All-time NBA Draft lottery picks: Utah Jazz

The Jazz selected Karl Malone 1st overall in the 1985 NBA Draft.

The inaugural NBA Draft Lottery dates back to 1985, and since then, the Jazz have made 13 selections through it. From longtime contributors to rising stars, each pick reflects a different chapter in the franchise’s journey. Let’s take a look back from the most recent lottery pick to one of the franchise’s all-time greats.

Cody Williams – 2024 (10th Overall)

The younger brother of OKC’s Jalen Williams, Cody appeared in 50 games as a rookie in 2024-25 and averaged 4.6 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 21.2 mpg. Williams’ debut season was plagued a bit by injuries, but he’s still just 20 years old and will have the time to develop in Utah with their young core.

Taylor Hendricks – 2023 (9th Overall)

A versatile forward out of Central Florida, Hendricks is another Jazz youngster who’s missed significant time in the early stages of his career. After playing in 43 contests as a rookie in 2023-24, a fractured right fibula and dislocated right ankle cost him all but three games in 2024-25. The 21-year-old has compiled career averages of 7.1 points and 4.7 rebounds on 43.4 / 36.8 / 78.8 splits in 46 games.

Taurean Prince -2016 (12th Overall)

Utah traded the draft rights of Taurean Waller-Prince (full name) to the Hawks in 2016, and the Baylor product played his first three professional campaigns in Atlanta. From there, Prince spent time with Brooklyn, Cleveland, Minnesota, the Los Angeles Lakers and, most recently, Milwaukee, appearing in a combined 608 regular and postseason games throughout his nine-year career.

Trey Lyles – 2015 (12th Overall)

Lyles has enjoyed a solid 10-year career in the NBA. The Kentucky product playing 151 games en route to tallying 6.1 points and 3.5 rebounds. Over the next five seasons, Lyles spent time with the Nuggets, Spurs and Pistons before joining his current team, the Sacramento Kings, midway through the 2021-22 season.

Dante Exum – 2014 (5th Overall)

Injuries have been a consistent hurdle for Exum ever since the Jazz took him fifth overall back in 2014. The Australian combo guard has played 66 or more games just twice in nine years in the NBA, doing so with the franchise that drafted him each time. He missed all of 2015-16 because of injury, then appeared in 133 games combined over the next three and a half years with Utah until the Cavaliers acquired him in 2019-20. Exum made 30 appearances for Cleveland but decided to spend his next two pro seasons in Europe while reviving his game and health. That hard work resulted in the Aussie’s NBA comeback with Dallas, where he’s suited up in 75 total outings over the past two seasons.

Shabazz Muhammad – 2013 (14th Overall)

Muhammad ended up being one of three draft picks to be traded away by Utah in the 2013 draft. The UCLA product played five seasons in the NBA with Minnesota and Milwaukee, averaging 9.0 points and 2.8 rebounds in 278 career outings before retiring in 2018.

Enes Freedom – 2011 (3rd Overall)

Freedom, who is formerly known as Enes Kanter, was the first of two lottery selections by the Jazz in 2013. He played 265 games in almost four years in Utah, with his breakout campaign coming in 2013-14 when he averaged 12.3 ppg and 7.5 rpg and finished eighth in Sixth Man of the Year Voting. Enes started the following season and put up 13.8 points and 7.8 boards, prompting Oklahoma City to trade for him. He went on to play for the Thunder, Knicks, Trail Blazers and Celtics to wrap up an 11-year career, retiring in 2022 at age 29.

Alec Burks – 2011 (12th Overall)

Burks played his first eight campaigns with the Jazz, recording averages of 9.6 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists across 382 games. The guard-forward out of Colorado has bounced around a bit since his time in Utah, suiting up for the Cavs, Kings, Warriors, Sixers, Knicks, Pistons and Heat to round out a solid 14-year career in the NBA.

Gordon Hayward – 2010 (9th Overall)

Hayward put together a great seven-year stretch that was capped by his only career All-Star appearance in 2016-17. After posting a career-high 21.9 ppg that season, Hayward decided to leave Utah in favor of Boston the following year, but a devastating leg injury cost him all but five minutes of his debut. The Butler alum played for the Celtics, Hornets and Thunder over the final seven seasons of his 14-year career, retiring in 2024.

Ronnie Brewer – 2006 (14th Overall)

Brewer’s most productive seasons came in a Jazz uniform, where he tallied 10.5 points and 1.5 steals across 266 career games. He averaged a career-best 13.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg and 1.7 spg in 2008-09, his last full season in Utah. Brewer was a member of the Grizzlies, Bulls, Knicks, Thunder and Rockets to finish out his eight-year tenure in the NBA.

Deron Williams – 2005 (3rd Overall)

Much like the previous entry on this list, Williams played perhaps the best basketball of his 12-year career in Utah. He finished sixth in Rookie of the Year voting in 2005-06, made two of his three All-Star appearances with the Jazz, and finished top-12 in MVP voting while being named to the All-NBA Second Teams in 2007-08 and 2009-10. In 439 contests as a member of the Jazz, Williams averaged 17.3 points, 9.1 assists and 1.1 steals. He spent the rest of his time in the league with Brooklyn/New Jersey, Dallas and Cleveland before retiring in 2017.

Kris Humphries – 2004 (14th Overall)

Humphries played two seasons with the Jazz and posted averages of 3.6 points and 2.7 rebounds in 129 games. Throughout the next 11 years, the Minnesota product played for Toronto, Dallas, Brooklyn/New Jersey, Boston, Washington, Phoenix and Atlanta before retiring in 2017 as a Hawk.

Karl Malone – 1985 (13th Overall)

Malone is one of the greatest players in not only Jazz history, but in NBA history as well. A member of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team, ‘The Mailman’ finished third in ROY voting in 1986 and was a 14-time All-Star, a 14-time All-NBA selection, four-time All-Defensive Team selection and a two-time MVP in his 19-year career. He led the league in free-throws made and attempted for five straight seasons (1988-89 to 1992-93), then again in free-throws made from 1996-1999, earning Malone the all-time record for makes (9,787) and attempts (13,188). In 1,434 regular season appearances for Utah, ‘King Karl’ averaged 25.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.8 blocks throughout 18 years with the franchise. He joined the Lakers for his final campaign in 2003-04 to end his Hall-of-Fame career.