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It’s unfair to compare Cody Williams to his brother, Jalen Williams, who plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder. They’re not the same type of player, they have totally different skillsets and Cody, after being drafted Wednesday night by the Utah Jazz with the 10th overall pick, will have a completely different path and experience in the NBA.
Even so, there are people all over television, radio and the internet that are saying things like, “If Cody can just become 70% of what his brother is, the Jazz will be in good shape.” Again, that’s unfair, and it’s apples and oranges, in my opinion.
If I was the Utah Jazz on draft night, who Williams’ brother is would not have mattered in the least. But there is one advantage to having an older brother who is in the NBA — knowledge.
“It’s really beneficial,” Jazz general manager Justin Zanik said. “You might ask Keyonte George 365 days after he’s drafted, ‘What have you learned?’ (Cody) hears that from his brother every day for the last three years. Like, ‘I had to work harder. I thought I worked hard, I needed to work harder, the strength and the physicality you need to play in the league.’ A lot of people don’t get that until it hits them straight in the face.”
The Jazz know that Williams will continue to be compared to his brother despite them being completely different types of players and barring a name change, there’s nothing that he can do to stop that.
But the Jazz are hoping that Williams will be able to use his brother’s early success with the Thunder to his advantage.
“I think it is a great example for him,” Zanik said. “They’re going to be different. They’re not the exact same player at all. But just being able to be around that can continue to inspire and grow Cody’s passion for the game.”
New with the Jazz
From the archives
Extra points
- No. 10 draft pick Cody Williams checks all the boxes for the Utah Jazz (Deseret News)
- Isaiah Collier wants to prove himself with the Jazz after falling to the bottom of the NBA draft’s first round (Deseret News)
- Lusia Harris, the only woman ever drafted into the NBA, has a legacy that goes beyond basketball (Deseret News)
- Weber State’s Dillon Jones is a first-round NBA draft pick (Deseret News)
Around the league
- Lakers select Bronny James in second round to join his dad on the team.
- Denver Nuggets trade Reggie Jackson to Charlotte Hornets.
- NBA champion Kristaps Porzingis has surgery, will miss start of 2024-25 season.
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- July 8, 9, 10 | TBD | Utah Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies, Oklahoma City Thunder, Philadelphia 76ers | KJZZ