When Taylor Hendricks literally suffered an unlucky break, his leg fracturing in a non-contact injury, the Utah Jazz were out of sorts.
Selected ninth overall in the 2023 NBA Draft, the hope is that he can become a cornerstone of their foundation. As he entered the 2024-25 as a starting forward alongside face of the franchise Lauri Markkanen, he seemed well on his way to becoming that. However, permeating his pro prospects is a persona that his teammates and coaches gravitate towards.
incredibly unfortunate this has to be muted 🔇
🪩 the 2023 rookie dance-off 🪩 pic.twitter.com/PGubHy35Ya
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) October 21, 2023
So, what knocked the Jazz off-center wasn’t just the fact they lost a promising player. Hendricks’s season-ending injury was a gut punch because a friend was affected.
Jazz Find Rookie Silver Lining After Taylor Hendricks Injury
As it often happens, Hendricks’s injury has had a silver lining.
Sheriff Cody Williams
Forced to reassess the team’s starting lineup, Jazz head coach Will Hardy has promoted 2024 No. 10 pick Cody Williams. Offensively, Williams has been inconsistent, both in his efficiency and tenacity. However, defensively, he’s proven that he can consistently handcuff his man.
You have to love the way Jazz rookie Cody Williams plays defense pic.twitter.com/Ihnhw4koet
— ℚ (@qshironalberti3) November 10, 2024
Over time, Williams’s will get more comfortable driving and his threes should start to fall. In the meantime, the Jazz can rely on Williams to take on tough defensive assignments, just as they did with Hendricks. For a team that was sorely missing a lanky defensive stopper on the perimeter last season, Utah has to be pleased with that.
Kyle Filipowski’s A Keeper
While Williams has gotten off to a slow start offensively, Kyle Filipowski has hit the ground running.
At one time considered a potential lottery pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, the Duke product slid all the way to 32nd because of team’s interest in his romantic life. If teams were casting for a Love & Basketball remake rather than trying to win games, that would make sense. Alas, the Jazz won’t be complaining, as they’re the ones that came away with a draft steal.
Since entering the Jazz’s rotation, Filipowski has done it all. An inside-outside threat, adroit passer, and active defender, the big man has averaged 8.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game when he plays at least 15 minutes.
Kyle FiliPASSki pic.twitter.com/UxX7cpSMoS
— ℚ (@qshironalberti3) November 10, 2024
In those games, he’s also nailed 40.0 percent of his 3.
Kyle Filipowski is just good at basketball
The thing that stands out the most is the advantages he’s creating at this stage
Since the Jazz have him playing 4, he looks excellent posting up smaller players, and he can spread out defenses if they put 5’s on him pic.twitter.com/yusb3vgGgU
— Jazz Lead (@JazzLead) November 2, 2024
Frankly, he’s played so well that he might challenge for a starting spot even when the team is fully healthy. As previously mentioned, the Jazz have high expectations for Hendricks, but he’s not quite as sharp as Filipowski. Though 2022 No. 22 pick Walker Kessler has had a bounceback season, he’s not a mismatch for other big men. He’s also been in several trade rumors.
