Utah Jazz's Cody Williams Showing Signs of Life in Year Two

The Utah Jazz invested a premium asset in the form of a top-ten pick in Cody Williams after one season at Colorado.

The vision was easy to sell: a 6’7” wing with plus athleticism, rim finishing, and ball-handling, who shot the ball efficiently, albeit on low volume, as a freshman. Despite this, Williams's rookie year went poorer than even his biggest doubters could've predicted.

In year two, however, Williams has started to make progress towards becoming a rotational piece in the NBA, in large part due to utilizing his athleticism and a newfound aggressiveness to make things happen on both ends of the court.

By the Numbers

Cody Williams Will Hard — Jan 15, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy talks to forward Cody Williams (5) against the Dallas Mavericks during the first half at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

While per-game averages for the season of 5.2 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 0.8 assists are modest at best, digging a little deeper will help tell the story of Williams's improvement.

As a starter, Williams is averaging a respectable 10.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game to go with 55.3% from the floor and 35.7% from deep. Now, the sample size is small at just six games,, but that doesn't change the fact that this is by far the best stretch Williams has had in his short professional career.

18 PTS 👊 6/10 FG 👊 4/5 FT

Cody Williams shined off the bench! The #GLeagueAlum registered season-highs in points and in minutes last night vs. the Clippers. @slcstars | @utahjazz pic.twitter.com/6nOy4BHXDm
— NBA G League (@nbagleague) January 2, 2026

It's impossible to overstate how big the jump from 32.3% on field goals, which he converted as a rookie, to the 45.5% he's at this year is for him. Even if Williams never becomes an average shooter from the perimeter, his changing his shot profile to become more efficient will be valuable.

Williams is shooting an impressive 73% at the rim this season and 59% on all two-point attempts, up from 59% and 39% a year ago. These are the strides, while somewhat under the radar, that should make Jazz fans feel encouraged.

Eye Test

Jan 3, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Utah Jazz forward Cody Williams (5) dunks the ball as Golden State Warriors center Quinten Post (21) defends during the second quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-Imagn Images | John Hefti-Imagn Images

In the month of January, Williams has clearly been more active while on the court. Whether it was the stint in the G-League that boosted his confidence, some scheme changes from the coaches, or some other change in his mindset, Williams has clearly had an uptick in his aggressiveness.

After only recording 5 dunks in his rookie year, Williams has already more than tripled that with 16 to his name this year. It's been impressive to watch him try to hammer everything home when he's around the basket. Williams is a good athlete with long arms and the ability to get off his feet quickly; it's been fun to watch him use that athleticism to his advantage over the past couple of weeks.

Back to back Alley-oop dunks for Cody Williams

Take flight young king pic.twitter.com/y8ExkoILUx
— Jazz Lead (@JazzLead) January 9, 2026

He's also been active defensively, oftentimes being tasked with guarding the opponent's best perimeter player. This is where that length and athleticism we just touched on come back into play. Now, the Jazz as a whole are atrocious defensively, but Williams has shown flashes of being a plus on that end.

Areas for Improvement and Outlook

Dec 15, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz forward Cody Williams (5) makes a three-point basket against the Dallas Mavericks during the second quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

While I talked about Williams improving efficiency, his perimeter shot has been nonexistent this year. After shooting a poor 25.9% from deep as a rookie, that number is down to 21.2% as a sophomore. Williams has shot a respectable 72.5% from the free-throw line as a rookie, but he's shooting a putrid 57.9% this year.

Shooting is a non-negotiable for wings in the modern NBA, and Williams has a long way to go. So while there has been progress, and very encouraging flashes of late, if Williams doesn't improve as a shooter, it's hard to see him surviving in this league.

With that said, he has looked a lot better of late and has even made a couple of jump shots. The Jazz are going to keep giving him opportunities, and hopefully, he will continue to make strides. The team invested a coveted draft pick in him, and even with as bad as his rookie year was, if he can become a rotational player, their future becomes even brighter.

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