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Introducing the Utah Jazz's Role Player All-Star Candidates in 2026-27
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- Introducing the Utah Jazz's Role Player All-Star Candidates in 2026-27
(Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)
No little kids grow up dreaming of a career in the NBA while fantasizing about their position on the depth chart, at least none that I'm aware of, anyway. But every successful basketball team is built upon the contributions of the little guy, the bench producers -- the role players.
For the Utah Jazz to enjoy success in this, their first season since climbing from the despair-riddled pit of the NBA tanking scene, they'll need their stars to produce, of course. Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. are proven commodities at this level and are on this year's roster for one reason and one reason only: to win.
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The young up-and-comers will need to push toward a brighter future in their own right. If Darryn Peterson can blossom early and becomes a star-level player as a rookie, the Jazz 's timeline and championship window stretches much closer to the present day.
If Ace Bailey can build upon an inspiring, but uneven rookie year of his own, he could not only secure a spot in the starting lineup, but also provide a matchup problem for teams across the NBA.
If Keyonte George can prove that his third-year leap wasn't a fluke, he might be one of the best young point guards in the league by year four.
But five players alone does not make for a successful basketball team -- not even Tom Thibodeau runs each of his starters for 48 minutes per game, and even if he did, that team wouldn't win anything down the stretch of a grueling 82-game regular season.
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The best teams in the NBA need support from their reserves, and so it's time to highlight the role player all-stars that could lift the Utah Jazz into the upper echelon of the Western Conference.
Brice Sensabaugh
It feels strange to describe Sensabaugh as an unsung hero. He was a late first-round pick in the 2023 draft and a classmate to Keyonte George, and he's arguably grown at a similar rate to George as far as value to his team.
No, he doesn't play great defense, but Brice Sensabaugh is perhaps the most talented bench scorer in the league right now.
He's good for a handful of 20+ point outbursts per season, and has proven to be invaluable in the clutch. The Jazz have never struggled to score the ball, and Brice is a significant factor.
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Josh Okogie
Where the Jazz have struggled is on the defensive end. Okogie was brought on board to tighten up the perimeter, and adds some strong three-point shooting in the meantime.
He's exactly the type of player Utah needs so much more of. His impact will be massive this year.
Isaiah Collier
He averaged the 8th-most assists of any player in the NBA last season, and he did that in just over 20 minutes per game.
The jumper needs to come along, but there are few bench players more dependable in basketball than Isaiah Collier as he approaches his third season.
