SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, June 26, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — The Utah Jazz got their guy: Cody Williams, a 6-foot-8, 190-pound forward from Colorado.
Despite slipping to No. 10 in the 2024 NBA Draft Lottery, the Jazz landed a player many believed would be gone by the time they picked.
“Cody is really, really exciting for us,” Jazz coach Will Hardy said. “We we feel really lucky to have gotten the opportunity to pick him. … We had him right at the top of our board and [have] been following him very closely throughout the process, been studying and watching a lot of film on him, and we got to have him here for a workout.”
Hardy said Williams’ size and athleticism makes him an “exciting” addition to the team, “but the thing that I appreciate the most is I think he has a really, really good brain.”
“He’s good at thinking on his feet, makes great decisions with the ball [and] is a very good passer. I think he’s going to fit into our style play really well,” he said.
Williams said he’s excited to join the young corps of players in Utah.
“I think the biggest thing for me was just … hoping that I got to a place that would develop me [and] make me the best basketball player I can be, which I know Utah will do without a doubt, so I’m really happy I ended up playing for the Jazz,” he said.
Williams played one season at Colorado, averaging 11.9 points, three rebounds and 1.6 assists while shooting 55.2% from the floor and 41.5% from 3-point range.
“it’s a pretty quick trip from Colorado out here to Salt Lake,” Hardy said. “I think he’s going to fit into our team and organization well, and I think he’s going to really, really fall in love with our community, and I have no doubt that a Jazz nation is going to welcome him with open arms.”
Williams is the younger brother of Jalen Williams, now entering his third season with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Jazz rounded out the first round by selected USC guard Isaiah Collier with the No. 29 pick. Collier averaged 16.3 points, 4.3 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 1.5 steals while shooting 49% from the floor and 34% from 3-point range as a freshman with the Trojans.
Unlike previous seasons, the 2024 NBA Draft’s first and second rounds are being held on separate days, Wednesday and Thursday.
Utah also has the No. 32 pick overall pick Thursday’s second round, which begins at 2 p.m. from ESPN’s Seaport District Studios in New York.
Unlike the 2023 NBA Draft, when 7-foot-5 French phenom Victor Wembanyama was all but guaranteed to be the No. 1 overall pick, there wasn’t an overwhelming favorite to be selected by the Atlanta Hawks with the top pick.
That said, the Hawks also went with a Frenchman, Zaccharie Risacher, a 6-9, 215-pound forward who played for JL Bourg-en-Bresse, France. The 19-year-old wing shot 46% from the floor and 39% from 3-point range for JL Bourg.
The Washington Wizards also landed a Frenchman, selecting 7-footer Alexandre Sarr with the No. 2 pick. Sarr, 19, played for the Perth Wildcats in the Australian Basketball League in 2023-24, averaging 9.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 18 minutes per game.
Two more French players — 6-9 forward Tidjane Salaun (No. 6 to Charlotte) and 6-7 forward Pacome Dadiet (No. 25 to New York) also were selected in the first round.
2024 NBA Draft
First Round
- Atlanta Hawks: Zaccharie Risacher, F, JL Bourg-en-Bresse (France)
- Washington Wizards: Alex Sarr, F, Perth, Australia (France)
- Houston Rockets: Reed Sheppard, G, Kentucky
- San Antonio Spurs: Stephon Castle, G, Connecticut
- Detroit Pistons: Ron Holland II, F, G League Ignite
- Charlotte Hornets: Tidjane Salaun, F, Cholet Basket (France)
- Portland Trail Blazers: Donovan Clingan, C, Connecticut (traded to Minnesota)
- San Antonio Spurs: Rob Dillingham, G, Kentucky
- Memphis Grizzlies: Zach Edey, C, Purdue
- Utah Jazz: Cody Williams, F, Colorado
- Chicago Bulls: Matas Buzelis, F, G League Ignite
- Oklahoma City Thunder: Nikola Topic, G. KK Crvena Zvezda (Serbia)
- Sacramento Kings: Devin Carter, G, Providence
- Portland Trail Blazers: Carlton Carrington, G, Pittsburgh (traded to Washington)
- Miami Heat: Kal’el Ware, C, Indiana
- Philadelphia 76ers: Jared McCain, G, Duke
- Los Angeles Lakers: Dalton Knecht, G, Tennessee
- Orlando Magic: Tristan da Silva, F, Colorado
- Toronto Raptors: Ja’Kobe Walter, G, Baylor
- Cleveland Cavaliers: Jaylon Tyson, F, California
- New Orleans Pelicans: Yves Missi, C, Baylor
- Phoenix Suns: DaRon Holmes II, F/C, Dayton
- Milwaukee Bucks: AJ Johnson, G, Illawarra (Australia)
- New York Knicks: Kyshawn George, F, Miami
- New York Knicks: Pacome Dadiet, F, Ratiopharm Ulm (Germany)
- Washington Wizards: Dillon Jones, F, Weber State
- Minnesota Timberwolves: Terrence Shannon Jr., F, Illinois
- Denver Nuggets: Ryan Dunn, G, Virgina
- Utah Jazz: Isaiah Collier, G, USC
- Boston Celtics: Baylor Scheierman, G, Creighton
