A look at the pros and cons of the Atlanta Hawks drafting Gonzaga forward Rui Hachimura in the 2019 NBA Draft.
One of the few upperclassmen on the 2019 NBA Draft first round projection board, Rui Hachimura is coming off a great season at Gonzaga. Should the Atlanta Hawks be interested?
After primarily coming off the bench his first two collegiate seasons, the forward started 37 games in ’18-’19, averaging nearly 20 points per game.
He won the Western Conference Player of the Year and was named a consensus All-American, shooting up 2019 NBA Draft boards in the process.
It’s not often a power forward is as score-first as Rui is, and that, combined with his athletic, yet controlled game, has put him in line for the high lottery through low 20’s on June 20th Draft, including some buzz that he got a commitment from a team in the lottery.
Heard Rui got a commitment in the lottery (Minnesota was the buzz at the Combine) — usually when you take a commitment you shut down workouts and meetings with teams. https://t.co/uCOe1wtILs
— Steve Kyler (@stevekylerNBA) May 19, 2019
If true, it would mean the Atlanta Hawks would likely have to take the 21-year-old with either their 8th or 10th pick, granted that they keep those picks, and not cross their fingers to see if he’d drop to the 17th slot.
Here we’ll be taking a look at the pros and cons of doing so, starting with the negatives before ending on a high note.
Cons
The thing that leaps off the page on Hachimura’s scouting report is his size. His height of 6’8 is slightly offset by his 7’2 wingspan, but he’ll still be one of the smallest 4s in the league when he is drafted.
To put that into perspective, shooting guard Kevin Huerter is listed at 6’7, and recently traded wing Taurean Prince matched Hachimura’s size. He’s not fast enough to slot down to the 3, which will put him at an instant disadvantage at his position.
We’ve seen some teams trot out an undersized power forward with success (Paul Millsap is 6’8) but Rui is not a naturally talented rebounder and his team will have a good chance of being out-rebounded when he’s on the court.
Hachimura is also not seen as much of a floor general, posting an awful 1.5 to 1.8 assist to turnover ratio, which would fit poorly on an Atlanta Hawks team that valued passing and had a hard time limiting turnovers last season.
He’s also been consistently knocked on his decision-making, which can come around with time in the league, but is also a trait that the other non-freshmen in the 2019 NBA Draft carry with them as a plus of being more experienced.
Speaking of, Rui will be closer to 22 than 21 when the season kicks off, making him one of the older players the Atlanta Hawks could pick up on 2019 NBA Draft Night. You may read into his draft age as being a positive and believe it means the player will adjust to the league better, but it’s easy to see the negatives with it as well.
And while he won’t be a defensive liability outright, he’s not likely to make a huge impact on that side of the floor either. Outside of the size aspect, most of these can turn around, as we have seen much more flawed college players turn it around it a big way.
Pros
It’s undeniable that Hachimura is one of the most skilled scorers in the class. He can create for himself as well as work off others, and can score from nearly anywhere on the court.
He took a lot of shots in college, nearly 13 attempts per game in his final year, and finished at a very efficient clip of 59%. His true shooting of 64% was among the best in the nation, and worked in a meagerly used, yet effective three into his game, shooting 41% from deep per Sports Reference.
If given enough play time, he could realistically average anywhere from 14-18 points per game, which is very good for a rookie, especially one taken outside the top five. His offensive game is just that good, and that pro ready.
His ball handling has improved rapidly through his three seasons at Zaga, and when he has open floor in front of him, he’s as dangerous as any point guard, and can finish through contact as well.
And while we noted his size as a con earlier, he’s a good mismatch against the bigger, slower fours, and physical enough to bruise past most small forwards as well, creating a tough cover for any team.
He can work as either the pick, pop or roll man in P&R, as he can score around the rim as good as his buttery mid range jumper.
The junior is among the most pro-ready prospects in the 2019 NBA Draft, and while he may not have the highest ceiling, he is a terrific scorer who plays with confidence, poise and has already showed he possesses the clutch gene.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Hachimura is one of the first names called in the double-digits next Thursday, and who could blame a team eager to see the scoring forward translate to the league on their team.