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Jazz Land 'Stellar One-And-Done' in Latest NBA Mock Draft
The Utah Jazz are in prime position to land a stud in this summer's draft.
It's a bit of a way away before we hit NBA Draft season, but it's never too early to take a look at the current landscape of the board, and maybe even a few mocks ahead of this summer.
As long as the lottery holds to form, the Utah Jazz will hold two selections in the first round at 8th and 29th, giving them a great opportunity to add more young talent to an already strong core. It's looking to be one of the more interesting drafts in recent memory, making for an interesting discussion of who will be the top-rated prospect to inevitably end up in Salt Lake City this June.
Will it be another guard to pair alongside rookie standout Keyonte George? Maybe bringing in another piece into the frontcourt mix with Lauri Markkanen? Potentially even a defender to help assist the Jazz's 30th-ranked defense?
There's an array of options on the table for Utah, but in CBS Sports' latest mock draft by Kyle Boone, the Jazz opted to select Kentucky freshman Reed Sheppard with their 8th selection:
"Sheppard goes one spot behind his fellow UK freshman teammate [Rob Dillingham] to the Jazz. He had a stellar one-and-done season as one of the best 3-point shooters in college and gives the Jazz a three-for-one skill set as a savvy defender, elite shooter and underrated passer."
Sheppard is a 6-foot-3 guard coming off a strong season with the Wildcats, averaging 12.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 4.5 assists. However, the true highlights when it comes to Reed's game come from beyond the arc, where he shot an incredible 52.1% clip from three, making him a compelling fit for the Jazz.
The Kentucky guard's stock has varied immensely through the pre-draft process, with some outlets pinning him as a candidate to go number one overall. That could be more of a testament to the lack of prestige of this year's class as a whole, but it also showcases the utility some see Sheppard could bring to an NBA roster.
He may not align with the Jazz's recent trend of valuing size and length in their most recent two drafts, but the talent is apparent. Given that he's also projected to have ideal traits as a defender at the NBA level, even while undersized, could bring a necessary element to Utah's backcourt.
Later in Boone's mock, Utah also landed on Dayton's Dayron Holmes II at 29th overall, dubbed to be an "incredible athlete" and high-level defender:
"There's a wide range of draft outcomes for Holmes but this *should* be the basement of where he's selected. He's an incredible athlete who fits perfectly into the modern NBA's ideal of a big because of his shot-blocking, improved outside shot and lob threat."
With Holmes pinned as CBS Sports' 17th-best prospect in the class, this selection would be great value for Utah. An addition of a positive defender into the rotation could help mend some of the lingering holes the Jazz were dealt across last year and should be a primary focus for the front office this offseason.
Withover two months to go until the 2024 NBA Draft officially kicks off, patience will be the name of the game. Expect the Jazz to remain diligent in their scouting process in the weeks leading up to this summer.
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