Utah Jazz Guard Declares Himself Best Defender on Team

During the Utah Jazz‘s final preseason game of four against the Portland Trail Blazers, the night was an impressive one for two-way guard Elijah Harkless.

Not because he popped off on the stat sheet, but because of his role as a top-tier defender on the floor.

Harkless came away with two steals on the night, drew multiple fouls, and ultimately played with high intensity on the defensive end for the short stint that he was on the floor–– a trait that the Jazz’s defense could certainly use across the season ahead following their dreary results on that end of the floor for the past two years.

And when asking Harkless himself, he’s clearly confident in what he can bring to the Jazz on that end of the floor.

“I am the best defender on the team,” Harkless said. “Putting my audition in for the best defender in the league.”

Harkless traces his standout ability to defend back to when he was playing pickup as a younger kid, a trait that’s stuck with him into his pro career.

“It comes from just being a young guy, playing pickup back in the day,” Harkless said. “I had to play defense, to kind of even get a shot. So kind of the same thing here, just coming in, providing some defense intensity for the team.”

Harkless, the 6-foot-4, 25-year-old guard, isn’t the most standout athlete or lengthy defender that catches your attention, but it’s the intensity he plays with that’s gotten him to the point he’s at now.

The second-year guard even landed some attention from Jazz big man Walker Kessler following the events of their preseason win vs. Portland, crediting the second-year guard as a “fearless” defender.

“He’s a fearless, fearless defender,” Kessler said. “I think he drew probably two offensive fouls and screens. Fearless, I think that’s a great way to describe him, and it’s definitely fun to play with a guy like that… His defense is, I mean, anyone can see it, it’s truly inspiring. I know it’s a preseason game, but you’re into it because of plays like that.”

For the most of this season, Harkless will likely remain with the Salt Lake City Stars along with other two-way signees John Tonje and Oscar Tshiebwe, but in his preseason sample size, he might’ve proven worthy to get a chance to crack the rotation later down the line this year.

Minutes in this young rotation filled with first round picks might be hard to come by, yet his intensity could land an extra look or two his way from the coaching staff.

Time will tell what capacity Harkless will be on the floor for the Jazz this season, but whenever he gets that opportunity, expect the effort to be at a 110%.

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