Month: June 2025

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.

The legendary Yo-Yo Ma will perform at least twice in Utah next year — at two universities.

Yo-Yo Ma will perform at BYU and UVU

Utah Valley University recently announced The Noorda’s Center for the Performing Arts 2025–26 season, and the lineup includes a performance from renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma on Feb. 25.

That performance comes the day after the 19-time Grammy winner is scheduled to perform at Brigham Young University — an appearance that celebrates both the university’s 150th anniversary and the centennial of the school’s College of Fine Arts and Communication, as the Deseret News previously reported.

Ma’s pair of solo performances in Utah is significant, coming a little over a year after he performed with the Utah Symphony in an appearance that was billed as his first performance in Salt Lake City since the Opening Ceremony of the 2002 Winter Olympics, per Deseret News.

The Noorda’s upcoming season also features another classical music superstar: violinist Joshua Bell.

The violin virtuoso previously performed at UVU in 2021 and Brigham Young University in 2017.

Another big draw for the season is Broadway and Disney star Lea Salonga, the powerful voice behind Disney princesses Jasmine and Mulan who was the guest artist for the Tabernacle Choir’s 2022 Christmas concert.

Below is the full 2025–26 season lineup, per The Noorda website:

• Sept. 12 — The Wailin’ Jennys
• Sept. 26 — Henry Yeff aka Reeps100
• Oct. 13 — 123 Andres
• Nov. 5 — Lea Salonga
• Dec. 12 — La Nueva Generacion, “A Mariachi Christmas”
• Dec. 16 — Utah Symphony, “Here Comes Santa Claus”
• Feb. 6, 2026 — Tango After Dark
• Feb. 25, 2026 — Yo-Yo Ma
• April 3, 2026 — Brush Theatre presents: Doodle Pop
• April 21, 2026 — Joshua Bell

Tickets are available on The Noorda’s website. Ma’s performance is only available through season ticket packages until July 1.

Utah ranks No. 4 in the nation for child well-being, with gains in reducing poverty and youth engagement. But there are persistent challenges in housing and access to early education, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s annual evaluation, which is now in its 36th year.

The “2025 Kids Count Data Book” ranks the states from 1 to 50 on 16 indicators of child well-being. The report considers four factors in each of four categories: Economic well-being, education, health and family and community.

Utah came in behind New Hampshire, Vermont and Massachusetts. New Mexico was the state with the lowest ranking.

It notes that a quarter of Utah children in 2023 (the last year for full data) lived in households that spent more than the recommended 30% of household income on housing and reports an increase in the share who have challenges finding affordable housing in the Beehive State.

Additionally, 9% of children live in poverty, which is down from 10% five years ago. But while 3,000 children who lived in poverty in 2019 no longer do, that means 88,000 still lived in poverty in 2023.

Other bad news, despite Utah’s high ranking:

• More Utah fourth-graders are not proficient at reading, at 64% compared to 60% in 2019.
• The share of eighth-graders not on grade level in math is 65%. That’s a sad number that’s still better than the nation’s 73% who are not proficient.
• The number of Utah teens ages 16-19 not in school or working has risen to 7% — that’s 16,000 teens.

On the plus side:

• The poverty rate dropped from 10% to 9% for children.
• The share of children in households where no parent has full-time year round employment fell to 18%.

Paying attention to how children fare is vital in Utah, said Martín C. Muñoz, Kids Count director at Voices for Utah Children, because a third of the state’s residents are younger than 18. “When we strengthen families and communities, we’re securing our future, for our state and for our country.

Mixed findings in Utah

On the education front, 57% of children ages 3 and 4 are not in school, which is the same as during the last ranking. But Utahns are faring slightly better in terms of high school students who are not graduating on time, at 12%, which is down from 13% last time and which is slightly better than the national average, which is also 13%.

The health category is a very mixed bag for Utah, where the state ranks 13th overall. The Beehive State is slightly better than the national share of 8.6% for low-birthweight babies, at 7.4%. That’s been pretty consistent since 2019. But that still means 3,308 babies were born with low birthweight in Utah. And many low-birthweight babies face long-term complications in their development.

Utah continues to have 26 teen and child deaths per 100,000 each year, compared to the national average of 29 per 100,000.

The state’s gotten worse, though, in terms of the number of children ages 10 to 17 who are overweight or obese. That used to be 1 in 5, but has risen to 1 in 4 in the last few years. Nationally, the overweight/obesity rate is slightly more than 3 in 10.

Fewer Utah children, however, lack health insurance, at 7%, compared to 8% in 2023. Still, that’s worse than the national average of 5% of children without insurance.

Utah’s No. 2 overall in the family and community category, with a stable share of children in single parent homes (19%), just 6 % in families where the household head lacks a high school diploma, and a mere 1% of children living in high-poverty areas, though nationwide 8% do. Utah teen birth numbers are also better than national numbers, at 9% compared to 13% nationally.

How children fare nationally

The report also looked at trends since 2019, noting seven of the indicators nationally have improved, six have gotten worse and three have been unchanged.

Since 2019, the nation has seen less poverty among children, fewer teen births, more children covered by health insurance and a rise in on-time school graduation.

The report also notes increases in parental education and the share of parents with secure employment.

