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SALT LAKE CITY — This was a "wildest dreams" kind of a night for the Utah Jazz Draft team. Dennis Lindsey's first time running the Jazz Draft machine, producing an uber talented 20-year-old true point guard in Trey Burke. He could be given the "Damian Lillard" license-to-run for his new team and could be the guy next season.
If the college National Player of the Year out of Michigan succeeds, he'd save the Jazz the $20-25 million dollars they'd have to invest in a veteran point guard.
Then, after telling us earlier in the week his family is still committed to doing whatever it takes to win, Greg Miller proved it. The Jazz CEO invested cash and Lindsey parlayed that with their 2nd round pick — No. 46 — to Denver for 7-foot-2-inch French physical freak Rudy Gobert.
Two picks in the first round. Both will have short nights as they'll fly out of NY in time for a 3:00 p.m. press conference in Salt Lake City on Friday. However, I got a chance to jump that process.
Our friends at NBC helped arrange interviews with both guys.
Burke was first, around 9:15 p.m. — fortunately plenty of time to get it edited for our 10 p.m. news.
I was very impressed with Burke's poise. He is the National Player of the Year, but just a sophomore — he won't turn 21 until November. He seemed genuinely thrilled to be coming to Utah and to the Jazz.
He didn't back down from my questions about his ability to come right in and pull a "Damian Lillard" by taking over a team and being the big minutes point guard. Burke said at one point, "If necessary, take over a game." Sweet music to all Jazz fans ears.
He also gushed about playing with so many other talented young kids, about seeing Stockton and Malone run the pick and roll (although he must have been a very attentive 6-year-old) and also expressing how thrilled he is to be a member of the Utah Jazz family.
I sat down to interview the Frenchman Rudy Gobert later, after our 10 p.m. newscast, which would have been around 12:45 a.m. in Brooklyn.
Gobert said he's excited because Utah is where he hoped to end up. He doesn't care that critics say he's very raw and a "project."
Gobert's very athletic, has great hands and his 7-foot-9-inch wingspan makes him a blossoming paint-protector, too.
I asked him if he was planning on a short party in New York City after, and he said, "No way, too tired." He visited with friends then called it a night.
For Burke and Gobert, it's time to focus on the official duties as Jazzmen. After, the cross-country flight both sound like they'll feel like they've landed in a place where both can grow — and win.
