The NBA released the list of players that were invited to the 2019 NBA Draft combine. Let’s explore the most interesting players on that list to keep an eye on from the perspective of the Atlanta Hawks.
For the Atlanta Hawks, the 2019 NBA Draft will likely be the single most important team-building avenue in the team’s offseason.
If they were to somehow win the lottery (which takes place on Tuesday, May 14), then the entire fortunes of the franchise would change from frequent also-ran to perennial powerhouse. Even if they don’t win the lottery, though, there are multiple interesting and talented players to ponder the selection of in the 2019 NBA Draft.
The 2019 NBA Draft Combine will take place on May 15, the day after the lottery, and feature a total of 66 players this year. The combine features a variety of agility, strength and shooting drills – though the star event is the five-on-five scrimmages that take place during the festivities.
The event will Quest Multisport in Chicago on Thursday, May 16 and Friday, May 17. ESPN 2 will provide coverage from 3-7 p.m. ET.
Of course, the biggest names in the draft class will be present, such as potential 2019 NBA Draft top picks such as Zion Williamson, R.J. Barrett, Ja Morant, Jarrett Culver and De’Andre Hunter, but those names have been covered from an Atlanta Hawks perspective many times before.
Read on to explore the most intriguing players the 2019 NBA Draft combine for the Hawks.
Bol Bol
Bol Bol of Oregon might be the most tantalizing player in the 2019 NBA Draft class not named Zion Williamson. Though he only played 9 games with the Oregon Ducks, Bol left behind a legacy of nutso highlights that typify his immensely high ceiling:
Bol, the son of beloved NBA big man Manute Bol, has shuffled up and down draft boards and has fallen into the consensus as a late lottery pick – where the Atlanta Hawks might have a chance to draft him with the Mavericks pick (as the team did in our most recent full mock draft).
After suffering a navicular fracture in his foot, teams will definitely be concerned about a painfully thin big man like Bol’s NBA future, but the talent (and unteachable length) is definitely there.
Per KenPom, Bol produced some striking statistics in his lone college season. Again, through only 9 games, Bol produced a 116 offensive rating, a 63.2 percent true shooting percentage, a 61 percent effective field goal percentage, a 29.2 percent defensive rebound rate, a 52 percent clip from long range, a 75.7 percent clip from the free throw line and, most stunningly, an absurd 12.4 percent block rate.
If Bol’s medicals come back clean, and he shows out in the draft combine, his upside might send him shooting right back into the Top 5 if draft boards break the right way.
Nicolas Claxton
We have previously explored how Nicolas Claxton might be a sweet second round steal for the Atlanta Hawks in the 2019 NBA Draft, but because he will get a chance to showcase his unique skill set in the combine, there might be a possibility that he shoots up draft boards over the next few months.
According to ToTheMean’s Bayesian regularized adjusted plus/minus numbers, Claxton grades out as the 22nd-best player in the country last season – ahead of obvious first round picks such as Ja Morant, Rui Hachimura, Bruno Fernando and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (all of which will be at the Combine).
Due to the lack of consistent point guards on Georgia’s roster, Claxton served as the team’s de facto point guard at times – running the offense and pushing the ball in transition after nabbing a rebound.
Claxton’s varied skill set was lost somewhat due to a horrific season by Georgia as a team (going 2-16 in conference play), but he was one of very few players that finished Top 70 in the country per KenPom in both free throw rate (64.4%, 41st) and block rate (8%, 68th).
That combination of defensive utility and offensive upside should be something that all teams will be looking for in the 2019 NBA Draft, but the Atlanta Hawks could scoop up Claxton early in the second round – unless he blows up at the combine and becomes a shoo-in first round prospect.
Charles Bassey
A relatively unheralded prospect in this draft class, Charles Bassey out of Western Kentucky absolutely dominated Conference USA in his freshman season – being named the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year as well as Freshman of the Year, while also nabbing All-Defensive team, All-Conference team and All-Freshman team honors. Not bad for a player that won’t turn 19 until October.
Bassey is still raw, but he showcase excellent finishing chops and even a burgeoning three-point stroke in his lone season at Western Kentucky. According to KenPom, Bassey ranked 17th in the country in true shooting percentage (67.3%), 42nd in the country in block rate (8.7%), 58th in the country in two-point field goal percentage (63.9%) and 65th in defensive rebound rate (24.6%).
That’s an impressive profile for a big man, and if his 45 percent clip from long range is real (on only 9 of 20 shooting), Bassey might turn some heads at the combine.
Could Bassey be a high-upside play for the Atlanta Hawks in the 2019 NBA Draft? At most outlets, Bassey is ranked in the mid-to-late 30s or 40s on draft boards (including Tankathon‘s, where he is 44th) as more traditional big men are just not in vogue these days in the NBA.
Jontay Porter
One of the most notable fallers in this draft class has been Jontay Porter out of Missouri. The sad part of Porter’s fall is that it was brought on not by less-than-stellar play on the court, but because he suffered ACL injuries that have kept him out his entire sophomore season – despite being one of the most vaunted prospects that returned after he was eligible in 2018.