“Some of these trends reflect years of progress,” the report says. “Others highlight the resilience of children and families after the COVID-19 pandemic and the success of strong policies that provided support during that time.”

Nationally, the area with the worst news was in education, where three out of four indicators show decline since 2019. Those include preschool participation that hasn’t returned to pre-pandemic levels, a decline in reading and math scores and the note that chronic absenteeism has become a “major challenge.”

On the plus side, high school graduation rates have been going up.

The report notes that “serious challenges remain, as 16% of U.S. children still live in poverty and nearly 1 in 3 children live in households struggling with high housing cost.” And the foundation adds that where a child lives “continues to matter deeply, with stark geographic disparities shaped by local and state policies, economic conditions, community investment and infrastructure.”

The report says that’s clear in the most challenged areas, which are largely in the South and Southwest: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and West Virginia.

It adds that many Northeast and Midwest states rank well: Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Dakota and Vermont.

Shout out for Utah

Utah gets a special call-out, the only one in the West, as the report says that “Utah also stands out as a strong performer.”

Muñoz said that besides showing state policymakers and parents where more could be done to improve, it also highlights areas that can be emulated because of their high ranking. Policies and programs that are working can be built upon, he said.

“Utah is doing well,” he said. “We are a success story but there are little pockets in our state that need some attention.”

What helps families, he added, is true “trickle-down economics. When we help families, it trickles down to help the kids.”

On Sunday, the last day of this year’s Utah Pride Festival, homegrown favorit David Archuleta took to stage for his first ever performance at the festival.

Archuleta told The Salt Lake Tribune that a decade prior, he never would have “fathomed” that all his friends and family would be attending a performance of his at Utah Pride.

Archuleta was a former member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But after coming out in 2022, he’s embraced a new side of himself — and it shows in his music. Though this is his first time performing at Utah Pride, he’s previously performed at several iterations of the LoveLoud Festival.

In an order issued June 6, the Utah Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal from Kouri Richins, who wanted a Salt Lake County jury to hear her case.

Her defense team had appealed 3rd District Judge Richard Mrazik’s decision to hold the trial in Summit County with Summit County jurors.

They worry that the local community has been so saturated with information about the case that an impartial jury couldn’t be found. And if Salt Lake County jurors weren’t allowed to serve in Summit County, they indicated they’d like to move the trial down to the valley.

Richins is the former real estate agent accused of fatally poisoning her husband Eric Richins in 2022. She would go on to write a children’s book about grieving him and was arrested in 2023 in connection with his death.

She’s charged with nine felonies, including aggravated murder, attempted murder and financial crimes. Richins pleaded not guilty to each count and maintains her innocence. She’s been held at the Summit County Jail since her 2023 arrest. District court has twice denied requests for bail.

Read the full story at kpcw.org.

This article is published through the Utah News Collaborative, a partnership of news organizations in Utah that aim to inform readers across the state.

With the 2025 NBA draft quickly approaching let’s jump back and take a look at the last 10 years of Utah Jazz drafting.

Everything included:

Who Utah picked, Who was traded on draft night, college stats, Jazz stats, notable players drafted after them, Overall draft letter grade, where are they now.

2015

Players Selected:

Trey Lyles 12 overall- Lyles spent 2 seasons with Utah, averaged 16.8 minutes, 6 pts, 3 Reb. He participated in the Rising Stars Challenge in 2016. However, the thing that Jazz fans will remember him most is being in the trade with Denver that got us Donovan Mitchell.

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College Stats- Played at Kentucky, averaged 23 minutes, averaged 8.7 Pts, 5.2 Reb, 1.1 Ast.

Olivier Hanlan 42 overall (Played summer league, however, did not make final roster)

College Stats- Played 3 seasons at Boston College, and in his Junior season he played 32 games, averaged 19.4 Pts, 4.2 Ast, and 4.2 Reb.

Daniel Diez 54th overall (traded draft rights to Portland)

College Stats- NA

Notable Players drafted after- Devin Booker 13th overall, Terry Rozier 16th overall, Bobby Portis 22nd overall, Pat Connaughton 41st overall, Norman Powell 46th overall

Overall draft letter Grade C+: Trey Lyles was not a bad pick, it just so happens that the player drafted right after him became an NBA star. He was consistent and was important when Rudy went down in the 2016 season.

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Where are they now– Trey Lyles is currently playing for the Kings and is averaging 6.5 pts, 4.6 Reb, 1.2 assists- Has stayed very consistent. Oliver Hanlan is currently playing for Türk Telekom of the Basketbol Süper Ligi.

2016

Players Selected:

Taurean Prince 12 overall (immediately traded to Atlanta for George Hill)

Prince played in 3 seasons for Atlanta and averaged 11 Pts, 4 Reb, 2 Ast.

In the trade with Atlanta, we got back George Hill, who was the starting PG and an important piece in Hayward’s last year with Utah.

College Stats- Played at Baylor, played all 4 years, his senior year he averaged 32 min, 16 Pts, 6 Reb, 2.2 Ast.

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Isaiah Whitehead 42 overall (traded draft rights to Brooklyn)

College Stats- Played 2 seasons at Seton Hall. In his sophomore season, he played 34 games, averaged 18.2 Pts, 5.1 Ast, and 3.6 Reb.

