Utah Jazz notebook: Rookies a bit more seasoned

Longtime Jazz assistant coach Phil Johnson was reading a game report last week when he noticed something about talk-of-the-town rookies Wesley Matthews and Eric Maynor that popped off the page.

It impressed him when reminded that they both played four years of college basketball.

Not only did they matriculate — Maynor at Virginia Commonwealth, Matthews at Marquette — but they also matured.

"That's interesting, because they've been well-coached in college," Johnson said at practice Monday while filling in for Jerry Sloan. "They had the experience of playing college, so they're more ready than the normal rookie that comes into the league today."

Another interesting point about the two Jazz rookies?

They finished their high school careers the same time as teammate and NBA veteran C.J. Miles.

Miles only played in 23 games his rookie season and used to wonder what might've happened had he gone to Texas and eventually played with Kevin Durant instead of entering the draft out of Dallas' Skyline High School in 2005.

But he doesn't think about that anymore (unless asked). Miles did, however, admit that Maynor and Matthews are "more mature than I was my rookie year."

Of course, he was the youngest Jazz player ever as an 18-year-old. The undrafted Matthews just turned 23; first-round pick Maynor is 22.

"I'm pretty sure it (college) would've helped me," Miles added. "I'm not saying I was ready when I came out, but at the same time, it was an opportunity that I had, so I jumped on it."

Maynor and Matthews weren't given that entryway opportunity into the NBA, of course. But Johnson believes they're better off because they logged a combined 257 games in the collegiate ranks. Maynor played in 130 games (104 starts) and Matthews started in 117 of his 127 college contests.

Judging by their early success — and how they played in their first two NBA starts last weekend — the on-campus seasoning helped.

"That's a vote in my opinion of staying in college, but, who am I to say anything about that?" Johnson said, smiling. "Those two kids have had experience. They're a little older and they both played well."