The NBA Draft Lottery Just Turned The Utah Jazz Into A Sleeping Giant

BusinessSportsMoneyThe NBA Draft Lottery Just Turned The Utah Jazz Into A Sleeping GiantByBryan Toporek,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Bryan Toporek covers the NBA for Forbes Sports.Follow AuthorMay 14, 2026, 06:00am EDTSALT LAKE CITY, UT - JANUARY 20: Keyonte George #3 of the Utah Jazz goes over a play with teammate Ace Bailey #19 during the first half of their game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Delta Center on January 20, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.(Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)Getty ImagesFor the past few years, the Utah Jazz have been an afterthought in the NBA.That won't be the case any longer.The Jazz landed the No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 NBA draft, which is believed to be stacked at the top with franchise-changing talent. Regardless of whether they wind up with BYU forward AJ Dybantsa, Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, Duke forward Cameron Boozer or UNC forward Caleb Wilson, that prospect has the potential to become the new face of the Jazz moving forward.Granted, whomever they select will have competition for that title. That’s because the Jazz have quietly built an impressive core over the past few years, despite what their recent record might otherwise suggest.How The Jazz Got HereFor the first two years after they traded away Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, the Jazz found themselves on the NBA's dreaded Treadmill of Mediocrity. They were too talented to wind up at the bottom of the league's standings—which would have given them the highest chances of landing a top draft pick—but they kept falling short of making the playoffs. Their reward for that? They landed Taylor Hendricks with the No. 9 overall pick in 2023 and took Cody Williams with the No. 10 overall pick in 2024. He...