Joel Bolomboy 52 overall– The only player Utah drafted in 2016 that actually suited up for the team. Bolomboy, a Weber State standout, played 1 season with the Jazz. He played a total of 12 games and made an appearance in 2 playoff games as well. He then got sent to the SLC Stars, played 26 games, averaged 16.5 pts, and then moved to Milwaukee the next season.

College Stats- Won Big Sky Conference Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, in his senior year, he averaged 17.9 pts, 12.8 Reb.

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Marcus Paige 55 overall (did not make final roster)

College Stats- Played 4 seasons at UNC, and in his senior season he averaged 12.6 pts, 3.8 Ast, and 2.1 Reb.

Tyrone Wallace 60 overall (did not make final roster)

College Stats- Played 4 seasons at California Berkeley, and in his senior season he averaged 15.3 pts, 3.4 Ast, 5.2 Reb.

Notable Players drafted after– Pascal Siakam 27th overall, Dejounte Murray 29th overall, Ivica Zubac 32 overall, Malcolm Brogdon 36th overall

Overall draft letter Grade– D: We only kept 1 of the 5 people we drafted.

Where are they now– Bolomboy is currently playing in the Euro League for Crvena zvezda of the Serbian KLS. In my opinion, Bolomboy was unlucky to come to a team already with loads of big men. Utah already had Rudy, Favors, Udoh, and Tony Bradley the next season.

2017

Players Selected:

Donovan Mitchell 13 overall (acquired via trade from Denver)- Utah’s franchise player for years, made an instant impact when he came in for the injured Rodney Hood. He played 5 years in Utah, averaged 24pts, 4 Reb, 4.7 Ast. Led the Jazz to playoff run after playoff run but could never get past that second round.

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College Stats- 2 seasons at Louisville, and in his sophomore season, he averaged 32 min, 15.6 pts, 5.1 reb, 2 Ast

Tyler Lydon 24 overall (traded draft rights to Denver)- Played 26 games in 2 years in Denver, never made an impact.

College Stats- 2 seasons at Syracuse, and in his sophomore season, he averaged 36 minutes, 13.2 pts, 8.6 Reb.

Tony Bradley (via trade from LA for Josh Hart who Utah selected at 30)- Spent 3 years in Utah but never really cracked the rotation until year 3 where he played 58 games. He averaged 4.4 pts, 4 Reb in his stint with the Jazz.

College Stats- 1 season at North Carolina 14.6 Min, 7.1 Pts, 5.1 Reb.

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Nigel William-Goss 55th overall– Spent only one year with Utah and played 10 total games.

College Stats- 2 seasons at the University of Washington, 1 season at Gonzaga. In his Junior year, he averaged 16.8 pts, 4.7 Ast, 6 Reb.

Notable Players drafted after– Kyle Kuzma 27th overall, Derrick White 29th overall, JOSH HART 30th overall (man could Utah have used Josh Hart during those playoff runs), Dillon Brooks 45th overall.

Overall draft letter Grade– A: Donovan became the face of the league and carried this team for years. Doesn’t matter what else happened on draft night Utah got a star.

Where are they now– Donovan Mitchell is currently in his 3rd season playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, averaging 26 points and 5 assists. The Cavaliers were the 1st seed in the East and won 64 games. Tony Bradley currently plays for the Indiana Pacers and is averaging 4.4 pts, and 3 reb. Nigel William-Goss currently plays for Olympiacos of the Greek Basket League and the Euro League.

2018

Players Selected:

Grayson Allen 21 overall– Allen only spent one season with the Jazz and played a total of 38 games and averaged 11 min, 5.6 pts, 1 Ast. He was then traded to Memphis in the Mike Conley deal that made some noise in Milwaukee and is now a very important bench piece for the Phoenix Suns.

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College Stats- 4 seasons at Duke. In his Senior year, he averaged 15.5 pts, 3.3 Reb, 4.6 Ast.

Vincent Edwards 52 overall (never played and quickly traded to Houston)

College Stats- 4 seasons at Purdue. In his senior year, he averaged 14.6 pts, 7.4 Reb, 2.9 Ast.

Notable Players drafted after– Moritz Wagner 25th overall, Robert Williams 27th overall, Jalen Brunson 33, Mitchell Robinson 36th overall, Gary Trent Jr 37th overall.

Overall draft letter Grade– C: It’s average Quin never really gave Grayson Allen the chance to play so we don’t really know but I loved watching him.

Where are they now– Grayson Allen is on the Phoenix Suns where he has become a very important rotation piece. He’s now averaging 12.2 pts, and 2.6 Ast. He’s started a total of 81 games in his 2 seasons so far in Phoenix. Vincent Edwards is currently not on a team, but last played for Seoul Samsung Thunders of the Korean Basketball League.

2019

Players Selected:

Darius Bazley 23 overall (Traded to OKC)

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College Stats- NA

Jarrell Brantley 50th overall (acquired via trade from Indiana)- Brantley spent a total of 3 seasons with the Jazz and played a total of 41 games in that time. He averaged 6.1 minutes, 2.7 pts, and 1.3 Reb, but could just never crack the rotation. He spent a lot of time with the SLC Stars and got to the G-League First Team and All-Rookie Team. He averaged 18.8 pts, 7.6 Reb, 3.7 Ast.

