Thabo Sefolosha’s defense fits right in with the Jazz

Following the grit and grind of an almost four-hour practice on Thursday, it was Thabo Sefolosha who brought much needed levity to a long day for the Jazz and their staff.

Sefolosha, a 6-foot-8 small forward, was asked to name a player he has defended who has given him the most problems in his career.

“Allen Iverson,” he said, without hesitation.

When told a reporter thought Tracy McGrady was a better player than Iverson, Sefolosha was quick with a retort.

“They should take your [media] credential,” he told the scribe.

The exchange illustrates two things Sefolosha brings to the Jazz this year: He’s a wit, with a keen sense of humor. And he has successfully defended some of the NBA’s most lethal scorers of this generation.

In the NBA, the pathway to playing time is almost always paved with a unique skill. And when it comes to the Jazz, Sefolosha has a skill the organization hasn’t seen since the days of Andrei Kirilenko: The lockdown wing defender.

Simply, Sefolosha’s one of the best perimeter defenders in a league controlled by shooting guards and small forwards who light up the scoreboard like a pinball machine.

And there was no better time for the Jazz to have plucked Sefolosha off the free agent market. Paul George, Carmelo Anthony, Andrew Wiggins, Jimmy Butler and CJ McCollum are all in Utah’s division. Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Danilo Gallinari are all in the Western Conference. George, Butler and Anthony were all out east a year ago. So, if there were ever a time for the Jazz to need a perimeter defensive specialist, this would be it.

“In the NBA, it becomes a matchup game,” Utah coach Quin Snyder said. “In the past, Joe [Ingles] has taken some of those matchups, but he’s more of a guy who takes shooting guards. Thabo will be the guy who takes some of those matchups. He allows us to have someone who has a deserved reputation as a good defender. And as everyone knows, there are a lot of good wings in the west, so he certainly fills a need.”

When the Jazz lost Gordon Hayward, general manager Dennis Lindsey went looking for long and rangy athletes who check more than one box. Sefolosha’s inclusion on the roster was natural, in that respect.

Last season with the Atlanta Hawks, Sefolosha was ranked as the single best wing defender in the league by NBA.com. He ranked among the NBA’s top five players in steals percentage. His versatility is striking, as he has defended everyone from point guards to power forwards over a long career. He has been a primary defender for almost every one of the NBA’s best perimeter players, from Durant to LeBron James. And, of course, he played with Harden, Durant and Russell Westbrook, reaching an NBA Finals as a starter with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Jazz could certainly use the institutional knowledge Sefolosha has on those three.

Plus, Sefolosha brings another sage veteran voice to a locker room full of them. He has been on three teams in his career. He is the first player from Switzerland to play in the NBA, and his worldly experience fits well with a Jazz team that has a significant international flavor.

Sefolosha speaks French and Italian, along with English. Lindsey calls him a “defensive playmaker,” one who can generate steals and force turnovers for a Jazz defense that could be one of the best in the league this season.

“Quin knows what I’m capable of defensively,” Sefolosha said. “The rest of the team knows what I bring to the table as well. I’ve been in the league long enough to know what coach wants defensively, so it’s all about bringing the energy every night.”

Sefolosha will almost certainly carve out a spot in Snyder’s rotation based on his defensive prowess alone. It’s ironic, however, that his ultimate significance to the Jazz may lie in what he’s able to supply offensively.

Sefolosha was a relative non-shooter when he came into the league a decade ago, but he has steadily improved his ability to knock down 3-pointers in spot up opportunities. Playing with the Thunder meant he needed to hit shots to keep defenses honest on Westbrook and Durant. He eventually made 41 percent of his threes in 2012-2013.

Sefolosha won’t ever be a big scorer. His career year was 8.5 points per game in the 2008-2009 season. But he has developed into a smart offensive player. He has become adept at cutting off the ball for layups. He’s a good passer, and he has become good in transition.

“Thabo’s an all-around player who can play both ends of the floor,” Jazz forward Jonas Jerebko said. “In two weeks, he’s shown a lot of offensive skills and he’s made a lot of shots. He’s worked on his game this summer, you can tell.”