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Utah Jazz bring in six more players for predraft workouts, including BYU’s Gideon George

Sunday’s session at ZBBC — Utah’s second batch of prospects — sees the team get a look at half a dozen guards and wings, who were all between 6-4 and 6-6.

(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Brigham Young Cougars forward Gideon George (5) guards Loyola Marymount Lions forward Alex Merkviladze (24), in WCC basketball action at the Marriott Center in Provo, on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022.

Sunday morning saw the Utah Jazz host their second session of predraft workouts, with six more players visiting Zions Bank Basketball Campus.

This latest group was composed entirely of guards and wings: BYU’s Gideon George, Jules Bernard of UCLA, Michael Devoe of Georgia Tech, Omari Moore of San Jose State, Malachi Smith of Chattanooga, and Donovan Williams of UNLV.

The Jazz do not presently have a pick in the 2022 NBA draft (to be held June 23 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn), but are doing their usual due diligence, in the event that they should acquire picks, or simply sign some undrafted rookie free agents.

They hosted their first set of workouts this past Thursday.

George is a 6-foot-6, 190-pound wing from Nigeria — who is known for collecting shoes to donate to children in his homeland. He has played two seasons for BYU after transferring from New Mexico Junior College. This past season, he started 18 of 33 games for the Cougars, averaging 8.8 points and 5.0 rebounds. He shot 34.9% on 3.8 3-pointers per game.

Arguably his best game with Cougars came in one of the last games of the season, as he scored a career-high 27 points to send BYU to the NIT quarterfinals.

He announced on Instagram in early April that he was declaring for the NBA draft, but that he would still keep his options open, as he has one year of eligibility remaining (he subsequently entered the NCAA transfer portal).

“Throughout this process, I will maintain my college eligibility,” George wrote. “I look forward with open eyes and an open heart for what God has in store for me next. I love you all.”

Bernard has played four seasons for UCLA. The 6-6, 205-pounder started 34 of the 35 games he played this season, and averaged 12.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.0 steals. He shot just 41.9% from the floor this past season for the Bruins, and after hitting 39.6% of his deep tries in ’20-21, saw his 3-point percentage plummet to 33.7% this past season.

Devoe just wrapped up his fourth season for Georgia Tech, averaging 17.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. The 6-5, 197-pounder shot 46.2% overall his final season, though his 3-point percentage dipped to 36.5% as a senior — the lowest percentage of a four-year college career that saw him shoot 39.3% beyond the arc overall.

Moore (6-6, 190) just completed his third season at San Jose State. He averaged 13.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.1 blocks this past season for the Spartans. He shot 47.8% from the field and 42.9% on 3s, albeit on just 2.6 attempts per game.

Smith spent his freshman season at Wright State, before transferring and playing the past two years at Chattanooga. The 6-4, 205-pound guard averaged 19.9 points. 6.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.7 steals this past season. He shot 49.3% overall and 40.7% on 4.1 tries from deep per game.

Williams (6-6, 190) played two seasons at Texas before playing last season at UNLV. With the Rebels, he averaged 12.7 points and 3.3 rebounds per game, shooting 48.8% from the field and 43.6% from 3 (on 2.9 attempts per game).

None of the players was made available to the media.

The deadline for early entry players to withdraw from the draft to retain their college eligibility is this Wednesday.