College Stats- 4 seasons at Charleston and in his senior year he averaged 19.4 pts, 8.4 Reb, 2.4 Ast.

Justin Wright-Foreman 53 overall- He only spent one season with Utah and only appeared in 4 games for the first team. He spent a lot of time with the SLC Stars and averaged 17.3 pts, 3.1 Reb, 2.6 Ast per game.

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College Stats- 4 years at Hofstra University. In his senior year he averaged 27.1 pts, 3.5 Reb, and 1.5 Ast.

Notable Players drafted after– Ty Jerome 24th overall, Jordan Poole 28th overall, Keldon Johnson 29th overall, Jalen McDaniels 52 overall.

Overall draft letter Grade– F: none of these players made an impact.

Where are they now– Darius Bazley currently plays for Guangdong Southern Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association. However, he recently came back to the Jazz to play in the Summer League. Brantley currently plays for Nagasaki Velca of the B.League. Wright-Foreman currently plays for l-Rayyan of the Qatari Basketball League.

2020

Players Selected:

Udoka Azubuike 27th overall– Azubuike spent 3 seasons with the Jazz, with his 3rd season as his best, appearing in 36 games. He averaged 3.3 pts and 3 Reb per game with the Jazz. Never could crack the rotation and never made a real impact. He then signed a two-way contract with the Suns.

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College Stats- Spent 4 years at Kansas, and his senior year he played 32 games, averaged 13.7 pts, and 10.5 Reb.

Elijah Hughes 39th overall (acquired in trade from Pelicans)- Spent 2 seasons with the Jazz but never was able to really crack into the rotation. He averaged 2.3 pts in his time with Utah. He was traded to Portland and played 22 games there.

College Stats- Spent 3 seasons at Syracuse, played 32 games, averaged 36.7 minutes, 19 pts, 4.9 Reb, 3.4 Ast.

Saben Lee (traded to Detroit)

College Stats- 3 seasons at Vanderbilt. Played 3 seasons, and in his junior year, he played 32 games, 18.6 pts, and 4.2 Ast.

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Notable Players drafted after– Jaden McDaniels 28th overall, Desmond Bane 30th overall, Nick Richards 42 overall.

Overall draft letter Grade– D: None of them ever cracked the rotation and didn’t last long on the team. And Desmond Bane was right there!!!

Where are they now– Azubuike currently plays for Budućnost of the Prva A Liga and the ABA League. And Hughes plays for CB Breogán of the Liga ACB.

2021

Players Selected:

Santi Aldama 30th overall (traded rights to Memphis)- The Jazz would love Santi Aldama at the moment.

College Stats- Played 2 seasons at Maryland, and in his Sophomore year he averaged 35 min, 21.2 pts, 10.1 reb, 2.3 Ast.

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Jared Butler 40th overall (acquired via trade withthe Pelicans)- Butler only spent one season with the Jazz and played a total of 42 games. He averaged 3.8 pts, and 1 Reb. Had some good showings but was just never able to be a staple. However, he then signed with Washington and played 72 games for the Wizards.

College Stats- Played 3 seasons at Baylor, and in his Junior Year he averaged 16.7 pts, 5 Ast, 2.3 Reb.

Notable Players drafted after– Herbert Jones 35th overall, Luka Garza 52 overall

Overall draft letter Grade– D: Never really made an impact, but if the Jazz kept Santi Aldama, it could be a different story.

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Where are they now– Jared Butler currently plays for the 76ers, where he is a rotation guard. He’s averaging 9 pts, 1.8 Reb, and 3.7 Ast.

2022

Players Selected:

Utah did not make any selections in 2022, however, ended up with 2 players from the draft from the Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert trades.

Ochai Agbaji 14th overall (acquired via trade from Cleveland)- OH MY Ochai, Utah didn’t draft in 2022 but acquired Ochai, who was 14th overall in the Donovan Mitchell trade. He spent 2 seasons with the Jazz and averaged 6.7 pts, 2 reb, 1 Ast.

College Stats- Played 4 seasons at Kansas and in his Senior year he averaged 19.7 pts, 5.2 reb and won Final Four most outstanding player.

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Walker Kessler 22 overall (acquired via trade) drafted by Memphis, traded to Minnesota, traded again to Utah for Rudy Gobert, and thank goodness. Walker Kessler Ranger has been amazing for the Jazz and will be looking at a bigger contract soon. In his 3 seasons so far, he is averaging 9.4 pts, 8 reb, 2.4 BLK.

College Stats- Played at both North Carolina and Auburn and in his Sophomore year he averaged 11.4 pts, 8.1 Reb, and 4.6 BLK per game.

Notable Players drafted after– Honestly, not much

Overall draft letter Grade– NA

Where are they now- Walker is the Jazz’s starting center and, at times, the team’s best player. A high prospect that multiple other teams have asked Utah about. Ochai is currently playing for the Toronto Raptors and is averaging 10.4 pts, 3.8 Reb, and 1.5 Ast.

2023

Players Selected:

Taylor Hendricks 9th overall- Didn’t crack the rotation until late his rookie year, but showed great improvement towards the end of the season. He won the starting job the following year but then broke his leg three games in. He is ready to come back this next season and pick up where he left off. In his rookie season, he averaged 7.3 pts, 5 Reb, 0.8 BLK.

