This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
When you stand next to Bryce Cotton, it's evident that he's not nearly as tall as his listed height, 6-foot-1. He's about 5-10, MAYBE 5-11, which makes his exceedingly small for an NBA player.
But guess what? Bryce Cotton is proving to be an NBA player.
With Trey Burke down for a few games because of a sore lower back, Cotton has inherited back-up point guard minutes for the Jazz. And he's made the most of them.
His highlight occurred on Sunday night, in a road win over the Sacramento Kings. Cotton scored eight points, and grabbed four rebounds. He was a pest defensively. He successfully got his team into sets and he generally played well in spelling Dante Exum.
"I thought Bryce did a nice job, and I told him that," Utah coach Quin Snyder said. "He's someone who's been making a nice contribution for us."
Cotton is small. But his speed is a big asset and has been a bit eye-opening. He's fast in the open floor. More importantly, he's quick to the basketball, a trait that allowed him to grab four rebounds in about 10 minutes.
He's shown a nice mid-range jumper, and he's shown the willingness to be aggressive with his offense. At this point, with a multi-year deal, it's not difficult to imagine Cotton carving himself out a role going forward as Utah's third point guard. As his play has shown, the Jazz could certainly do worse.
He's a rookie who plays with a chip on his shoulder. He received one collegiate offer out of high school - at Providence. He was undrafted after developing into an all-conference Big East performer. He's spent time with the Spurs organization in the D-League.
His NBA future is still a bit murky. He doesn't yet have security beyond the end of the season for the Jazz. But Cotton is proving he has NBA talent. And for him, making the most of an opportunity is all he asks.
Tony Jones