Grading the Utah Jazz 2023 Rookie’s Seasons

While the upcoming draft and the rookies of next year are stealing all the hype, it is a good time to reflect on our draft decisions from last year. The Utah Jazz's 2023 draft class consisted of Keyonte George, Taylor Hendricks, and Brice Sensabaugh, all of whom experienced their fair share of ups and downs, as is expected with any rookie. Let's take a closer look at the backgrounds of these three players.

Our 9th pick in the 2023 NBA Draft was used on Taylor Hendricks from UCF. At the time, I wasn’t entirely thrilled about this selection. I was fully aboard the Cam Whitmore or Cason Wallace train. However, after delving into his film, I became quite excited about what he could bring to the Utah Jazz, before the team ultimately traded for John Collins. The Collins trade undoubtedly influenced Hendricks' development trajectory and the minutes he received in his rookie year, but he eventually carved out a place in the rotation.

With the 16th pick, the Jazz landed shooting guard Keyonte George from Baylor. Immediately, George had won me over. His college film displayed boundless potential, and I firmly believed, and still do, that the Jazz can harness that potential. George assumed the largest role among all rookies right from the start, owing to his performance and the injuries that sidelined Hendricks and Sensabaugh during the summer league and the beginning of the season. Fans adore him, but his development in year two will be crucial if we aim for him to become a cornerstone in this rebuild.

With the 28th pick, the Jazz selected Brice Sensabaugh out of Ohio State. Prior to his injury, it was widely believed that he would have been off the board well before the 28th pick. His scoring prowess in college immediately caught the attention of fans, and many became excited about the prospect of Sensabaugh earning significant minutes in his rookie year. Similar to Hendricks, his injury sidelined him for the summer league and the beginning of the season, but he persevered and managed to earn decent playing time as the season progressed. Now, it's time to assess the performance of these rookies in their first year in the league.