Utah Jazz select Taylor Hendricks in 2023 NBA Draft

With the No. 9 overall pick of the 2023 NBA Draft, the Utah Jazz selected Taylor Hendricks. A power forward from UCF, Hendricks rose up draft boards after an excellent freshman season with the Knight. Now, he’s looking to take the NBA by storm.

Hendricks was long viewed as a potential lottery pick, blending length with the ability to score and rebound while also being a solid defensive player.

A four-star recruit in the Class of 2022, according to the On3 Industry Rankings, Taylor Hendricks chose to go to UCF over schools like Florida State, LSU, and Miami. He was the 56th-ranked player nationally and the 10th-ranked player at his position in that recruiting class.

Taylor Hendricks put up massive numbers in his only season in college. He averaged 15.1 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game at UCF. He was able to do that while shooting an excellent 48% from the field and 39% from 3-point range. He also recorded five career double-doubles.

On six different occasions, Hendricks scored more than 20 points in a game for UCF. His career high of 25 points is a mark he reached twice, against Tulsa and ECU. That game against ECU was one of his double-doubles, grabbing 10 rebounds in the process.

At 6-foot-9 and 210 lbs, Hendricks is incredibly athletic and an excellent shooter for his size. This will allow him to stretch the court. However, he did have an issue with turnovers at times and doesn’t have the traditional frame of a power forward to compete down low.

What NBA Draft experts are saying about Taylor Hendricks

Taylor Hendricks is one of the most exciting prospects in the 2023 class because of what he brings to the table. He has the combination of length, athleticism, and shooting ability that the modern NBA loves, as NBA Draft experts have pointed out.

“At 6-foot-9, Hendricks fits the mold of a modern NBA power forward who can also slide up and play center. His ability to both defend the rim and space the floor makes him a unique prospect and arguably the top power forward in the 2023 NBA Draft class,” RotoWire wrote. “An excellent athlete with great length who effortlessly plays above the rim, Hendricks should be an above-average rebounder at the NBA level. He’s also capable of handling the ball on the perimeter and initiating his own offense against certain matchups.”