Kennedy Chandler is profiting from his newest shot within the NBA.
The former standout Tennessee basketball level guard is at the moment on his second 10-day contract with the Utah Jazz and is averaging 12.0 points, 6.2 assists and 2.8 rebounds in 30.1 minutes per game over 9 video games relationship again to March 21.
He had 19 factors, 5 rebounds and 4 assists in his Jazz debut and has scored in double figures in seven of 9 video games. He’s additionally had 5 or extra assists in seven video games, together with 9 on March 23 in opposition to the Raptors, and had 5 rebounds in three video games.
“I thought he handled himself great,” Jazz coach Will Hardy stated after a 126-116 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers in Chandler’s debut. “It’s not easy to do what he just did in terms of stepping in. I thought he played great.”
‘Those guys have given me confidence.’
Chandler had not performed within the NBA since he appeared in 36 video games with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2022-23, when he averaged 2.2 factors, 1.6 assists and 1.1 rebounds in simply 7.8 minutes per recreation.
He reunited with a number of former teammates in Utah, the place he was signed after the Jazz had a number of accidents within the backcourt.
“It’s been great just seeing guys here,” Chandler stated, according to thejnotes.com’s Jaxon Wynder, “like Jaren (Jackson Jr.) and Vince (Williams Jr.) and John Konchar. I was with them my rookie year, so just seeing them just, they give me the positivity to just go out there and be yourself. So those guys have given me confidence.”
Chandler was the thirty eighth general choose within the 2022 NBA Draft, chosen by the Memphis Grizzlies within the second spherical after a commerce with the San Antonio Spurs.
He was wived by the Grizzles in April 2023 after which signed Exhibit 10 contracts with the Brooklyn Nets, Toronto Raptors and Philadelphia 76ers during the last two years, earlier than getting the primary 10-day contract with the Jazz.
Kennedy Chandler starred at Tennessee throughout 2021-22 season
Chandler was a one-and-done star for Tennessee through the 2021-22 season, averaging 13.9 points, 4.7 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 2.2 steals in 30.8 minutes per game.
He was a consensus five-star prospect out of Memphis within the 2021 recruiting class, ranked No. 12 general and because the No. 2 level guard nationally within the Rivals Industry Ranking.
Chandler appeared in 102 NBA G League video games over 4 seasons, averaging 13.6 factors, 5.8 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 27.3 minutes per recreation.
“I was so excited,” Chandler stated of getting his alternative in Utah, “because this is what I’ve been waiting on. The grind of the G-League is very hard. It makes you sometimes doubt yourself to wonder, ‘Do I still keep trying? Do I still keep pushing myself? Does anybody still have faith in me as a player?’”
Chandler is answering these questions with the Jazz.
“It gives me more hope, it gives me confidence,” Chandler stated. “Play as hard as I can, watch film, learn, and go from there.”
