A look at some of the more underrated players in the 2019 NBA Draft class that the Atlanta Hawks could be interesting in on draft night.
The Atlanta Hawks will hopefully have 5 draft picks heading into the 2019 NBA Draft on June 20. After making an ill-advised trade with the Charlotte Hornets last year for the team’s 34th overall pick (which could’ve been Mitchell Robinson), the Hawks did pick up two future second-rounders from the Hornets, one of which will convey this offseason.
Though finding a diamond in the rough is rarer in the second round, it is still very much possible (just ask Robinson, Draymond Green and Nikola Jokic), and the Atlanta Hawks should do their best to take advantage of their three selections in the second round this year by taking a flyer on a high-upside player that has fallen down draft boards for various reasons or by taking a high-floor player that might not have the tantalizing upside of others player in this draft class.
We’ve previously unveiled our Atlanta Hawks big board, which listed the best available players the Atlanta Hawks could select in the upper echelon of the first round.
This list, however, will focus on some of the unsung heroes of the 2019 NBA Draft class and features many players that the Hawks might be able to select in the second round.
Read on to explore 6 underrated players the Atlanta Hawks could draft in June’s NBA Draft. All stats from this story are courtesy of College Basketball Reference.
Dylan Windler
Dylan Windler of the Belmont Bruins had a terrific senior season in head coach Rick Byrd’s final year as an NCAA head man. Windler even made it to the Big Dance after losing to Ja Morant and the Murray State Racers in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament.
Windler is a three-point marksman extraordinaire, though he is not just a one-trick pony. Windler is comfortable producing triples off the dribble or off the catch, and it must be noted that Belmont’s offense ran through Windler for much of the season. Over the span of his four-year career, Windler raised his usage rate from 12.9 percent to 25.7 percent in his senior year.
Beyond that, he produced a sky-high 30.4 player efficiency rating this year for Belmont, which was good enough for 11th in the entire country. A very good defensive rebounder (career-high 27.3 percent in his senior year) at 6-foot-8, Windler only weighs in at 200 pounds, but that allows him to be rather quick and shifty as a ballhandler instead of a more muscle-bound, plodding wing.
The modern NBA is all about shooting. As a multi-faceted wing with good size and immense basketball smarts, it seems that Dylan Windler might have one of the highest floors in this entire draft class – especially in the latter portions of the first round.
If Windler is still available early in the second round when the Atlanta Hawks select, they should seriously consider a knockdown shooter like Windler.
Admiral Schofield
For those that have been reading our draft coverage for a while, you know just how much SDS is in the bag for Admiral Schofield. For one thing, re-read his name. It’s ADMIRAL SCHOFIELD. The man can take the mantle of NBA legend David Robinson’s famed nickname simply because it’s his actual name.
Beyond that, he was an emotional and forceful leader for a Tennessee team that could’ve made the Final Four had Ryan Cline of the Purdue Boilermakers not gone supernova in the Sweet 16 – obliterating the Volunteers with a ridiculous display of shooting prowess:
Despite that showing, Cline does not make this list and Schofield does. Why, you ask? Well, Schofield had his fair share of amazing clutch moments, notably when he put Tennessee on his back early in the season in an amazing game against the Gonzaga Bulldogs after his SEC Player of the Year teammate Grant Williams fouled out:
Schofield drilling triple after ludicrous triple might not seem representative of his skill set, but Schofield was an excellent three-point shooter during his four-year career at Tennessee. A career 38.7 percent shooter from deep, Schofield would fit in perfectly on an Atlanta Hawks team that canned over 1000 three-pointers this season as a team – joining an exclusive group of teams in NBA history.
As a switchable defender with a foghorn-like voice and shoulders the size of cannonballs, the Atlanta Hawks simply must draft Admiral Schofield – that’s all there is to it.
Darius Bazley
We have previously discussed Darius Bazley as a potential draft pick for the Atlanta Hawks in this draft after a tumultuous pre-college year in which he committed to Syracuse then reneged on the commitment to join the G-League.
One of his advisors must’ve let Bazley know that a spindly five-star recruit was likely to get walloped by players that are many years his senior in a fairly intense playing atmosphere that is far less forgiving and prestigious than in the NBA.
