Jazz First-Round Pick Sounds Off on Keyonte George

Did the Utah Jazz get the steal of the draft with Isaiah Collier?

Mar 13, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; USC Trojans guard Isaiah Collier (1) shoots over Washington Huskies forward Wilhelm Breidenbach (32) during the second half at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports / Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

As the Utah Jazz approach the third year of their rebuild, the six draft picks from the last two drafts will start taking shape. This upcoming season holds significant importance for the team, as Utah took a one-foot-in and one-foot-out approach regarding tanking the last two seasons and, as a result, has yet to pick inside the top ten. 

If the Jazz intend to surprise the oddsmakers this year, some of these picks must outperform their draft position. So, which draft pick has the best shot of doing just that? Let's take a look at No. 29 overall pick Isaiah Collier. 

Collier was a lottery pick on everybody's draft boards a year ago. As a senior in high school, Collier averaged 19.6 points and 6.8 assists per game while earning Mr. Georgia basketball honors. He was also named the Naismith Prep Player of the Year and played in the 2023 McDonald's All-Star Game. He then spent his only year in college at USC, averaging 16.3 points while earning Pac-12 All-Freshman honors.

Collier's strengths are his ability to attack the rim and his willingness to pass with above-average vision on the fly. A good comparison would be ex-NBA player Eric Bledsoe. Getting into the paint won't be a problem, but like Bledsoe, his three-point shooting will need to be developed. 

Isaiah Collier possesses some of the highest upside in the class. Impossible to stay in front of. Great finisher. Flashes of elite passing. #1 player in HS class.

16-4-3 on 49/34/67 splits.

I’d be happy with him at 10. If he slides, I’m begging the Jazz to trade up for him. pic.twitter.com/8dyRkgDCkK

— AJ (@AJ3Jazz) May 23, 2024

There will be an opportunity to show off his skill set as he acclimates with his teammates when the Summer League begins next week. How he meshes with his new team will go a long way regarding making the rotation to start the season. The good news is that he does have a head start in that area. Collier has been working out with Jazz starting point guard Keyonte George this summer. The first-round pick touched on his experience with last year's lottery selection when he was introduced to the media in his first press conference as a Jazzman.

"It was kind of crazy because I kept asking him [Keyonte George] I might need a shirt. You know, I kept telling him that the whole summer and end up being here, but I mean, it's definitely great just seeing Keyonte George working everyday at his craft throughout the whole summer and continue seeing him getting better every single day."

Duplicating George's success in his rookie year will be a tall task. George carved a spot for himself in the rotation thanks to a strong performance in last year's Summer League. Collier may have to do the same thing if he's going to skip a stint in the G-League. However, if the Jazz decide to go full tank mode out of the gates this season, there may not be a choice but to throw Collier into the fire from day one.

Where it stands today, Collier is listed as the backup behind George on the depth chart. So, despite his falling in the draft from where he would have liked to have been selected, the opportunities for playing time in Utah are there for the taking. According to Collier, he's motivated by his situation and what lies ahead.

'I mean, it's just motivation playing in the NBA alone. You know, playing against a great level of talent. I mean, that's a blessing in disguise already. I mean for me, I have to prove myself regardless. I'm just happy to be in this situation.'

Jazz fans will be introduced to Collier as a player when the Summer League gets underway on July 8 when Utah faces off against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Follow Inside The Jazz on Facebook and Twitter/X, and subscribe to YouTube for breaking Jazz news videos and live streams!