The Utah Jazz had a trio of rookies entering last season in lottery pick Cody Williams, 29th-overall pick Isaiah Collier, and second-rounder Kyle Filipowski, with two of those three ending up right on the cusp of an All-Rookie team selection at the year's conclusion, albeit while finishing 11th and 12th in the voting.
The one name that didn't have quite as alluring of a season was the lottery pick: Cody Williams. The tenth-overall pick wound up suffering from his fair share of ups and downs during his first year pro that have led to some big questions on what his future with the Jazz could hold if he doesn't turn things around fast.
That makes Williams' second year in Utah critical for his long-term outlook, and inevitably could make him one of the most appealing year two players to watch in the league this season.
NBA.com's Steve Aschburner recently stacked up 10 of the NBA's most intriguing second-year players to keep an eye on next season, where the Jazz's own in Williams fell right in line as one of the top names to watch.
"Any pressure on Williams to perform big as Utah’s lottery pick was released when fellow rookies Isaiah Collier (No. 29 overall) and Kyle Filipowski (No. 32) carved out bigger role," Aschburner wrote. "But the potential the Jazz saw in Williams looms larger after his brother Jalen’s breakout work in the playoffs for OKC. The 20-year-old Jazz guard dialed up strong performances in Summer League — 11.7 points on 43% shooting in Salt Lake City, then 20.4 points on 46% in Las Vegas. He has embarked on a training and nutrition program to add strength to his slender frame (at 190, he gave up 30 pounds to his 24-year-old brother)."
Williams certainly had some pitfalls in his rookie campaign. He was an inefficient shooter when he got opportunities (averaging 4.2 points a night on 32.3% shooting), wasn't a high-end defender with a bit of a limited frame, and ultimately ended up as somewhat of an awkward fit on both sides of the floor.
Though Williams came into the league as a project-type player that needed a few years of development, so for him to start his first season on the slower side doesn't warrant any sounding of the alarms just yet.
However, it does make his second year extremely important to get right. He's spent the offseason with a key focus on bulking up from his rookie weight of 190 pounds, has a whole summer of trying to become a more consistent shot maker, and thus, could be on track for a considerable bounce-back season.
Time will tell if the year pans out in Williams' favor, but he'll be one of the many young faces in Utah to keep a strong eye on.
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!