As such, Bazley sat out this season to prepare for the draft. While it’s unknown exactly what that means, Bazley still has a lot of upside to explore in his rookie season.
Slight as a beanpole, Bazley clocks in with a 6-foot-10, 195-pound frame that he needs to bulk up to truly reach his potential. However, as one of the youngest players in this draft class – Bazley will turn 19 eight days before the 2019 NBA Draft takes place – the Atlanta Hawks should be willing to take a chance on a five-star recruit that played extremely well in the McDonald’s All-American game.
Jordan Poole
Jordan Poole or Swaggy Poole, as he is lovably nicknamed, made his name in the 2018 NCAA Tournament as a member of the Michigan Wolverines when he drilled this three-pointer as time expired to defeat Houston in the second round:
Kicking his legs out and erupting with joy after the shot, Poole was immortalized in that moment as the heir apparent to Nick Young (aka Swaggy P).
In a heightened role this year as the team’s starting shooting guard, Poole predictably upped his stats across the board and showcased a rock-solid NBA-ready skill set. Though his jump shot will likely be his calling card in the NBA, a 13 percent assist rate on 20.9 percent usage shows that Poole was willing to make the right pass – even if his first instinct was to likely let it fly from deep.
Though Poole’s player efficiency rating and true shooting percentage dipped slightly from his freshman year, Poole will still only turn 20 on the day before the 2019 NBA Draft.
Lastly, he has an amusing mustache that deserves some attention, and he would also join John Collins of the Atlanta Hawks as a proponent of bringing back shorter shorts to the NBA. You do you, Swaggy.
Zach Norvell Jr.
Zach Norvell Jr. of the Gonzaga Bulldogs was an incredibly important starter for one of the best teams in the country all season. The Zags were a complete juggernaut, and they blew out their competition in the West Coast Conference – despite some late-season bid collusion in their conference tournament.
Norvell was fairly consistent from his freshman to sophomore season, though it must be noted that he is a fairly old sophomore at 21 years old on draft night.
Norvell produced an excellent season of 14.9 points per game, 4.3 rebounds per game and 3.1 assists per game as the team’s starting two guard. In college, Norvell was a noted three-point shooter, and his career average of 37.1 percent should make it clear that Norvell’s jumper is NBA-ready:
Though his assist percentage in college is fairly low (15.3% in his career), Norvell was employed more as a play finisher and catch-and-shoot specialist than a playmaker, which is something the Atlanta Hawks might need when Kent Bazemore is likely left unsigned after the 2019-20 season.
Not a brilliant defensive player, Norvell played his role on a Gonzaga team that was Top 15 in both offense and defense according to KenPom.
With a 6-foot-5, 205-pound frame, Norvell would do well to add a little muscle, but one thing is for sure: Jump-shooting is always an important skill in the NBA, and Norvell can certainly knock ‘em down if given the chance.
Charles Bassey
A 6-foot-11 center with a burly 245-pound frame, Charles Bassey of Western Kentucky produced an exceptional freshman campaign that deserves a special mention here. Beyond delivering double-doubles with regularity, Bassey was also a consistent blocks guy, whose 8.7 percent block rate was 42nd in the country according to KenPom.
Where Bassey truly shined was as a finisher around the basket. Bassey produced 14.6 points in 31.4 minutes a game for Western Kentucky, and his efficiency was sterling. Per KenPom, Bassey was 17th in the country in true shooting percentage at 67.3 percent. His 64.2 percent effective field goal percentage was 26th.
Bassey was also tops in Conference USA in player efficiency rating with a lofty 25.9, which was buoyed by his excellent rebounding ability. Bassey was third in both defensive rebound rate (24.6%) and total rebound rate (18.1%) in Conference USA, showing that he can leverage his size and length effectively around the basket to nab boards.
Most big men can’t play in today’s NBA if they can’t shoot, but Bassey shot 77 percent on 143 attempts from the free throw line while also splashing 9 of his 20 three-pointers on the year (45%).
Lastly, Bassey is one of the youngest players in this draft class: He will not turn 19 until October 20. With that in mind as well as his production in his freshman year, Bassey could be a real sleeper in the second round for the Atlanta Hawks if he is still available.
There you have it! The Atlanta Hawks 2019 NBA Draft is certainly going to be interesting – that much is certain.