Atlanta Hawks: 4 Bold Predictions for Omari Spellman in 2018-19
By Chris Guest
Omari Spellman Will Shoot 38 Percent From Deep
This is a big one, and perhaps the most important one for Spellman’s longevity in the league.
In college, Spellman was an extremely reliable deep threat for the Villanova Wildcats – hitting an impressive 43.3 percent clip on his deep tries, of which there were 3.8 per game and 150 total in 40 games played.
Of course, Spellman was usually sharing the court with 2 other first round talents in Mikal Bridges and Donte DiVincenzo and a fringe first round talent in Jalen Brunson (who ended up slipping to the Mavs in the second round).
Sure, Spellman will have similar first round talent all over the court with him as a member of the Atlanta Hawks, but this will not be the king-making system that Jay Wright and the ‘Cats run. With a new coach in Lloyd Pierce and a new offensive system, the looks might not be as free and easy for Spellman on the Hawks as they were at Villanova.
Still though, the early returns in Summer League were good, and his stroke certainly seems consistent – even if the shot seems a bit flat and “line drive-y” coming out of his hands.
If he manages to hits upwards of 38 percent of those deep tries though, making the most of his spot-up and catch-and-shoot opportunities, I don’t think anyone will complain about how the shots look.