Jazz Rookie Taylor Hendricks Feels He Can ‘Thrive’ in an NBA Defense

Any basketball fan can tell you there’s a drastic difference between how the game is played at the college and professional levels. The dissimilarity in playstyle, rules, court, and athletes could almost classify the two as entirely different sports.

Alright, they may not be that different.

However, it is a massive adjustment for the players making that jump to the league. It’s why you see many players join the NBA struggling right out of the gates due to the differences in the game. It takes time, development, and hard work for incoming prospects to stack up to that next level of competition.

In an interview with The Salt Lake Tribune’s Eric Walden (subscription required), the new Utah Jazz rookie Taylor Hendricks details what he noticed as a spectator during the NBA’s Las Vegas Summer League, specifically the biggest difference between the pro and college level:

I would say how the defenses are structured. Because in college, there’s no defensive three-second rule, and then also, the spacing’s not as wide as [it is in] the NBA. So I would just say, it’s just different things you have to do on defense. But just watching [the games], I feel like I could thrive in that environment.

Taylor was sidelined for the entire NBA Summer League due to a lingering hamstring injury that, unfortunately, kept him off the floor. Still, he did not leave Vegas without learning what he can expect once October’s regular season comes around.

Hendricks is correct in his assessment, as his player build is tailor-made for the NBA. The versatility and physical attributes he can provide on the defensive side of the ball is what any roster in the league covets. He stands 6-9 with a 7-1 wingspan and projects to guard practically anywhere from 1-5 once fully developed. That type of skillset doesn’t grow on trees in the NBA.

This defensive ability also comes with some upside on the other side of the ball. With an already fluid and encouraging jump shot, Hendricks is already respected from outside the arc. He shot 39.4% from three in his lone year at UCF shooting just under five a night. With just a bit of work surrounding the ability to create his own shot and becoming a consistent three-level threat, the sky is the limit with him moving forward.

If Taylor Hendricks is as good as advertised, the Jazz might have drafted a potential stud in the making.

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