Grading Jazz's No. 10 Overall Pick Cody Williams

Meet the newest member of the Utah Jazz.

Mar 24, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Colorado Buffaloes forward Cody Williams (10) looks on during the first half against the Marquette Golden Eagles at Gainbridge FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports / Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

The draft board fell favorably for the Utah Jazz this year, and they came away with a prospect they highly coveted. With the 10th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, the Jazz landed Cody Williams, the 6’7 wing out of Colorado. Who are the Jazz getting, and why was this pick a home run? Let’s talk about it.

Physicals: 6’6.5 without shoes, 178 lbs, 7’1 wingspan, 19 years old.

Stats per game: 11.9 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 55.2% FG, 41.5% 3P, 71.4% FT.

Williams is a long, athletic wing who spent his lone collegiate season playing for Colorado. He came into college touted for his impressive guard skills. While he wasn’t utilized in this role as much for a veteran Buffalo team, Williams showed plenty of flashes of the intriguing skillset and athletic tools that the Jazz are getting.

The biggest standout in Williams’ game is his ability to find driving angles and finish at the rim. Though he lacks strength, he utilizes excellent touch and length to finish around the basket at a high clip. Williams will thrive as a slasher in the NBA as he gets stronger and tightens up his handle. He already has a good baseline as a ball handler and driver- a rarity for most 6’7 wings.

Williams is a good athlete who takes advantage of his long strides in the open court. He had a handful of eye-popping dunks that Jazz fans can look forward to seeing at the next level.

The Utah Jazz select Cody Williams with the No. 10 Pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.#NBADraft pic.twitter.com/j2MxPbt0ek

— No Ceilings (@NoCeilingsNBA) June 27, 2024

This athleticism is also evident on the defensive end, where he uses his length to bother opponents. He is not a polished defender yet, but the tools and the effort are there for Williams.

While his percentages were inflated due to some hesitancy with letting the ball fly from deep, Williams has a solid baseline as a shooter. His excellent touch is evident by his shooting splits and the eye test on his drives to the rim- Williams shot over 74% at the rim last year, a ridiculous number. It will take time for him to develop physically, but as he gets stronger and works on the shot, it will fall. The biggest thing I want to see from him is a willingness to shoot the ball. Once teams respect this, it will open up even more driving lanes for him.

The younger brother of Oklahoma City Thunder's rising star, Jalen Williams, Cody Williams, is a cerebral basketball player who thinks the game is at a high level. His excellent processing speed and feel for the game were evident at times for Colorado and are skills that the Jazz highly value. Despite the knock about him being hesitant to shoot, it can also be seen as a positive that Williams is very selective with his shot selection. He understands how to get a good shot and when to move the ball when he doesn’t have a look- another underrated skill for a player of his pedigree.

The Jazz select Cody Williams with the No. 10 overall pick 🔥

Williams was a top-5 recruit in the class of 2023 before spending his freshman year at Colorado pic.twitter.com/gUoyoBJyXy

— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) June 27, 2024

So what’s the downside? Williams weighed in at 178 pounds at the draft combine. It will take time for him to fill out his frame and develop physically. Because of this slight frame, Williams will have to work hard on his body to stay healthy- he had an injury-marred season in college. 19-year-olds are far from finished products, though. Williams has the frame to put muscle on and continue developing athletically.

Once again, Cody Williams has all the physical tools and basketball skills to be a standout wing for the Utah Jazz. At 10, Williams is a home run pick for a Jazz team that needs high-upside talent on the wings. Williams is an ideal fit next to Keyonte George, Taylor Hendricks, and the rest of this young Jazz core. The Jazz should feel very fortunate that a talent like Williams slid down to them.

Grade: A

Follow Inside The Jazz on Facebook and X.

Subscribe to YouTube for breaking Jazz news videos and live streams!