Inside The Jazz

Ranking Jazz's Best Rebuild Prospects: Cody Williams | No. 2

Did the Utah Jazz strike gold in first-round pick Cody Williams?

Jun 26, 2024; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Cody Williams poses for photos with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected in the first round by the Utah Jazz in the 2024 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Jun 26, 2024; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Cody Williams poses for photos with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected in the first round by the Utah Jazz in the 2024 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
In this story:

The Utah Jazz have more than likely wrapped up their major offseason moves. Most notably, the team has added three new rookies to their young core. The Jazz now have three years of draft picks since initially embarking upon this daunting rebuild. Though each prospect is at a different point in their development, and each one figures to have different value to the team’s future, let’s rank them. 

This is not a ranking of who has the ultimate highest ceiling nor is it a look solely at who’s the best right now- we’ll consider what they’ve shown already, the areas they figure to improve, and the context of where that fits for the Jazz. Without further ado, let’s dive in. 

7. Brice Sensabaugh

6. Kyle Filipowski

5. Isaiah Collier

4. Walker Kessler

3. Taylor Hendricks

2. Cody Williams 

The Jazz selected Williams with the 10th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft after a single collegiate season spent at Colorado. He is a lean 6’7 athlete who can play various positions given his wide skillset. Possibly the first true wing the Jazz have drafted in a decade, Williams provides positional value and a modern playstyle that will hopefully blossom into a core piece for years to come. 

One of the top high school recruits in his class, Williams has a slashing skillset complemented by his elite touch around the basket. Pairing this touch with an innate ability to create finishing angles, a 7’1 "wingspan, and a 35-inch vertical makeup, Williams’ most translatable skill. With a Will Hardy offensive system that creates advantages with unselfishness and player movement, I expect to see Williams flourish with these opportunities. 

One of the more unique skills that Williams possesses is his ability to handle the ball and make good reads. He has shown some ability to play the point guard in the past, and while I don’t think he will develop into this role, having that baseline of skills to build upon will continue to benefit him. Williams can make high-level passes, a skill that the Jazz lacked last season. With his size and ball skills, Williams profiles as a truly versatile piece for the Jazz to deploy. 

One of the biggest knocks on Williams right now is that he has a slight frame. While he weighed in at just 178 pounds at the combine, Williams is still just 19-years-old and will continue filling out his frame. I expect that as he continues to get stronger that he’ll be able to get by defenders more consistently as well.

A topic of conversation leading up to the draft, I was encouraged with Williams’ shot throughout summer league. He was willing to take the shots that presented themselves and knocked them down at a respectable clip. I believe the added strength will allow him to become more consistent in this regard as well. 

Williams’ brother, Jalen Williams of the Oklahoma City Thunder, has quickly turned into one of the best young players in the NBA. He has a similar skillset in that he handles the ball extremely well for his size, scores efficiently, and defends hard. Expecting the Jazzman to develop just like his brother is unreasonable, but they do share similarities. I bring this up to point out that J-Dub was a bit of a late bloomer. If the younger of the two can continue developing, the sky is the limit for him.

 

Overall, I’m a big believer in Williams’ long-term potential with the Jazz. He has the baseline skillset to become a valuable two-way wing in a league where that archetype is invaluable. I also think he will take some time to develop, particularly physically, to become the player the Jazz are hoping for. In a rebuilding year, I expect him to get plenty of opportunities to learn and grow.

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

Published |Modified
Home/News