Atlanta Hawks Mock Draft Before March Madness
By Chris Guest
#41 – Admiral Schofield
Much has been written (by this writer) about the addition of Tennessee’s Admiral Schofield on the Atlanta Hawks next season. No matter what you might think of Schofield’s NBA future, the man can play, and he is a clear leader for a Tennessee team that looks like a real Final Four contender in this year’s NCAA Tournament.
Just take a gander at his clinching dunk from a recent Volunteers drubbing of Kentucky:
With a mammoth frame, Popeye-sized arms and bulbous shoulders, Schofield is as chiseled a prospect as one could ask for in the second round. As one of the emotional and on-court leaders of a juggernaut Tennessee team, the Atlanta Hawks should aim to add Schofield’s passion and intensity to a young Hawks team.
The selection of Schofield here would also intimate that the Atlanta Hawks have pivoted from rebuilding from the ground-up into a more focused, win-now rebuild.
Though the team would still be looking to prioritize young players so that Hawks fans could watch this young core grow for years to come, drafting Hunter (a sophomore), Thybulle (a senior) and Schofield (also a senior) would mean that the Hawks would have some “older rookies” that might be more able to come in and immediately have an impact for a winning team.
In terms of stats per College Basketball Reference, Schofield is putting up career-highs in his senior year in: points per game (16.4), rebounds per game (6.4), assists per game (2.1), steals per game (1.0), blocks per game (0.5) and field goal percentage (47.5%). A career 37.3 percent shooter, Schofield should be switchable on defense and can create off the bounce on offense in a tertiary role.
Dear Hawks, draft The Admiral 2.0!