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College Stats- In his one season at UCF, he averaged 34.7 min, 15.1 pts, and 7.0 Reb.

Keyonte George 16th overall– In his 2 seasons so far, Keyonte has been an on-again, off-again point guard. From being the starting point guard to becoming an off-the-bench guard. He has averaged 14.8 pts, 5 Ast, and 3 Reb in those 2 seasons. But still hasn’t shown enough to be the guy. However, he still shows promise and is definitely not a miss of a pick.

College Stats- In his one season at Baylor he averaged 28.7 minutes, 15.3 pts, 4.2 Reb, 2.8 Ast.

Brice Sensabaugh 28th overall- In his 2 seasons with the Jazz, he has played a total of 103 games. A player who has been very promising and has shown significant growth between his two seasons. However, he has had trouble at times cracking Will Hardy’s rotation, sometimes going multiple games without minutes this past season. He has averaged 9.8 pts, 3 Reb, and 1.6 STL a game.

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College Stats- Only played one season at Ohio State. He averaged 24.5 minutes, 16.3 pts, 5.4 Reb, 1.2 Ast a game.

Notable Players drafted after– Dereck Lively 12 overall, Jamie Jaquez 18th overall

Overall draft letter Grade- B+: Great draft from Utah. Really, all three of those picks are showing promise or can be looked at as parts of the future.

Where are they now? All are still with the team and are all part of the rebuilding process.

2024

Players Selected:

Cody Williams 10 overall- A high prospect that just didn’t turn out how Utah wanted. He only played 50 games this season and averaged 4.6 pts 2 Reb, and 1.2 Ast. However, you can’t judge everything in one season, but you definitely should expect more from your top 10 pick. There were times in the season when he was just unplayable. But his defense is good, his shot is improving, I will be excited to see what he does this season because there is nowhere else but UP! Prove us wrong, Cody.

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College Stats- In his one season at Colorado, he averaged 28.4 min, 11.9 pts, 3.0 Reb, 1.6 Ast.

Isaiah Collier 29 overall- One of the better picks Utah has made in the past 10 years. This man is able to do it all. A player who was at one point top 5 projected but fell down the boards due to injuries. Luckily, Utah did not listen because this man is the PG of the future. He beat out Keyonte for the starting spot, and I am extremely excited to see what he does this upcoming season. Last year he played 71 games, averaging 8.7 pts, 6.3 Ast, and 3.5 Reb.

College Stats- In his one season with USC he averaged 29.8 min, 16.3 pts, 4.3 Ast, 2.9 Reb.

Kyle Filipowski 32 overall- Another absolute job. Flip showed amazing development throughout his rookie season. For a second-round pick all you want to see is his potential, and man, Flip showed that. Someone I believe could be a strong bench piece for Utah on a championship run, all I see is the future. In his rookie season, he played 72 games, averaged 9.6 pts, 6.2 reb, 2 Ast a game.

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College Stats- Spent 2 seasons at Duke and in his Sophomore season he averaged 31.4 min, 16.4 Pts, 8.3 Reb, 2.8 Ast.

Notable Players drafted after– Matas Buzelis 11th overall, Jared McCain 16th overall, Dalton Knecht 17th overall, Bronny James (JK)

Overall draft letter Grade- B-: This draft would absolutely be an A if we selected better at 10. Our later picks are amazing, A+ magnificent, but that 10th overall really hurts.

Where are they now? All are still with the team and are all part of the rebuilding process.

2025 ?

And that leads us to now, let’s see what Utah does on draft day 2025!

The NBA draft is always about luck, from where you’re seated in the draft to who the team selects, you never know how that player will end up. No matter how much scouting, reporting, or how much you think you know the player, it’s always a gamble. But that’s why, for fans, it’s a chance to change the team’s future. So get excited, Jazz fans, because the time is near!

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Let me know who Utah should select in this loaded 2025 NBA draft.

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With just under three weeks until the 2025 NHL Draft, the Utah Mammoth got an up-close view — and extended conversations — with some of the prospects they could potentially pick.

This year’s NHL Scouting Combine took place in Buffalo, New York, and included 57 forwards, 27 defensemen and five goaltenders from North America and Europe. The event spanned from June 2-7, during which the athletes underwent physical and medical exams, interviews with organizations and fitness testing.

The combine also allows teams to get to know the players outside of the game – extra time and dinners can be requested.

The Mammoth’s stroke of luck in May’s NHL Draft Lottery saw them advance 10 spots and secure the fourth overall pick. Accordingly, general manager Bill Armstrong and his staff had a group of top-tier prospects to assess at the combine.

Here are three Mammoth storylines to come out of Buffalo.

Who did the Utah Mammoth take to dinner?

While taking a prospect out to dinner does not automatically mean a team is going to draft them, it does show a heightened level of interest in the product. Tij Iginla, for one, ate with the Mammoth during the 2024 NHL Combine (as did several players) and was subsequently selected sixth overall by the organization at that year’s draft.

So, the list of diners is not a tell on who exactly Utah wants to pick — there are, after all, three teams ahead of it who could change the draft board — but it does indicate who they’re looking further into.

Based on reports from the combine, the Mammoth had dinner with Michael Misa, James Hagens, Jake O’Brien, Brady Martin and Porter Martone. No other prospects were confirmed on that list as of Sunday.

