Michigan State coach Tom Izzo 'ecstatic' about Joey Hauser's opportunity with Utah Jazz
East Lansing, Mich. – Count Tom Izzo among those who are happy and optimistic about former Michigan State player Joey Hauser signing a two-way contract with the Utah Jazz as an undrafted free agent.
“I talked to Joey last night and this morning and I’m ecstatic for him,” Izzo said late this week. “I talked to his parents, I talked to his agent. I’ve been very involved and it’s been good.”
In signing a two-way deal, Hauser can bounce between the Jazz and Utah’s G-League affiliate, the Salt Lake City Stars.
Izzo said several NBA teams were interested in Hauser prior to the draft, and afterward.
“Joey had good workouts with Milwaukee, he had good workouts with New Orleans, and Chicago and pretty good with Phoenix,” Izzo said. “He had a lot of good workouts. I think he was a draftable player for sure but I think it hurt that there were so many trades and so much movement. But Utah really liked him.”
Izzo feels it was better that Hauser didn’t get selected late in the draft and instead had free agent flexibility to choose an advantageous roster.
“They say after number 45, it’s probably better you don’t get drafted,” Izzo said. “So think it’s a really good deal for him.”
Jazz CEO Danny Ainge made use of three first round picks on Thursday, selecting Central Florida 6-foot-11 center Taylor Hendricks at No. 9, 6-foot-4 shooting guard Keyonte George of Baylor at No. 10, and 6-foot-6 wing Brice Sensabaugh of Ohio State at No. 18.
Ainge is eager to see if Hauser can develop as a stretch four in the Jazz system.
“Danny Ainge drafted his brother (Sam Hauser) with the Celtics and Danny liked him, so that was positive,” Izzo said.
Izzo likes Hauser’s professional prospects too.
“I think two or three things: Number one, Joey has a very, very high basketball IQ,” Izzo said. “He is a very, very good shooter.
“After a couple of average years – and I think they were average years because he went through tough times with COVID like a lot of people did – and yet I think he was a draftable guy for sure. He just came on a little later, but big deal.
“He has the intangibles in being able to shoot it and pass it and is a pretty good rebounder.”
Izzo has had undrafted free agents stick in the NBA in the past, including Charlie Bell, Alan Anderson and Bryn Forbes.
“I really think Joey is one of those guys that can catch on,” Izzo said. “I think there is getting to be more of it now because so many people are drafting players for strange reasons. The other reason I think he can hang is he’s a great kid. People want good kids.
“To me, he is a typical prototype NBA stretch four now. He can shoot. But what I think he brings to the table that a lot of people don’t is that he is such a good passer. He’s not a good passer, he’s a great passer.”
Hauser was one of the best range-shooting stretch fours in college basketball last season, connecting on 46.1 percent of his 3-point shots while averaging 14.4 points per game for the Spartans.
Lateral movement and defensive ability are question marks for Hauser.
“That’s always going to be an issue, just like it is for all those Miami (Heat) guys,” Izzo said. “The difference is he became a better defender this year. He understands it. He’s gotten smarter and better on that. Like Draymond (Green), I think he is smart enough in using his basketball IQ to help himself defensively. That’s what I think is going to happen.”
