Inside The Jazz

Jazz CEO Danny Ainge is Keeping His Eyes on Victor Wembanyama

Just over two weeks into the offseason, Danny Ainge is wasting no time when it comes to scouting the 2023 draft class.
Jazz CEO Danny Ainge is Keeping His Eyes on Victor Wembanyama
Jazz CEO Danny Ainge is Keeping His Eyes on Victor Wembanyama

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This year's NBA Draft holds one clear prized possession at the very top, Victor Wembanyama. With the draft lottery approaching in less than a month, every eligible team will find themselves filled with the hope to obtain the most highly touted draft prospect in years, and it doesn't stop with the Utah Jazz.

As per a report from EuroHoops.net, the Jazz CEO was seen in attendance at Victor Wembanyama's most recent game for Boulogne-Levallois this Sunday. While the Jazz may not have the best odds of obtaining this year's top prospect in the draft, Danny Ainge still continues to do his due diligence regardless as any good executive would.

In the game, Wembanyama did what he usually does: dominate. He put up 24 points, 15 rebounds, and four blocks on over 70% shooting. You'd have to think Ainge liked what he saw from the French big man.

A year removed from trading another French big in Rudy Gobert, the Jazz could immediately get their hands on another with Wemby. While the chances may be slim to snag him, they're not impossible.

Utah holds the 9th-best odds to jump up to the first-overall pick at 4.5%. If you were curious as to exactly how likely it is for the Jazz to move up to first overall, there's been five teams since 1990 to move up to one with the same or worse odds, with the last time being in 2014 when the Cleveland Cavaliers jumped up to take Andrew Wiggins.

The lottery will take place in a little over two weeks on May 16th when we'll officially see where Utah will be picking in the draft this summer.


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Jared Koch
JARED KOCH

Jared Koch is the deputy editor of Utah Jazz On SI. He's covered the NBA and NFL for the past two years, contributing to Denver Broncos On SI, Indianapolis Colts On SI, and Sacramento Kings On SI. He has covered multiple NBA and NFL events on site, and his works have also appeared on Bleacher Report, MSN, and Yahoo.

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