Misa is expected to go shortly after defenseman Matthew Schaefer, who is the projected No. 1 pick. He might not be in Utah’s reach, but if he were left on the table, Armstrong would likely strike.

The 6-foot-1, 184-pound center was the captain of the Saginaw Spirit in the OHL this season and posted 134 points (62 goals, 72 assists) in 65 games.

“For me, I feel like I am ready to make that jump next year. That’s ultimately my goal to make the NHL next year,” Misa said to reporters. “I think gaining that center experience that I had this year definitely helped my game and just trying to become that more reliable 200-foot player, defensively as well.”

Hagens was the consensus No. 1 pick just a year ago; however, his stock has dropped a bit since then — meaning there’s a possibility Utah could have the choice to select him. And so, a steak meal was had. Hagens just played his freshman season of NCAA hockey at Boston College and had 37 points (11 goals, 26 assists) in 37 games. He’s a dynamic center who stands at 5-foot-11, 176 pounds; undersized for the group of top-5 forwards in the draft.

“Teams have asked a bunch of different questions. I think I just love to make my case that I love to win,” Hagens said. “I want to be able to win a Stanley Cup with whatever team takes a chance on me. No matter where I go, I know I will bring my compete and always want to win.”

O’Brien, Martone and Martin feel more realistic for Utah. The NHL’s Central Scouting released its 2025 Draft Prospect Rankings and had O’Brien at No. 4 of all North American skaters, Martone at No. 6 and Martin at No. 11. Those are to be taken with a grain of salt, of course, but just used to give a sense of the Mammoth’s range.

O’Brien — who reportedly came in 12 pounds heavier than he was in-season — is a 17-year-old center who is 6-foot-2, 170 pounds. The Toronto native had 98 points (32 goals, 66 assists) in 66 games with the Brantford Bulldogs this season in the OHL. O’Brien said his strengths are his hockey IQ and ability to pass the puck; he’d like to work on his first three steps and getting away from coverage. O’Brien seemed to enjoy the combine process.

“It’s just cool meeting the GMs and stuff. Just kind of having a relaxing conversation, getting to know them,” he said. “Just person to person — not really stressing out about the draft or anything. Having a good dinner and everything.”

Martone, on the other hand, could bring Utah the top-six size and scoring touch it needs in the next few years. But he is a right-wing, not a center. At 6-foot-3, 208 pounds, Martone logged 98 points (37 goals, 61 assists) in 57 games as the captain of the Brampton Steelheads in the OHL.

Of all these prospects, it was Martin who drew the most noise from the Mammoth, though. So let’s give him a section to himself. Keep reading.

What is the noise around Brady Martin?

Cam Robinson of Elite Prospects reported Saturday that, “Word around the campfire is that Utah *really* likes Brady Martin. Wouldn’t be shocking to see him go at No. 4.”

Martin’s name has not been in the top 5 for a lot of the draft analysts’ mock orders, but it appears scouts have a different opinion of him and the impact he could make at the NHL level.

Martin measured in at 6 feet, 186 pounds at the combine, but plays bigger than his size. The center has a high-end shot paired with punishing physicality. Martin had 72 points (33 goals, 39 assists) in 57 games as the assistant captain of the OHL’s Soo Greyhounds. He was also assistant captain for Team Canada in the WJC-18 this year and had 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in seven games.

The native told reporters he looks up to NHLers like Sam Bennett, Tom Wilson and Matthew Knies — all guys that have the edge and pure production skill that the Mammoth are missing in their top six.

“I’m a 200-foot forward, plays physical, competes hard every shift. And loves to win,” Martin said. “If you look at the teams in the finals now and the way they play — [Zach] Hyman’s obviously out — but I think the way he plays is the way I play…I go around and play physical every shift.”

Martin does not have a strict offseason schedule. It is somewhat unique for a modern-day prospect. Instead, he builds muscle on his family’s farms. They have 4,000 pigs, 60,000 chickens and 250 dairy cows, he said. There is a lot of work to go around.

“I just work on the farm. I obviously train a bit, but I haven’t gotten too much into hockey training — just kind of farm strong is what they call it, I guess,” Martin said. “I grew up and always had responsibilities and was disciplined. I think that helps coming through hockey, too.”

Martin said he met with 27 teams this week and “wasn’t expecting” teams in the top of the draft to request to have dinner with him; he dined with Utah, the Nashville Predators (pick No. 5), Philadelphia Flyers (pick No. 6) and Boston Bruins (pick No. 7).

“You think about that but at the same time, you don’t want to get expectations too high. You just want to wait for the draft and see what happens,” Martin said. “I wasn’t expecting it. But I think I proved myself quite a bit at the end of the season here so I’m hoping it goes well for me.”

It seems Armstrong is still open to listening to possible trade packages that include his No. 4 selection, but if he chooses to keep it, keep an eye on Martin.

Where was Caleb Desnoyers?

Caleb Desnoyers is another highly-touted center who could be an option for the Mammoth. The 18-year-old was at the Combine but did not participate in any of the testing — he is waiting for MRI results for injuries on both of his wrists, per Scott Wheeler of The Athletic. Desnoyers told Wheeler he has been playing through it since November.

