Utah Jazz's Will Hardy Sounds Off on Taylor Hendricks' Return

With the Utah Jazz's preseason opener on the horizon, it'll mark the first time that 2023 ninth-overall pick Taylor Hendricks will take the floor again since his season-ending leg injury from the start of last season.

Nearly a full calendar year has passed since Hendricks has stepped on an NBA floor. Behind the scenes, the top-ten pick from two summers ago has been working diligently towards his return, both on the court and in the weight room, and now finds himself on the cusp of getting back in the action.

Jazz head coach Will Hardy says that Hendricks, while may still need some extra time and reps to get to where he wants to be, is showing great signs before the year kicks off.

"It's been a long year for Taylor," Hardy said during a recent Jazz scrimmage. "I think the excitement, the confidence in his body, he still has a ways to go to get to where he wants to be, but I think you're seeing some early signs of trust in his body."

"We couldn't be happier to see him out there... His personality is really shining through, so it's good to see."

During his first two years in the mix for the Jazz, Hendricks has played in 43 total games to average 7.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 0.8 assists with nearly a block and a steal a night.

At full health, Hendricks has the opportunity to be a key piece in the Jazz's future, especially on the defensive end.

He's got incredible length at 6-foot-9 with over a 7-foot wingspan, strong defensive upside, has shown growth offensively to be a complementary piece as a floor spacer, and should get to showcase those skills in a much broader fashion than what he put together in just three games during his sophomore campaign.