The Utah Jazz are scheduled to have the fifth overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Let’s take a look at the Jazz best NBA draft picks in franchise history. It’s not necessarily the 10 best players ranked in order as where they were selected was taken into consideration. Keep in mind players such as Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert were acquired in draft day deals and were not actually drafted by the Jazz.
10 Best NBA Draft Picks In Utah Jazz History
10. Bryon Russell (45th overall, 1993)
Yes, Bryon Russell is most remembered for guarding Michael Jordan on his game-winning shot in the 1998 NBA Finals. Still, he was a major part of two Jazz teams that reached the NBA Finals as a second round pick who was mostly utilized as a starter. In three different years, Russell averaged at least 12 points per contest.
9. Thurl Bailey (7th overall, 1983)
Rarely missing a game with Utah, Thurl Bailey was runner-up for Sixth Man of the Year twice and finished top-six in voting two other times. Despite being in the starting lineup less than 30% of the time with the Jazz, he is fifth in team history with 9,897 points. Bailey appeared in 69 postseason games with the Jazz averaging 13.5 points.
8. Gordon Hayward (9th overall, 2010)
Gordon Hayward played his first seven years with Utah and was named an All-Star in the last of them. He provided excellent all-around play and had averages of 15.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.0 steals with Utah. His 8,077 points in a Jazz uniform are the ninth-most in team history.
7. Darrell Griffith (2nd overall, 1980)
Known as ‘Dr. Dunkenstein’, Darrell Griffith spent all 10 seasons of his career with the Jazz. He was named Rookie of the Year in 1980-81 and averaged at least 19.8 points each of his first five seasons. While three-point shooting was nowhere near as prevalent then as it is today, Griffith led the league in three-pointers made in both 1983-84 and 1984-85.
6. Paul Millsap (47th overall, 2006)
After playing behind Carlos Boozer, Paul Millsap was given a full-time starting role in his fifth season. In that season and the following two, he combined to average 16.1 points on 50.7% shooting and 7.8 rebounds. His 3,792 rebounds are the 10th-most in Jazz history.
5. Deron Williams (3rd overall, 2005)
Deron Williams had established himself as one of the top point guards in the league before being traded away from Utah during his sixth season. He was named to the All-NBA Second Team twice with the Jazz. Williams is fourth in team history with 4,003 assists.
4. Andrei Kirilenko (24th overall, 1999)
Spending his first 10 seasons with the Jazz, Andrei Kirilenko was one of the more versatile players during the decade of the 2000s. He was an All-Star in 2003-04 and led the league in blocks the following year. Kirilenko averaged more than a steal and block per game every year with Utah.
3. Mark Eaton (72nd overall, 1982)
Standing at 7-foot-4, Mark Eaton would have went undrafted in recent years as the current draft doesn’t go 72 players deep. He played all 11 of his seasons with the Jazz, and twice won Defensive Player of the Year. His career 3.5 blocks per game are the most in league history.
2. John Stockton (16th overall, 1984)
The all-time leader in both career assists and steals, John Stockton spent the entirety of his 19-year NBA career with Utah. The legendary point guard led the league in assists for nine-straight seasons from 1987-88 until 1995-96. Stockton could also shoot as evidenced by his career shooting split of 51.5/38.4/82.6.
1. Karl Malone (13th overall, 1985)
Known as ‘The Mailman’, Karl Malone played 18 of his 19 NBA seasons with the Jazz. His remarkable career consisted of winning two MVPs, making the All-NBA first team for 11 straight years, and averaging at least 20 points for 17 straight years. Malone is third all-time with 36,928 career points, seventh with 14,968 career rebounds, and 12th with 2,085 career steals.
Photo credit: © Rob Gray-Imagn Images
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