Atlanta Hawks: 3 Goals for De’Andre Hunter in 2019-20

Our player goals series concludes with a look at goals for Atlanta Hawks rookie De’Andre Hunter in 2019-20.

After winning the national championship with the Virginia Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks rookie De’Andre Hunter must build on his astonishing, career-best showing in the title game and help become one of the building blocks for a young Atlanta Hawks team that desperately needs his skill set.

Hunter was lauded as the single-best perimeter defender in the 2019 NBA Draft class, and seeing as Taurean Prince is no longer on the Atlanta Hawks, Hunter will almost certainly slide in immediately as the team’s starting small forward.

Let’s take a look at goals for the 21-year-old rookie.

Shoot 40 Percent from Deep

Hunter shot 43.8 percent from downtown in his final season at Virginia, and his three-point stroke, while slow, seems to be extremely reliable based on his collegiate performance. While 40 percent might seem lofty for a rookie going from the college line to the NBA one, Hunter’s mechanics and frame look as NBA-ready as any rookie in this class, so Hunter should definitely aim for 40 percent from deep in his rookie year.

Become Hawks’ Best Defender

Last season, the Atlanta Hawks didn’t really have a lockdown defender beyond DeAndre’ Bembry, Bembry had a terrific season defensively and Kent Bazemore was his usual solid self, but both of those players lack the size that Hunter inherently has. At 6-foot-7 and 225 pounds with long arms and a strong core, Hunter should immediately be able to come in and capably guard the game’s best threes and fours in the NBA.

Attack Closeouts Aggressively

Though not a lead ballhandler at Virginia, Hunter held a 25 percent usage rate in his collegiate career per Sports Reference, showcasing his comfort with the ball in his hands. Next season with the Atlanta Hawks, Hunter should aim to attack defenders who are closing out hard to his slow three-point jumper mechanics, allowing him to zoom by for easy buckets around the rim.

There you have it! Our player goals series is completed but stay tuned for plenty more Atlanta Hawks news and coverage as the preseason rapidly approaches. Thanks for reading!