The focus of the Utah Jazz season has recently shifted to youth development. Along with this youth development, eyes have started to shift towards the offseason when the Jazz will have an opportunity to add to their young core.
Today, we’ll look at some of the most highly touted non-one-and-done prospects in college basketball this year. The Jazz are currently projected to retain their own first-round draft pick in the top 10 of the lottery.
These prospects are currently projected somewhere in the lottery to the mid-first round. Let’s jump in and highlight four guys to watch throughout their upcoming conference and NCAA tournaments.
The 6-foot-6 wing has taken the SEC by storm this year with his ability to put the ball in the basket at such a high level. Averaging just shy of 21 points per game, Knecht is one of the best perimeter weapons in the upcoming draft, as evidenced by his 40.6% three-point percentage on impressive volume.
Knecht’s 6-foo-6 size, athleticism, and ability to create good looks for himself could make him a very intriguing option for the Jazz if he were to still be on the board. For a team without wings, he’s one of the best in the class, and a standout March should solidify that.
Flip is a highly skilled 7-footer who is having a monster year in Durham. Averaging 16.5 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and 1.5 blocks per contest, Filipowski has answered a handful of questions in his second year of playing college ball.
He’s improved his defensive impact and upped his efficiency from the floor — both good signs for his future. While he’s not going to morph into a great defensive center anytime soon, his offensive skill set should translate well to the NBA.
A 7-foot-2 big who played a pivotal role in UConn’s national title run last season, Clingan will look to do the same this year but with an even larger role. His appeal is simple in that he’s huge, surprisingly mobile, and productive as a finisher offensively.
In his two collegiate seasons, Clingan is averaging an impressive 4.9 blocks per 40 minutes. On top of that, he shows good touch around the basket, as evidenced by his 63% on field goals.
While I don’t see the Jazz looking for a center with a similar skill set to Walker Kessler, Clingan is at least worth mentioning because his draft stock could rise with a dominant few weeks.
One of the top recruits out of his high school class, Ware has had a big bounce-back season after a forgettable freshman campaign at Oregon. Averaging nearly 16 points, 10 rebounds, and two blocks per contest, my primary intrigue around Ware comes from his potential to both protect the rim on defense and space the floor offensively.
The 7-footer is shooting 44% from deep this season, albeit on just 36 total attempts. If the shot is real, which I still question, Ware could become a unique weapon in the NBA.