Emery works out for the Jazz

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By KEITH JENSEN

Jackson Emery, the former BYU basketball defensive standout, participated in his first NBA pre-draft workout, with the Utah Jazz on Tuesday afternoon at the Zions Bank Basketball Center in Salt Lake City.

Emery was positive in his comments following his workout and said he had an overall good experience in his workout with Jazz coaches.

“They [the coaches] were nothing but positive,” Emery said. “They are great coaches and it was really fun to be around here and feel that emotion.”

Emery said he expects to play next year overseas for a European team. If he does, then he’d follow in the footsteps of former teammate Lee Cummard, who played in France for the Fos Ouest Provence after playing one season in the NBA D-League.

“Obviously I’m going to take every route possible to try and get to the NBA,” Emery said. “If not, overseas is a good market. There are good leagues over there. You just do your best and things will happen whether it’s now or a year from now you never know.”

When Emery was asked how his workout stacked up against a typical BYU practice, he said it was intense but not too different from the competitive practices put on by BYU men’s basketball coach Dave Rose.

In a lighter moment, Emery made reporters laugh when he was asked whether or not he thought he’d have to answer questions about Jimmer Fredette in Europe.

“I don’t know if Jimmermania has made it across seas,” Emery said. “But I don’t know what really to expect over there.”

In addition to Emery, the Jazz hosted three other NBA prospects, including Mustapha Farrakhan of the University of Virginia, Brady Morningstar of the University of Kansas and Michael Stockton of Westminster College. Stockton is also the son of former Jazz great, John Stockton.

Michael Stockton spoke about the feelings he had as he put on a Jazz logo for the first time as a prospective player.

“I thought about this all last night,” he said. “It was kind of  tough to sleep. It’s an absolute dream come true to be able to put this logo on and play some. It was fun.”

The Utah Jazz hold the third and 12th picks for the first round of the NBA Draft, which will be held in Newark, N.J., on June 23 at 5 p.m. MST.

 

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