Taylor Hendricks Selected No. 9 By Utah Jazz in 2023 NBA Draft
UCF Knights forward Taylor Hendricks was selected No. 9 overall by the Utah Jazz in the first round of the 2023 NBA Draft on Thursday night.
The selection gave the Knights a first-round pick for the first time since 2005, when the Toronto Raptors took guard Joey Graham No. 16 overall.
Hendricks is not only just the third UCF player to be selected in the NBA Draft, he’s the program’s first lottery selection.
The 6-foot-9 forward was selected was named to the All-AAC Second Team and the All-Freshman team. After the season he declared for the NBA Draft and surrendered his remaining eligibility, as he was projected to be a lottery pick.
He finished his one season at UCF leading the team with 15.1 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. He also led the Knights in field goal percentage and in 3-point percentage. He also won an American Athletic Conference record nine Rookie of the Week honors, including a conference record four straight from Nov. 21 to Dec. 12.
The only other Knights player to be drafted was guard Jermaine Taylor, who was a second-round pick for Washington in 2009.
UCF, BYU, Cincinnati and Houston will join the Big 12 Conference on July 1. The league will play at 14 teams for one season before Oklahoma and Texas transition to the Southeastern Conference on July 1, 2024.
France’s Victor Wembanyama was taken No. 1 overall by the San Antonio Spurs. Alabama’s Brandon Walker went No. 2 overall to the Charlotte Hornets. The G League Ignite’s Scoot Henderson was selected No. 3 overall by the Portland Trail Blazers. The Overtime Elite’s Amen Thompson was selected No. 4 by the Houston Rockets. The Overtime Elite’s Ausar Thompson went No. 5 to the Detroit Pistons. Amen and Ausar are twin brothers.
At No. 6, the Orlando Magic took Arkansas’ Anthony Black. At No. 7, the Indiana Pacers selected Bilal Coulibaly of France. At No. 8 the Washington Wizards selected Houston’s Jarace Walker.
