Brice Sensabaugh was selected in the range many projected him to go in the first round of last month’s NBA draft, but not by the team he was expecting.
The former Buckeye forward worked out for several teams in the pre-draft process, but the Utah Jazz weren’t one of them. In fact, Sensabaugh said a Zoom call with members of the organization was the extent of his interaction with the Jazz ahead of the June 22 event in Brooklyn.
When Utah was preparing to make its third selection of the first round, Sensabaugh likely assumed he’d have to keep waiting to hear his name called. Thus, it was all the more surprising when he got a call from the Jazz before NBA commissioner Adam Silver read the 28th pick at the podium.
Help us welcome @bricepsensa to the Jazz #TakeNote pic.twitter.com/R1OK8JeUQf
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) June 23, 2023
“It was kind of a shock to me. But my agent works really hard for me and I think he tried his best to put me in the right position and I’m super confident that he did that,” Sensabaugh said during his introductory press conference in Salt Lake City. “And getting here, I don’t feel any different. So I’m super confident in the future. It was shocking not having a workout here, but I got the call from the organization and they were super pleased with it. They just basically stressed that they want me to get to work right away and I’m ready for it.”
The element of surprise didn’t take anything away from the experience, though. Team aside, Sensabaugh fulfilled the goal he’s worked for his entire life and became a first-round pick in the process. And while he might not have been as acquainted with the Jazz as he was with other franchises, Sensabaugh loves what he’s seen and heard from the organization so far.
“Obviously it’s a lifelong dream to be here. Leading up to it you’re going through a bunch of workouts and going city to city trying to figure out where you’re gonna end up. So it was a little bit hectic. But it was definitely a good feeling, though. It was a lot of relief, especially going to an organization that I know is a good one and I’ll be valued and stuff like that. It was a good feeling, and the two guys that (the Jazz picked) before me, I’m super close with them. So I’ll be able to go through this with people I know, so it’ll be fun.”
Sensabaugh won’t have to go through the process of transitioning to the NBA alone. He has two fellow rookies to lean on during his first season, and he has history with both of them. Sensabaugh played on the same U17 AAU team as former UCF forward Taylor Hendricks, who the Jazz took with the ninth overall pick in the draft. Sensabaugh also shares the same agency group as Baylor’s Keyonte George, who the Jazz took No. 16 overall, and said the pair trained together in the leadup to the draft.
“I think it’s definitely a positive that I can go through this with a couple guys that I know,” Sensabaugh said.
happy friday
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) June 30, 2023
happy last day of june
happy almost summer league pic.twitter.com/sgz5XWxi4S
Sensabaugh’s late-season knee injury at Ohio State may have cost him a higher first-round slot in the first round of the draft. The 6-foot-6 wing already had two MCL tears in high school and reportedly needed surgery to fix the issue that ended his freshman season with the Buckeyes. Sensabaugh returned to action to participate in pre-draft workouts, but didn’t play in Utah’s first NBA Summer League game on Monday due to the issue.
However, Sensabaugh doesn’t seem too concerned that the knee will be an ongoing problem ahead of his rookie campaign.
“I’m good now. I’ve been obviously working on it for the past three months, but I’m feeling good,” Sensabaugh. “I’m just kind of taking it day by day right now, not kind of looking too far into the future. But I’m ready for anything, so whatever the medical has for me, I’m ready to do.”
Sensabaugh was Ohio State’s top option on offense almost immediately upon transitioning to the college level, but unless he defies expectations once again, that won’t be the case as he starts his NBA career. Sensabaugh isn’t bothered by that notion, though, and said he’ll do whatever is asked of him to the best of his ability as soon as he steps on the court, even if that means he’s in a relatively reduced role.
“I’m not too worried about it. As a young guy, I’m just ready to come in and be a sponge and learn as much as I can as early as I can,” Sensabaugh said. “Whatever they ask me, I’m gonna do. And if my role expands, then so be it. I definitely want to work, I want to maximize my potential. I don’t want to settle for less than what I’m capable of.”
That said, outperforming expectations is nothing new for the Orlando native. Sensabaugh was hardly on the radar for many big-time college basketball programs until he made waves in the spring and summer before his senior season. Then, after entering college ranked below 64 other prospects in the 247Sports composite rankings, he became one of the best freshmen in the country and subsequently one of the first 30 picks in the NBA draft.
Now, Sensabaugh faces another challenge to put himself on the map as one of the top rookies in the NBA. And if anyone thinks Sensabaugh is satisfied solely to reach the NBA alone, he said they have another thing coming.
“It’s kind of been like a recurring thing for me in my whole life. It’s nothing really new to me depending on where I land,” Sensabaugh said. “One thing that’s guaranteed is I’m not settling, so I’m willing to do whatever it takes to maximize my potential. When it’s all said and done I don’t want to have regrets or look back and say I could’ve done this or that. It’s probably one of my worst fears.”
