AFTER a disappointing campaign where they finished as the worst performing team in the competition, the Utah Jazz will be hoping to make it all worth it when they select twice in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft.

The Jazz produced the worst record in the NBA, as well as the worst in team history, consistently allowing the opposition to put on big scores as they looked towards a loaded draft class, with star Lauri Markkanen missing a hefty amount of games.

The Jazz were one of the unluckiest sides at the draft lottery, sliding down to pick five as better performing teams such as the Mavericks, Spurs and 76ers made up the top three in a poor turn of luck for Utah.

Regardless, the Jazz will be able to add a key piece for the future with their first two selections, and with picks three and beyond unclear, could find themselves in the fortunate position of selecting a slider based on how the Sixers and Hornets select.

Utah Jazz

Draft Selections

5, 21, 43, 53

Contracted Players

Lauri Markkanen, John Collins (player option), Collin Sexton, Jordan Clarkson, KJ Martin (non-guaranteed), Taylor Hendricks (team option), Cody Williams, Keyonte George (team option), Svi Mykhaliuk (non-guaranteed), Johnny Juzang (non-guaranteed), Kyle Filipowski, Walker Kessler (team option), Brice Sensabaugh (team option), Isaiah Collier, Jaden Springer (non-guaranteed)

The Jazz are well placed with two selections inside the top 21 picks, and should be able to add some quality youngsters in one of the deepest drafts in years, and although selecting inside the top three would have been ideal, they can still make do.

With pick five, the Jazz will likely have to pick between two backcourt prospects, barring any slide from the likes of Ace Bailey and VJ Edgecombe, who are expected to be off the board by the time Utah is on the clock.

That leaves the choice between Tre Johnson and Jeremiah Fears as the best available players on the board, and the Jazz can be considered winners either way, with both prospects showing plenty in the lead up to the draft.

Johnson is a scorer who can heat up very fast, and has shown the ability to perform in clutch situations throughout his NCAA career with Texas. He can score off the dribble with ease and would certainly give a hefty boost to Utah’s offence, which struggled at times, and with George already on the roster, he could slot in nicely in the future.

On the other hand, Fears is certainly a renowned talent in his own right, and could develop into a future star of the NBA in the coming years. His speed, playmaking and shot creation could all benefit the Jazz in a big way, and at the point guard position, he could lead the team into the next era, although Utah did take point guards in the last two drafts.

With pick 21, the Jazz could do with adding some defence to their roster, and if he is still on the board Collin Murray-Boyles could almost be a no-brainer. With masterful defensive traits and an ability to do it all on that side of the ball, the forward would be a welcome addition to a leaky Utah team.