2019 NBA Draft: Exploring All 6 Atlanta Hawks Picks After Nets Trade

Now comes the big reveal. After the Atlanta Hawks obtained the 17th overall pick from the Brooklyn Nets, let’s hope the team selects Matisse Thybulle out Washington in order to shore up the team’s porous defense.

We have previously featured five reasons to draft Thybulle and have also expressed his tremendous rim finishing ability for a guard, but where the Atlanta Hawks will be hoping Thybulle can impact this team is on the defensive end.

Though his numbers were slightly inflated by playing in a strict zone in college, Thybulle was a truly masterful defender that produced staggering numbers in his senior season with the Huskies. In 31.1 minutes per game, Thybulle produced 126 steals on a 6.7 steal rate as well as 82 blocks on an 8.4 percent block rate, per Sports Reference.

Both of those numbers are historic as well as patently absurd, showcasing Thybulle’s defensive wizardry. With quick feet, terrific hands and a terrific frame that projects to be able to put on some more muscle at the next level (right now, he’s a bit scrawny at 6-foot-5 and 195 pounds), Thybulle should be able to combine with Clarke and Williams in this draft class to provide the Atlanta Hawks with a strong defensive core for years to come.

Even though he’s a senior, Thybulle is only 22 years old and won’t turn 23 until early March 2020.

As with many prospects, the real question about Thybulle is his offensive role and specifically whether or not his three-point shot will translate to the next level. Though he shot 30.5 percent from deep in his senior season, it must be noted that Thybulle shot over 40 percent in his sophomore when he played next to a high-level prospect in the form of Markelle Fultz.

Further than that, Thybulle was a career 78.2 percent free throw shooter on a 21 percent free throw rate, which is usually a better indicator of three-point success at the next level for whatever reason.