Since the Utah Jazz’s rookie class is one of the most crowded, they are also under a microscope that many previous rookie classes have not been under. It’s still very early in the season, but there are some conclusions to be drawn in such a small sample size.
Cody Williams, Isaiah Collier, and Kyle Filipowski all had different starts to the season
At this point, the discussion may have already been over, although Collier was not given the opportunity to show much (more on that later). However, Filipovski was so strong early on, it appears his production was no fluke.
He came into the NBA compared to Jazz alum Kelly Olynyk. The comparison actually isn’t that bad. Olynyk is a highly intelligent individual, and his size, combined with his skill set, makes him a consistent problem in the competition. Despite being perhaps the most unathletic player the NBA has ever seen, there’s a reason he earned over $100 million in his NBA career.
Filipovskiy looks like Oleinik’s doppelgänger, but only to a certain extent. Unlike Olynyk, Filipovski looks like a more fluid athlete, which makes one wonder if his ceiling is even higher.
Whenever he got the distance, Kyle Filipowski showed off his impressive abilities,
Versatile skill set
In just 23 minutes, he had a career-high 18 points on 7-12 FGs (2-4 3Ps) along with 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 blocks.
First round talent đź‘€ pic.twitter.com/GYOxQIesEN
– Point Made Basketball (@pointmadebball) November 13, 2024
His production was not surprising, as what was surprising was that the Jazz defeated him early in the second round. He made it clear that other teams were wrong to ignore him. He may not be a future star, but he has shown good signs that he should be a key component of the Jazz’s future.
While it looks like he will finish as the best rookie in the Jazz, it will take some time to determine if he will fare better than the other rookies in the class in the long run.
What made Filipowski look good was the fact that Williams, by comparison, looks like he will need some time to fully transition to the NBA. As the No. 10 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Williams came to the Jazz with the highest expectations of all rookies.
Once Taylor Hendricks went down, Williams was suddenly given a much bigger role. He wasn’t terrible all around, but he didn’t quite take his turn and deal with it. This does not mean that the potential is not there because it is. His case as Rookie of the Year is almost non-existent, even if it’s not entirely unreasonable, but Williams has shown at times to be a jack-of-all-trades winger.
Look at that pass from Cody Williams…threading the needle pic.twitter.com/TbwSi3CBlE
– Jazz (@JazzLead) November 8, 2024
Right now, the Jazz are placing the rotation tape on Williams. They don’t want him to shoulder the scoring burden, as Lauri Markkanen, Keyonte George, Collin Sexton and Jordan Clarkson will take care of that. As Utah starts to figure out what they want to do, expect Williams to have a bigger role, but also expect him to come into his role at a slower pace.
Like Filipowski, there has been a lot of hype around Collier because of his NBA-ready appearance. So far, the results look promising, but it definitely needs to be played out more before anyone can reach conclusions.
However, in Collier’s case, it may be difficult for him to find consistent transcripts. Most of the guard minutes go to George, Sexton, Clarkson and Patty Mills. This doesn’t leave him much playing time.
As the season progresses, many will be watching to see who stays and who goes. Sure, Collier has been in the previous division, but knowing who the point guard is could determine what role he plays by the end of the season.
He’s definitely worth a closer look, but until someone gets moved, he may not get one in his rookie season.
