SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, June 22, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — It was an eventful evening for the Utah Jazz, who bolstered their lineup and re-energized their fans with three first-round picks Thursday in the 2023 NBA Draft.
The Jazz got the party started by selecting 6-foot-8 forward Taylor Hendricks, using the No. 9 overall pick on the Central Florida star.
“I think, No. 1, he just doesn’t take possessions off,” Jazz coach Will Hardy said following Hendricks’ selection. “This is a guy that’s going to really fit into our culture here in Utah of playing really, really hard for our fans every night. He’s a great shot blocker defensively, [and] he showed the ability to shoot the ball from the perimeter.”
Hendricks, 19, averaged 15.1 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and 1.4 assists per game while shooting 47.8% from the floor and 39.4% from 3-point range as a freshman last season at UCF. He was named to the American Athletic Conference All-Freshman Team and the All-AAC Second Team.
Hendricks said he was impressed with the Jazz during his predraft visit and left Salt Lake City feeling “pretty good about the team.”
“I’m ready,” he said of playing the NBA. “This is a dream that I’ve had since I was young.”
Utah later made Baylor guard Keyonte George the No. 16 pick of the draft and wrapped up the night’s work by selecting Ohio State forward Brice Sensabaugh with the 28th overall pick.
All three players the Jazz selected Thursday night left college after their freshman seasons to play in the NBA.
“I think everybody feels really, really good about the players we were able to get,” Hardy said. “It puts us in a great position moving forward.”
George, 19, played one season at Baylor, averaging 15.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.1 steals per game. The 6-4 guard was selected as the Big 12 Conference Rookie of the Year and named to the All-Big 12 Second Team and Big 12 All-Freshman Team.
“I think Keyonte has a really good swagger about him,” Hardy said. “He’s got a good confidence in his game. Offensively [he’s] very, very talented and can score in a variety of ways.”
George said he felt “blessed” to be headed to Utah to join the Jazz — a team with “great guys and a great culture.”
“I’m excited to get down there and get to work,” he said. “I feel like my scoring ability is one of the best. I’m able to score at all three levels, play above the rim, create for myself by also create for my teammates.”
George described himself as an “all-around player that’s going to continue to make winning plays and give it everything that I’ve got.”
Sensabaugh, 6-6, started 22 games as a freshman for the Buckeyes, averaging 17.8 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.4 points in those games. He was an All-Big Ten Conference Third Team selection and a member of the All-Big Ten Freshman Team.
Thousands of Jazz fans filled the lower bowl at the Delta Center on Thursday night to watch ESPN’s coverage of the 2023 NBA Draft from Brooklyn, New York, and be among the first to celebrate the newest additions to Utah’s roster.
As expected, the San Antonio Spurs selected 7-foot-5 French phenom Victor Wembanyama with the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.
Wembanyama, 19, averaged 21.6 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.1 blocks and 2.5 assists per game last season for Metropolitans 92 of Betclic Elite, the top-tier men’s professional league in France. He’s considered an generational talent and one of the most coveted rookies in NBA history.
Brandon Miller, a 6-9 forward who entered the NBA Draft following his freshman season at Alabama, was selected second overall by the Charlotte Hornets; and Scoot Henderson, a 6-2 guard from NBA G League Ignite, was picked third by the Portland Trail Blazers.
No players from Utah universities and colleges were selected in the 2023 NBA Draft.
First Round
- San Antonio: Victor Wembanyama, C, Metropolitans 92 (France)
- Charlotte: Brandon Miller, F, Alabama
- Portland: Scoot Henderson, G, G League Ignite
- Houston: Amen Thompson, G, Overtime Elite
- Detroit: Ausar Thompson, G-F, Overtime Elite
- Orlando: Anthony Black, G, Arkansas
- Indiana: Bilal Coulibaly, F, France (traded to Wizards)
- Washington: Jarace Walker, F, Houston (traded to Pacers)
- Utah: Taylor Hendricks, F, Central Florida
- Dallas: Cason Wallace, G, Kentucky (traded to Thunder)
- Orlando: Jett Howard, G, Michigan
- Oklahoma City: Dereck Lively II, C, Duke (traded to Mavericks)
- Toronto: Gradey Dick, G-F, Kansas
- New Orleans: Jordan Hawkins, G, UConn
- Atlanta: Kobe Bufkin, PG, Michigan
- Utah: Keyonte George, G, Baylor
- L.A. Lakers: Jalen Hood-Schifino, G, Indiana
- Miami: Jaime Jaquez Jr. F, UCLA
- Golden State: Brandin Podziemski, G, Santa Clara
- Houston: Cam Whitmore, F, Villanova
- Brooklyn: Noah Clowney, F, Alabama
- Brooklyn: Dariq Whitehead, G, Duke
- Portland: Kris Murray, F, Iowa
- Sacramento: Olivier-Maxence Prosper, F, Marquette
- Memphis: Marcus Sasser, G, Houston
- Indiana: Ben Sheppard, G, Belmot
- Charlotte: Nick Smith Jr., G, Arkansas
- Utah: Brice Sensabaugh, G, Ohio State
- Indiana: Julian Strawther, G-F, Gonzaga (traded to Nuggets)
- L.A. Clippers: Kobe Brown, G-F, Missouri