The circumstances did not hinder Desnoyers’ performance, though. He had 84 points (35 goals, 49 assists) in 59 games with the Moncton Wildcats in the QMJHL. Desnoyers helped lead his team to the QMJHL championship in May and earned playoffs MVP with 30 points (nine goals, 21 assists) in 19 postseason matchups. All of that with two hurt wrists.

“Pretty much anything that you can imagine that you need your hands for hockey was affected by it,” Desnoyers said. “Lucky enough, I had good staff, good facilities and my therapist in Moncton is excellent. … Just did a lot of treatments, mentally get through it and give my 100% every night.”

When asked what his recovery plan is for the offseason, Desnoyers said he had not had time to think about it yet because his QMJHL season had just come to an end. Will he need surgery? Desnoyers said “we’ll see” when the results come back.

Moncton swiftly named Desnoyers captain for next season but he has not made a decision if he will return yet. That will be a discussion with the team that drafts him. Wheeler also reported that Boston College has shown interest in bringing Desnoyers over to NCAA hockey for at least a year.

Desnoyers’ injuries could leave some needed time for development, or they could not. It is yet to be seen. In the meantime, there are clear aspects Desnoyers is focusing on in his game.

“Physical strength is probably the main thing. Also, get some explosiveness on the ice. Be able to create some more separation with defenders,” Desnoyers said. “I’ll have a big summer and I’m looking forward to it.”

Desnoyers said he met with around 20 teams at the Combine. It was not confirmed whether he had extended conversation or dinner with the Utah Mammoth.

Goshen • The townsfolk of Jerusalem rest in the shade of pillars, dressed in woven cloth to protect against the harsh sun and the desert sand — both of which are plentiful on this windy afternoon.

Most are carrying a bag over one shoulder. Inside those bags are water bottles and eyeglasses and other 21st-century items they’re not supposed to be seen with.

Some 600 people have gathered in this southwestern Utah County back lot to be background extras in “The Chosen” — the popular TV series that for five seasons has depicted the life of Jesus Christ and the people around him in the Holy Land, in the first century A.D.

Season 5, which screened in movie theaters earlier this year and starts streaming on Prime on June 15, ended with Jesus being betrayed by Judas and arrested by the Romans.

The production came to Goshen for three weeks in May to shoot parts of Season 6, which is expected to be released sometime in 2026. The rest will be filmed at the production’s headquarters, in studios outside Dallas.

All eight episodes of Season 6 happen over 24 hours — showing Christ’s trial before Pilate, Peter’s denial of Jesus, Judas’ guilt over turning Jesus in to the authorities and, in the season finale, the crucifixion. The seventh and final season will cover Jesus’ resurrection and what happened next.

The 600 extras are fans of the show who paid their own way to get to Utah, coming from far and near to be part of a TV series that moves them like no other.

Fans “just want to be a part of it,” said B.J. Forman, the production’s art department coordinator. “They want to help it thrive, and let us tell the story.”

Forman said he has attended fan events — including one called ChosenCon — and “every conversation starts with ‘Thank you’ … for bringing this world to the rest of the world.”

Carl Phillips came from Delta Junction, Alaska, a couple of hours southeast of Fairbanks, where he recently retired as a civil service electrician. He is soon to start another job, and taking part in “The Chosen” was an opportunity for “a little bit of a break” between gigs.

“The Chosen,” said Phillips, a Southern Baptist, is worthwhile because “I just believe that they’ve stayed very close to what the Scripture teaches, the message it’s conveying.”

Orem resident Debbie Eyre said she and a friend have been extras three times. “It’s worth the sweat, because it’s a gift to be here,” she said. “It’s a blessing.”

“It’s so real,” said Eyre, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She credited Dallas Jenkins, the show’s creator, director and main writer, for managing “to make the people of that time real, so we can relate to them. It brings the savior into your life more than anything I’ve ever experienced before.”

Eyre said the show has changed her life — a sentiment Jenkins said he has heard from fans around the world.

“There’s the Christ in the Bible,” Eyre said. “Here, he’s a real person. He’s playing with the children, he’s cracking jokes.”

Finding Jerusalem in Utah

On this morning of filming, Jesus — or rather, actor Jonathan Roumie, who plays him — is not in view. In the center of the massive Jerusalem set, the action is concentrated on a space outside the temple doors.

“Are you lost?” a man asks a small group of Jesus’ followers. The man, according to the script an assistant director is holding on a clipboard, is Zebadiah, one of the Pharisees, a group of Jewish leaders who felt threatened by Jesus’ growing popularity. In the scene, Zebadiah, played by Brad Culver, is explaining to a few of Jesus’ followers why he was arrested: “He was dangerous.”

Around the massive set, most of the extras can’t hear what’s happening. A few mill about in the background, as instructed. The rest sit and wait, a common activity on film sets as crews set cameras and lighting in place for the next shot.

In the center of it all is Jenkins, a tall man in a maroon “The Chosen” T-shirt, who has directed every episode of the series. He runs the scene a couple of times, without stopping. When he’s satisfied, he says, “Cut” — and there’s a smattering of applause from the crew.

Then it’s on to the next shot, and the assistant directors start corralling the extras into place for a large crowd scene.

The 600 background extras provide their own costumes and hand props, Forman said. The production has written a handbook that “gives them the parameters” of the costumes, he said, and “90% of the time, they follow it.”

