Brent Soderberg
Now that we are almost a month removed from the Jazz season, we can start asking that question. Utah will have the 12th selection in the upcoming draft in Brooklyn, unless they somehow get into the top 3 during the Draft Lottery next week. I don’t see that happening. Here are the potential draft prospects that I think could land in Utah on Draft day.
Frank Kaminsky – 7-0 Center, Wisconsin
Frank is my favorite pick to land with the Jazz. His footwork on the low block is magical. He also has the ability to stretch the floor and hit that free throw line or 20 foot jumper. He would be a great addition to come off the bench for Rudy Gobert or Derrick Favors. I believe he would thrive in Quin Snyder’s system. He is a proven winner having taken Wisconsin to the Final Four twice and one of those years to the National Championship game. He was also named the National Player of the Year this past season while averaging 18.8 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 1.5 BPG. He is also a great shooter. He shot 58% from the field, 41% from downtown and 78% from the free throw line. He is a great leader on the floor and would do nothing but help this team. I would be very happy and excited for the upcoming season for the Jazz if Frank Kaminsky was wearing a Jazz uniform.
Myles Turner – 6-11 Center, Texas
The one and done center from Bedford, Texas has a very good NBA size. He is 6-11 and 242 pounds. He will obviously be raw coming into the NBA. He is only 19 years old. Turner averaged 10.1 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 2.6 BPG, 45% FG and 84% FT. He does have some attributes that can help a young team right away. Myles can clog the paint on the defensive end of the floor with his length and size. He is also a good free throw shooter which is huge for a big man in the NBA. He would be a different kind of project for the Jazz. But, if Utah selects him, I would say he wouldn’t make a dramatic impact for 3-4 years. He would get minutes though since he will probably back up Rudy Gobert.
Kevon Looney – 6-9 Power Forward, UCLA
I would compare Looney to Paul Millsap. He is the same height and is a slim PF in the NBA. He only weighs 220 pounds. He is another one and done player out of the Pac-12. He averaged 11.6 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 47% FG and 62% FT in his only season with the Bruins. He has a lot of room to grow. I would love to see him have his game where he can post up, hit the mid range jumper and maybe even the three. If he goes to the right team (including Utah) he could be a really good player in the league.
Sam Dekker – 6-9 Small Forward, Wisconsin
Dekker really shot up the draft rankings during the Badgers run to the NCAA National Championship game against Duke. Before the tournament, he was a late first rounder or early second round. He is now a lottery prospect. The product out of Sheboygan, Wisconsin averaged 13.9 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 52% from the field, 33% from the three-point line and 70% from the foul line. He is a player that can stretch the floor and knock down a three or can drive the ball to the basket if needed. He has the same body build of Gordon Hayward. Can he be the same type of player? It remains to be seen. Dekker probably won’t have an immediate impact but could be a very good player in 2 or 3 years in the NBA.
Kelly Oubre – 6-7 Small Forward, Kansas
Seems like the young players have continued the trend of “One and Done” and Kelly Oubre is another one of those players. 19 years old coming out of a very good basketball university. In 21 minutes per game, Oubre averaged 9.3 PPG, 5 RPG and only .8 assists per game. He has a lot of upside but it just needs to be discovered by a NBA team. If you look up raw in the dictionary, Kelly Oubre’s picture would appear as the definition (not really). He has the potential to be a great player and Utah could be a good landing spot. That will give him the time to develop since the Jazz already have Gordon Hayward and Rodney Hood to play the 3 spot.
Devin Booker – 6-6 Shooting Guard, Kentucky
Booker is one of the 7 Kentucky freshman to leave after one year under Coach Calipari. He has a great NBA body for a shooting guard. 6-6 and 206 pounds isn’t a bad start for an 18 year old going to the NBA. Booker has good speed with that body build. He averaged 10 PPG, 47% FG, 41% 3PT and 83% from the free throw line. Don’t let the 10 points per game fool you. No one averaged more than 11 points per game for the Wildcats because they played 9-10 guys per game. If he landed with the Jazz, he could get some minutes playing behind Alec Burks and Rodney Hood. As long as he continues to develop, he should be fine.
