Cody Williams, Utah Jazz
It may be easy to overlook but Cody Williams was selected No. 10 overall in the 2024 NBA Draft by the Utah Jazz. It should also be mentioned that during the pre-draft process, there was some belief that Williams could emerge as one of the better players from this year's draft class as he possessed plenty of two-way star potential. I wouldn't say that it's safe to completely give up on Williams as a prospect; in fact, that would probably be considered quite foolish. However, at the same time, it's pretty safe to say that he's left much to be desired this season in Utah.
Williams has played sparingly for the Jazz this season and has even started some games. Although, he hasn't left much of an impression through the first two months of the season. He had one really strong game during the month of November but aside from that, he's a player that is still very much developing into his game. That said, I did figure that when Taylor Hendricks went down for the season due to injury that Williams was going to have an opportunity to step up and have a slightly bigger role than originally imagined. That didn't happen.
What to expect from Cody Williams down the stretch?
The key for the Jazz when it comes to Williams is that they need to realize that he needs time. Even though he had plenty of promise coming into the league, he was always going to need some time to develop. Maybe the Jazz didn't anticipate him needing this much time and that perhaps he would have a few more flashes at this point in his rookie season, but he's still a talented player that they should be patient with. As he prepares for the second half of the season, Williams needs to make small strides in his offensive game.
Already showing some positive signs as a versatile defender, what could help change the narrative on his future is by showing improvement on the other end of the floor. In 16 games played so far this season, Williams is averaging just three points and two rebounds on 27 percent shooting from the field and 19 percent shooting from 3-point range. The good news is that Williams is going to get the opportunity to prove his worth. The question is, can he begin to take small steps in his development? That remains to be seen.