Recapping the 2023 NBA Draft night for the Utah Jazz

The Utah Jazz entered yesterday’s 2023 NBA Draft with three selections in their hands — No. 9, No. 16 and No. 23. They left the event with three selections, taken at each of those spots in the draft. No trades, no swaps, just straight up draft where you landed.

Pretty simple stuff.

Who exactly those picks were is a less simple affair to go over, and the whole of Jazz fans and media will spend the upcoming months putting all three of these rookies under an enormous, high-powered microscope.

With the 9th Pick in the NBA Draft, the Utah Jazz select...

Taylor Hendricks | Forward |UCF

Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images

• Read the SLC Dunk pre-draft profile on Hendricks
• Read the immediate reaction and comment on the Jazz taking Hendricks

The immediate reaction to Hendricks being taken by the Jazz at No. 9 wasn’t completely positive, but there were certainly those who loved Hendricks as a top ten prospect. His combination of length, defense and shooting is something that’s hard to find in the NBA.

Plenty among Jazz Nation were certainly happy with the selection as well.

It wasn’t all kittens and rainbows. Many felt the Jazz should have gone with Cam Whitmore, who fell from being a projected top six or seven pick all the way to ninth (and far beyond)

With the 16th Pick in the NBA Draft, the Utah Jazz select...

Keyonte George | Guard | Baylor

Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images

• Read the SLC Dunk pre-draft profile on George
• Read the immediate reaction and comment on the Jazz taking George

The draft quickly fell away from the consensus mock draft order after the top seven or eight picks and especially after Utah picked at nine. And by the 16th pick, the Jazz again found themselves with the chance to select Whitmore.

But they passed.

Utah seemed to be enamored with George, apparently being considered at No. 9 if the reporting from Tony Jones is accurate. If so, the Jazz were probably high-fiving themselves after calling in the George pick, feeling that they nailed their top two picks.

Interestingly enough, Kevin O’Conner, seen above gushing about Utah taking Hendricks, also loved the George selection. Whether you consider O’Conner loving Utah’s top two selections a good thing or not is for you to decide.

With the 28th Pick in the NBA Draft, the Utah Jazz select...

Brice Sensabaugh | Forward | Ohio State

Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images

• Read the SLC Dunk pre-draft profile on Sensabaugh
• Read the immediate reaction and comment on the Jazz taking Sensabaugh

With the final pick at Utah’s disposal, it selected the scoring sensation Sensabaugh. Early big boards and mock drafts toyed with the Ohio State wing being taken in the late lotter or mid teens, but he fell down boards in the later draft process.

Sensabaugh’s college stats were eye-popping, taking on a high usage rate and making shots at an amazing rate. Questions about his defensive work rate and off-ball viability hurt his stock. But the Jazz could have just landed a 6-6, 235-pound version of Jordan Clarkson.

With three first round picks used, the Jazz didn’t really have much room left on its potential 2023-24 roster to trade back into the second round and take yet another rookie, and they didn’t do so. As such, the Jazz will bring on three new players.

Welcome, Taylor Hendricks, Keyonte George and Brice Sensabaugh, to the Utah Jazz.