Once the extras are in place, there’s an announcement: It’s time for lunch. The extras are told to remember where they were sitting, and come back to that spot after they eat.

The extras start walking up the slight incline out of the Jerusalem set. With their desert gear, the scene looks like something out of “The Ten Commandments,” when the Israelites reach the other side of the Red Sea. That is, if Moses had a row of portable toilets and a catering crew waiting for his people.

Getting the look right

During the meal break, Forman shows some visitors around the set. He acknowledges that the set — built by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to make videos depicting scenes from the Bible and the Book of Mormon — is made to be impressive.

“We keep coming back here because it’s such a beautiful Jerusalem space,” Forman said. “It’s got the scale; it’s got the scope.”

It’s also versatile. “A lot of times, we’re using spaces multiple times,” Forman said. “There was actually a day [during this shoot] where one area played as two different scenes, and we had lunch to switch it over. … It was a construction site, so there were lots and lots of cedar poles made into scaffolding. … And a couple of hours later, it was a marketplace.”

In addition to coordinating the work of the art department, Forman has a particular assignment on the set. “I’m the only Jew on the crew,” he said. Because of that, he’s the crew member who writes anything in Hebrew seen in the show. If a character has to write in Hebrew on camera, Forman coaches the actor in drawing the letters so they look authentic.

“All those years of Hebrew school paid off,” he said.

One of the challenges of making “The Chosen,” Forman said, is dealing with the audience’s ideas of how a biblical story should look.

“There are some things you do to make it family-friendly,” Forman said. “We have to make sure that everybody can still watch it.” That’s a contrast to one of the most watched recent movie depictions of Jesus’ life and death: Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ,” which was noteworthy for its R-rated bloodshed.

Also, Forman said, “there are some things that you have to do because it’s expected.” The creative team is up against more than a century of film versions of Jesus’ story and two millennia of artwork.

As one example of how the show deals with those expectations, Forman cites the Season 5 depiction of the Last Supper, when Jesus shares bread and wine with his apostles — and tells them they are his body and blood.

“Everybody associates that with da Vinci’s painting, with them sitting 13 across at a table for 26,” Forman said. Early in the season, he said, “we had a banquet that was set up at a similar three-sided table, so we gave the audience that vocabulary. They didn’t realize that we gave it to them early. … The actual Last Supper [scene] was more close-in, like a group of friends.”

Jenkins also cites the Last Supper scene as an example of how he has approached the entire story.

“It wasn’t just a painting of people sitting around eating bread,” Jenkins said. “It was an opportunity for close friends and brothers to be together in the last moments, before Jesus would be arrested.”

Jesus between the verses

As the extras trickle back to work after lunch, Jenkins is inside the temple part of the Goshen set with a couple of his actors, rehearsing a scene to be shot later on a flight of stairs.

A couple of the actors are dressed as Pharisees. The actor at the bottom of the stairs is Luke Dimyan, who was introduced at the end of Season 2 as Judas Iscariot, the apostle who ultimately betrays Jesus to the Romans.

From a distance, it isn’t easy to see what scene Jenkins is leading the actors through. Then a sound — a small bag hitting the ground, with coins inside clinking — echoes off the walls, telling everyone paying attention that the actors are walking through the moment when Judas tries to give back the 30 pieces of silver he’s been paid.

“The moment of Judas returning the money is an iconic moment,” Jenkins said during a brief set break. “We take the scripture and expand upon what might have been said around those Bible verses.”

Many times when the story of Jesus is told, Jenkins said, “it goes from verse to verse, miracle to miracle, and there’s no in-between. There’s none of the human elements that we know would have happened, but they weren’t recorded.” That’s what Jenkins said he aimed to bring to “The Chosen.”

“We’re not only showing Judas betray Jesus,” Jenkins said. “We’re showing what it was like for Judas to have to look Jesus’ mother in the eye, for Jesus’ mother to see Judas after it happened. … What they must have been like, and what they must have talked about in between those Bible verses, shows you the intimacy that Jesus would have experienced with his friends, and even with his enemies.”

Few movie or TV depictions of Jesus’ story have achieved that kind of intimacy, Jenkins said, because they condense the plot within two or three hours. The one exception he could recall was Franco Zeffirelli’s 1977 miniseries “Jesus of Nazareth,” which ran more than six hours (or eight hours with commercials).

“When I saw it as a kid, it had a profound impact on me,” Jenkins said. “When I saw it again several years ago — obviously, some differences between what [Zeffirelli] did and what I’m doing — I was struck [that] there was a lot of those in-between moments as well. They did explore what it was like for the disciples to be joined by a tax collector [Matthew]. They did explore some of that cultural context that sometimes we miss in those shorter movies.”

In religious movies and religious art, Jenkins said, “Jesus is portrayed as very pious. Sometimes, in art, there’s a halo around his head, or he’s a stained-glass window, or he’s a statue. I always wanted to remind others, because I felt this myself, that Jesus is not a stained-glass window. He is not a statue. Yes, he is God, but he was also a man and experienced what we experienced.”

Depicting Jesus’ humanity, Jenkins said, “doesn’t detract from his divinity. I actually think it enhances it and makes it even more beautiful that we believe the creator of the universe actually walked among us.”