Jazz Rookies Receive Critical Message From Will Hardy

Coming out of the 2024 NBA Draft, the Utah Jazz walked out with a notably strong haul –– leaving with the trio of Cody Williams, Isaiah Collier, and Kyle Filipowski to help as guiding forces in their rebuild process.

The three have had their respective ups and downs through their first season, yet all have shown some type of upside to ensure confidence in their place as rotational pieces in the mix for the foreseeable future.

And in the mind of Jazz head coach Will Hardy, the three could be ready to take that next step.

“I think it’s time to graduate,” Hardy said of the Jazz's rookies. “I don’t think the rookies are rookies anymore. They’ve had a lot of experience. That does not mean that I anticipate perfection... They know what’s expected of them on both sides of the ball. There will still be questions at times. There will still be moments of clarification that always happen with any team, but they should be less at this point.”

Hardy dubs his definition of his rookies' graduation leaning on the simple ins and outs of the team and basic knowledge that should be all but understood at this point.

“They know now what things are unacceptable, what sort of the hot-button topics are,” Hardy continued. “There are a few things on each side of the ball that are foundational pieces, and those things should not be in question anymore. So any questions that used to surround those topics, like, ‘Hey, was I supposed to...?’ Yes, you were, and you know you were. I think we’ve reached that point.”

It's a part of a typical rookie season. You get a lay of the land as a pro in your initial months with the team, find your place at the next level, and keep taking those steps to become that aspired impact player.

The Jazz rookies have been no different, and this graduation is simply another step in the process.

"You’ve put the work in, we’re X number of games into this season and this many practices, this many film sessions, this many individual film sessions, this many individual workouts. You don’t need to ask me that question anymore," Hardy said. "You don’t need to ask the assistants that question anymore to make sure that you’re right. You need to believe that you’ve done the work and that you know the answers.”

Now heading into the second-half stretch of the season, the Jazz's three rookies should expect to see a consistent role in the rotation on a nightly basis. Collier has emerged as the team's starting point guard since the beginning of January, while Williams and Filipowski have been increasingly establishing themselves within the second unit.

The jump in reps can be attributed to the extended confidence Hardy has gathered in his young players. He's seemingly seen consistent growth from all three across their rookie campaigns so far. And with an appealing opportunity ahead in the final 25 games of the season, there's still considerable room for more progression ahead.

It's been a year full of growth for the Jazz, and that trend should continue in the coming weeks of the season.

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