I love “Ice Brice.” Maybe too much.
While Kyle Filipowski was the Jazz’s shining star of the 2025 Summer League, it was Brice Sensabaugh who stole the show in his lone two summer games.
Against the Grizzlies in July, Sensabaugh dropped a wildly efficient 37 points on 6 of 9 shooting from 3-point range. He was such a level above everyone else on the floor that the Jazz decided they had seen enough, and took his name off their summer league roster going forward.
It was easy for him. Catch and shoot? BANG!
Step back? BANG! Pull up? BANG! It was so clear that he did not belong on the floor.
But so what? He’s a third year player. He’s supposed to be that dominant against summer competition.
Well this wasn’t some random game where he got hot. This was an extension of his play at the end of last season.
In six games in April — all six games were starts — Sensabaugh proved that he can be an NBA starter. Or at least a legitimate piece on an NBA team.
Through those six games, Sensabaugh averaged 17.2 points per game on 42.4% 3-point shooting. He also averaged a respectable 5.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists in that span. In March, Sensabaugh shot 50.5% from deep in 17 games. He could possibly be the best shooter on the team.
I see a role opening up for Sensabaugh with Jordan Clarkson, who has been the Jazz’s premier “flamethrower” since he was traded to Utah in 2019, finally leaving the franchise. Regardless if Sensabaugh will be in the starting five, he will be getting a bump from the 20 minutes a game he played last season.
In that summer league 37-point performance, Sensabaugh played that Clarkson role perfectly, riding his hot hand and not thinking twice about whether or not it was a “good shot.” “M-V-P” chants rained down in the Huntsman Center, and the Jazz got the win.
I believe in Sensabaugh. I 100% think that he can be a huge piece for the Jazz when this rebuild takes shape and the Jazz start producing more and more wins.
But much of the outcome of my possibly misplaced faith hinges on whether or not Will Hardy will give him the minutes. It would not surprise me if the season starts and Sensabaugh is still in his same role, or maybe even a lesser one, which I think would be a mistake.
He will definitely need to step up his defensive abilities, as at times his lateral quickness and defensive awareness is a huge hindrance on his game.
But Sensabaugh doesn’t need to be this elite player. He needs to lean into his role as a sharp-shooter, and he should be taking seven to eight 3-pointers a game, as opposed to his five in 2024-25.
I am hoping that by the end of the season we know for sure that he will be a key puzzle piece in the next chapter of Utah Jazz basketball.
When it comes to “Ice Brice,” I’m all in.
