NBA Draft

Utah Jazz Rookie Continues to Dominate With Future Indicators

The Utah Jazz are seeing Isaiah Collier continue to progress and flash positive future indicators of success.

Rylan Stiles

Apr 2, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy talks with guard Isaiah Collier (13) during the second quarter against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Apr 2, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy talks with guard Isaiah Collier (13) during the second quarter against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
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The Utah Jazz handled the 2024 NBA Draft masterfully. This is a franchise that did not need quick fixes. In a 2024 class that even the "safe" picks felt shakey and devoid of clear-cut star power, the Jazz walked the tight rope beautifully of grabbing once heralded prospects who still showed enough in college to warrant a flyer.

Case and point Isaiah Collier. The USC point guard was once regarded as a top five pick in the draft, before his tumble down boards that left him to be had at pick No. 29 for the Utah Jazz as part of a rookie class that also included Cody Williams and Kyle Filipowski (two other once highly thought of talents).

For this scribes money, Collier has been the best of the bunch and continues to show positive indicators for the lofty ceiling that his game has. If you look beyond the losses and even some of the raw stats, it is easy to see the potential in Utah's first year guard.

Collier posted 22 points, 10 assists, five rebounds and a block in Utah's 143-105 loss to the Houston Rockets on Wednesday, but it was a banner night for the USC product to show he is the guard of the future for the Jazz.

Collier relentlessly attacked downhill to geto the basket against a good Houston defense and was rewarded with eight free throw attempts. A tribute to his ability of obsorbing contact and going up strong to force officials to make a call. He also went 2-for-5 from 3 and 7-for-11 from the floor. Just one miss inside the arc.

The Jazz should see Collier stamp his name on the first-team All-Rookie squad and is a justifiable roookie of the year candidate but most importantly, his growth under Will Hardy should leave the Utah faithful excited for the future and help dig this franchise out of a rebuild.

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Rylan Stiles
RYLAN STILES

Rylan Stiles is a credentialed media member covering the Oklahoma City Thunder. He hosts the Locked On Thunder Podcast, and is lead beat writer for Inside the Thunder. Rylan is also an award-winning play-by-play broadcaster for the Oklahoma Sports Network. 

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