Utah Jazz Player Notes: Collin Sexton position with the future Utah Jazz

Collin Sexton: Known as Young Bull, the 6’3″ point guard from Marietta, Georgia, built a solid reputation as a high school basketball player. With a tenacity and drive that could only be matched by the likes of Russell Westbrook or the Energizer Bunny,

Sexton’s high school video reminds me of an old-school Super Nintendo classic. With every dunk, drive, and 3-ball, Collin makes one thing clear: he has a killer instinct. When Collin steps on the court, he’s not there to make friends or let loose in a game. His mindset is simple: win or die trying.

His eyes tell a simple story when he sees a lane of traffic: Get out of the way, or I’ll destroy you. Spitz, the beagle guardian of the Boggis chicken farmThe number one rule of competing with Sexton is to never look him directly in the eye, otherwise you risk angering him.

He maintained the same level of intensity from his high school days to his years at Alabama, where his skills were on full display. In a game against Minnesota where all but three of his teammates were ejected from the game for a technicality, Sexton nearly single-handedly defeated the Golden Gophers, scoring 40 points and cutting Minnesota’s lead to 3 points before the Crimson Tide suffered their inevitable defeat.

Sexton certainly validated his recruiting rankings, where he was named best point guard in the 2017 class and the 4th overall prospect. He entered the NBA as the 8th overall pick in the charge 2018 draft class and was named heir apparent to the Cleveland throne after a guy named LeBron left (I’d never heard of him either).

But these days we know Sexton as the embodiment of youth and fire. Utah Jazz. The combo point guard who fights, scores, and sets the tone in Salt Lake City has shown real improvement in his game, and he’s quickly become a fan favorite in Utah. But with the influx of young players (especially young point guards) flooding the Jazz’s depth chart, the big question surrounding Sexton is whether he has a long-term place in Utah, or if he’s destined to be cast aside in favor of the youth movement creeping up behind him.

He’s only 25 and has plenty of room to grow, but if the Jazz get carried away with the potential of players like Keyonte George and Isaiah Collier, Sexton could lose playing time to his backups. If we’re going to figure out what’s next for Collin’s partnership with the rebuilding Jazz, we first need to understand how he got to this point. Let’s take a look at Sexton’s past to better understand his role with the Jazz going forward.

The story of two PGs

Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images

Entering the league with the last-place Cavs, Sexton flourished as a primary point guard and was voted All-Rookie. Collin was a scoring machine and a revelation. There was every indication that Collin Sexton was the future of the team. The Cleveland Cavaliersright? Well, I wouldn’t be so quick to assume that. Just one season after selecting Sexton, the Cavs picked up another young point guard, Vanderbilt product Darius Garland. A sign of bad faith on the part of Cleveland management? Perhaps, but they insisted that both players were part of their future plans and that neither young point guard would replace the other.

Does this sound credible?

During the early years, Sexton continued to improve and Garland was named the “the worst player in the nba” as a beginner (yes, really). Obviously Collin was the best option, right?

While the young bull’s stats continued to rise, the Cavs didn’t improve overall. The prevailing opinion about Sexton was that his stats were “empty calorie numbers.” Essentially, his impressive per-game stats didn’t translate into wins, and he was saddled with the distinction of being a selfish, non-winning player.

Early in the 2021-22 season, Sexton suffered a season-ending meniscus tear, and Garland quickly progressed to All-Star level play in his absence. By the end of the season, everyone thought Sexton’s role on the team was now redundant, with GM at the top of his game. Much like when Rachel returned to Ralph Lauren after her maternity leave, Sexton returned to the Cavs after his injury only to learn that his understudy had become his replacement.

Sexton was the obvious piece to include when Cleveland went all-in on snatching Donovan Mitchell from Utah, so much so that almost no one noticed that Lauri Markkanen was also being sent to Utah.

History repeats itself?

Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images

In Utah, Sexton had to wait for his moment to shine. Playing as Mike Conley’s backup in the early days of the Jazz’s rebuild was a unique position for a player who had been accustomed to leading the charge his entire life, but he handled the role well.

Sexton’s patience was rewarded, as the Jazz sent Conley to Minnesota simply because Utah was too beautiful to be rebuilt. Stepping into the starting role, Sexton took a moment to shake off the rust. However, by the 2023-24 season, Sexton was the same beast, but a different animal (what does that mean?).

Last season, Sexton averaged a career-high in assists per game while playing primarily as a guard. In setting career-highs in turnovers and fouls per game as a Jazzman, Sexton intentionally pared down his game, clarifying and refining what makes him valuable while cutting out the unnecessary noise.

Removing what is not necessary to achieve one’s optimal form is an admirable skill that requires long periods of dedication and intentional decision-making. I would not be surprised to learn that Sexton had attended the Big Z Surfboard Shaping School—he’s building himself the ideal vessel for peak performance. The ideal version of Collin Sexton is out there somewhere; he just has to find it.

Okay, that’s all well and good, but despite his improved level of play and impressive adjustments, I can’t help but wonder if he has a long-term place with the Jazz. As Danny Ainge and management start to bet on younger players, how long will it be before enough young players come through and start forcing the team to make a decision?

As things stand, Sexton’s position at Utah seems secure and he’s been the perfect addition to help Keyonte develop. With a new point guard in Isaiah Collier coming in behind him, Sexton will be a valuable mentor to Utah’s rookie point guard.

But in a few years, when the Jazz are (hopefully) ready to turn up the heat and start chasing the title, where will Sexton fit into a very competitive depth chart? Despite steady improvement year over year, we seem to have a good idea of ​​Sexton’s potential as a player. What he’s showing right now is probably close to his peak as a player – expecting him to reach All-Star status may be a bit of a stretch.

Utah’s young core continues to develop and time is ticking. My big question is: Will Collin Sexton still be a starting point guard/guard when the Jazz are in contention for a title? I think the days of “empty calorie stats” are behind him, but when it comes time to contend for a title, where will Sexton’s talent take him?

I can see his future going either way: as a long-term part of Utah’s future success, or as a valuable contributor whose limited ceiling becomes a hindrance when the young stars finally catch up to the Young Bull. Let me know what you think.