The Utah Jazz haven’t been without their issues this season, but there have certainly been some areas where they’ve thrived. One such aspect has been in the defensive play of Royce O’Neale, who has set himself apart as one of the elite perimeter defenders in the NBA.
Night in and night out, O’Neale draws some of the toughest assignments the Jazz could hand him, whether it be the indomitable force which is Giannis Antetokounmpo or the unbelievable scorer Kawhi Leonard. Although the Jazz lost their lone game against Kawhi thus far and split a pair of contests against Giannis, O’Neale showed in those contests and others throughout the season that he can lock down even the best of the best.