Jazz Recall Cody Williams Ahead of Clippers Game

The 2024 lottery pick is back with the Utah Jazz.

Nov 9, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Utah Jazz forward Cody Williams (5) dribbles past San Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul (3) in the first half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images / Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

On Sunday morning, the Utah Jazz announced that they had recalled rookie Cody Williams from the Salt Lake City Stars, the team’s G-League affiliate. 

We have recalled Cody Williams from the @slcstars 💫#TakeNote

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) December 15, 2024

 
Williams was the 10th overall pick in the 2024 draft and someone the team was ecstatic about drafting. After a strugglesome start to the season, the Jazz sent him down to the G-League to see an expanded role. 

21 PTS ⭐️ 7/10 FG ⭐️ 3/3 3PT

2024 NBA first round pick Cody Williams dropped a CAREER-HIGH in scoring for the @slcstars! He did this in just 20 MIN of action. pic.twitter.com/vM6JbpCF8p

— NBA G League (@nbagleague) December 5, 2024

His best game came early in December when he scored 21 points on an efficient 7/10 shooting including going 3/3 on three-pointers. These flashes are exactly what sold the Jazz on Williams as a top-10 draft pick. 

 
In 7 games with the Stars, Williams averaged 13.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.1 steals per outing. Unfortunately, the efficiency was not where you’d like to see it, with C-Dub shooting just 30.6% from the field and 21.9% from behind the three-point line. 

While it would have been nice to see Williams explode onto the scene his rookie year, that was never the most likely outcome. He just turned 20 years old within the past month and needs to continue developing both physically and as a basketball player. Despite standing at 6’7, Williams weighed in at just 178 pounds during the draft combine. It’s going to take some time for him to adjust to the physicality of the NBA. 

Hopefully the G-League stint made Williams more comfortable with the team’s system and where he can make his impact within the rotation. While with the Jazz earlier in the season, Williams’ passing was particularly impressive as a secondary playmaker within the offense. 

It is unclear if the Jazz plan to reinsert Williams into their rotation. In his absence the team has given minutes to Brice Sensabaugh and Johnny Juzang who have both been shown flashes of good play. With the team getting healthier it may be tough for Williams to get extended minutes. 

Williams’ development is one of the most important plot lines for fans to monitor as the season progresses. He’s unique amongst Jazz prospects because he’s an athletic wing who can handle the ball, score at the rim, and defend across multiple positions. This skill set is more theoretical than reality at this point, but Williams has the talent to be an impact player down the line. 

While he may spend some more time in the G-League this year, for now, the Jazz recalling him is a step towards the progress the team wants to see as the season progresses.

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