ESPN Gives Bold Draft Prediction for Jazz's Top 5 Pick

The Utah Jazz have had their eyes on the prize throughout the entirety of the 2024-25 campaign, center-focused on what's to come with their first-round pick in this summer's draft, positioning themselves for a premier pick atop a strong draft class.

The clear top goal would be to leave the draft with widely-regarded number-one pick Cooper Flagg, one of the more impressive prospects in recent memory, and a potential strong cornerstone for the Jazz's future endeavors.

However, as Utah currently sits with the second-best odds to land that number-one pick, it could be easier said than done to secure the Duke Blue Devil on board –– effectively forcing the Jazz to pivot if they aren't fortunate enough to get the top spot.

In the event the Jazz secure the second-overall pick in this year's draft, ESPN draft expert Jeremy Woo sees Utah targeting Rutgers guard Dylan Harper, an intriguing contender for the second player off the board in June.

"Harper has held steady as the No. 2 pick for many in NBA front offices despite a 15-17 season for Rutgers," Woo said. "He has a blend of size, strength and intuitive playmaking that makes him attractive to any team in need of a perimeter creator. While Harper isn't viewed as a likely challenger to Flagg at No. 1, he presents an excellent option for whichever team lands the second pick in the lottery."

There may be a gap between what Flagg provides and what Harper has to offer, but there's clear upside that warrants reason for his fit at number two.

During his freshman season with the Scarlet Knights, Harper has averaged 19.4 points 4.6 rebounds, and 4.0 assists on 48.4% shooting from the field. He has impressive league size for the position at 6-foot-6 and 6-foot-10 wingspan and could be a worthwhile addition to the future backcourt in Utah next to other young contributors Isaiah Collier and Keyonte George.

Dylan Harper vs USC tonight in the Big Ten Tourney

27 PTS (9-21 FG, 1-8 3PT, 8-8 FTs)
8 REBS
8 AST
2 STLS
2 BLKS

Lesson learned here is coaching matters when picking a school kids….

Is he done or will we see him in the NIT? pic.twitter.com/ObOvhEjB17
— Frankie Vision (@Frankie_Vision) March 13, 2025

In the eyes of Woo, he also sees a complimentary fit between Harper and Utah.

"Utah has leaned heavily into its youth movement over the past month, due in part to injuries, but has been able to grant valuable development time to its recent draftees, such as guard Isaiah Collier. A byproduct of that will be another strong chance for the Jazz in the lottery, where any of the top four players would elevate the talent level of their young core," Woo said. "Being able to put the ball in Harper's hands next season would be a big step in the right direction for this team"

The Jazz have been coveting players who can put the ball on the floor and make plays at a high level for some time now. They've led the league in turnovers a game for the past two years despite the emergence of other young names like George and Collier, while also longing for a 1A star to help lead the charge as the leader of this new Utah regime.

"That is an ELITE move." 🗣️

Dylan Harper with the spin and finish for @RutgersMBB 🔄#B1GMBBT on Peacock 💻 pic.twitter.com/1hLQKgbfed
— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) March 13, 2025

Could Harper be that player? He certainly looks like he could play the part on paper, but it'll take the cards falling in the right place for Utah to pick him up come June's draft. The Jazz currently have 13.4% odds to get the second-overall pick, Harper's likely position, so those odds would realistically need to play out in their favor to make the idea come to fruition.

The long-awaited lottery arrives for the Jazz on May 12th, where Utah will finally have more clarity on how their draft plans may unfold.

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