has improved on something that a. helps players stay in the NBA and b. helps young players like him reach his potential. He may not get the same opportunities he did his rookie season, but that might just be what he needs to

Williams can build off a fantastic Summer League performance

Kyle Filipowski, Ace Bailey, and Brice Sensabaugh all understandably outshined Williams during the 2025 Summer League, but the biggest takeaway from his performance there was that, by looking much more comfortable on the court and much more confident in what he could do, Williams looked much less like a deer in the headlights.

With more muscle and more confidence, Williams may be primed for a breakout season, though for the time being, fans should only be cautiously optimistic. The bar is so low for him that he has to show that he can do something on an NBA floor.

This season, Utah's focus will be on who among their young guys are long-term keepers. Williams projects to be a jack-of-all-trades wing who can do a bit of everything if he reaches his potential. He didn't exactly show that last season, but it's not too late for him.

Now that he's coming into the NBA with a body that's ready for it, the Jazz may feel much better about him by the end of this season than they did at the end of the last one.