Further still, Porter’s fraternal ties to Michael Porter of the Denver Nuggets, who redshirted the 2018-19 season due to recovery from an injury, will also give teams pause ahead of drafting Porter in the 2019 NBA Draft.
Because of these concerns, it will be fascinating to see how Porter looks at the combine, as well as what his measurements are after what amounts to a year off of playing the game.
Will his stock fall even further if teams are scared off by unimpressive body fat measurements or underwhelming speed drills?
Like many good players with less-than-ideal physical measurements, teams should focus more on IQ and feel in this situation, as Porter has a sweet three-point stroke as well as the ability to run an offense as a legit seven-footer.
For the Atlanta Hawks, Porter could be a godsend as a shot-blocking big with terrific offensive instincts – though his health is definitely a concern.
Nassir Little
One player whose stock fell considerably after being pegged as a Top 10 (or even Top 5) prospect in this class was Nassir Little out of North Carolina.
Another extremely tantalizing athletic specimen, Little certainly looks the part of an NBA player already. Though his feel on Roy Williams’s Tar Heels team was questioned at times, all Little really needs to prove he can do at the next level is shoot better than 26.9 percent from deep and defend at a high level across three to four positions.
His effort and intensity cannot be denied, as his fiery energy helped key some excellent Heels transition plays and some thunderous putback dunks during his UNC tenure:
Little is another player that can likely coast off his high school plaudits to a late lottery selection in the 2019 NBA Draft, but if he can smooth out his jumper and showcase switchability on defense and a slightly better handle than he did in college, the Atlanta Hawks might have some interest in Little with the Mavericks pick in the late lottery.
Little will likely grade out well in the drills portion of the combine, as there can be no questioning his athletic gifts. The scrimmage portion will be more telling for Little, however, as it will show how he fares in an “All-Star” scenario of college players that will likely be in the NBA very shortly.
PJ Washington
PJ Washington out of Kentucky returned for his sophomore season and will likely be rewarded with a late lottery or mid first-round selection in the 2019 NBA Draft due to his brilliant play as the season wore on.
Perhaps most notable was his truly stirring work in the NCAA Tournament, in which his herculean effort just fell short in the Elite Eight to the upstart Auburn Tigers. The Wildcats’ loss was not due to Washington, however, as he was legitimately unstoppable against every team he played against – likely turning some heads in NBA front offices along the way:
Perhaps Washington’s most notable trait is his fiery, standoffish style of play. Washington’s brutalizing of the competition in the NCAA Tournament was punctuated by a snarling, feisty style that helped galvanize a flawed team to an Elite Eight run.
If the Atlanta Hawks were to nab Washington in the 2019 NBA Draft, they would have an important piece for their culture (adding to the “chip on the shoulder” style of Trae Young), as well as a stretch big that can defend the rim and drain threes.
Darius Bazley
Another prospect along the lines of Bol and Porter, Darius Bazley is coming off of a roller coaster recruitment period in 2018 when news about him spun heads faster than Beetlejuice.
First, Bazley committed to Ohio State. Then, he rescinded that commitment to join up with Jim Boeheim, Tyus Battle and O’Shae Brissett as a member of the Syracuse Orange. Bazley also reneged on that deal and then announced he would be playing in the G-League as an 18-year-old instead of playing in college.
After some shrewd advice from someone, Bazley once again backtracked on that plan in order to become a paid intern with shoe company New Balance, which released a signature shoe for Kawhi Leonard during the 2018-19 season.
Bazley, already signed to LeBron James’s Klutch Sports agency, will make a rare appearance at a sanctioned basketball event at the 2019 NBA Draft combine – giving teams a chance to see him for the first time since his high school days.
Has the shine worn off Bazley? On some boards, Bazley is not even present, though Tankathon ranks him 48th on the site’s big board ahead of players such as Admiral Schofield, Carsen Edwards and Miye Oni – all of which were also invited to the combine.
Naz Reid
Naz Reid of LSU was a vaunted prospect that never quite put it all together. Though his ability to handle the ball as a mammoth, 6-foot-10, 250-pound big man and splash gorgeous three-point jumpers at a decent clip (33 percent on a 23 percent three-point attempt rate), is extremely enticing, his lack of defensive awareness at times was glaring, and he could sometimes get lost on offense as well.
Still, in the 2019 NBA Draft combine, Reid might shine in drills that showcase his quickness and athleticism, and perhaps his ballhandling and sweet stroke from downtown might be utilized in the five-on-five scrimmage portion of the event.
Reid finished top 20 in a variety of categories in the SEC per College Basketball Reference, such as points produced, rebounds, free throw attempts, block rate and usage rate – which might be his most impressive statistic. A big man rarely produces a 26.4 usage rate, but Reid’s shooting and ballhandling elevated that number significantly.
Reid is expected to be a late first round or second round pick, so the Atlanta Hawks could look to nab him with one of their three second-rounders in the 2019 NBA Draft after a solid showing at the combine.
So there you have it! Stay tuned for plenty more draft lottery, draft combine and general 2019 NBA Draft news regarding the Atlanta Hawks on Soaring Down South. As always, thanks for reading.