Options for the Utah Jazz with their top 2023 NBA Draft Pick

After missing out on the 2022-23 Play-In, Utah will look to bolster their team with a lottery pick.

After narrowly missing out on the 2022-23 Western Conference Play-In game, Utah will enter the 2023 NBA Draft with the ninth-best lottery odds.

Despite not having much of a chance at the top selections, the Jazz will still have a plethora of solid players to pick from.

With that in mind, here are some options for Utah with their lottery pick:

Cam Whitmore, Villanova

If Utah is looking for an upside swing later than pick No. 5, look no further than Villanova forward Cam Whitmore.

A hyper-athletic, straight-line driver, Whitmore offers unique upside as a potential shot creator. His defense and shooting have a long way to go, but should he develop in a few key areas, we could be looking at a potential All-Star talent.

It could be a moot point with Whitmore being selected even higher than fifth due to his potential, but if he’s hanging around in Utah’s range, they’ll undoubtedly take a look.

Ausar Thompson, Overtime Elite

With the Jazz in an in-between mode between making a play-in push and shutting it down, Thompson somewhat exemplifies that thought process.

One half of the hyper-athletic Thompson twins duo, he offers an immediate injection of defense and athleticism alongside the win-now core, and potentially has this upside as a passer/playmaker and creator.

Thompson feels like the perfect mix of current talent and upside swing for a Jazz team that may pivot in the 2023-24 season.

Anthony Black, Arkansas

Despite fine seasons from Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton, the Jazz could opt to draft their point guard of the future in 2023.

At 6-foot-7, Black is a lengthy passer-playmaker with strong defensive ability. He functions well in the pick-and-roll and can score off-ball with timely cuts and the occasional three-pointer.

Next to Lauri Markkanen, Walker Kessler and Ochai Agbaji, Black could thrive as a facilitator and point-of-attack defender.

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