Atlanta Hawks: Head Coach Lloyd Pierce Praises De’Andre Hunter

More details are coming out about the start of Atlanta Hawks training camp, including head coach Lloyd Pierce commenting about new lottery pick De’Andre Hunter.

The Atlanta Hawks have, at long last, started training camp ahead of the team’s first preseason game next week as well the impending start of the regular season.

With training camp and its corresponding media day, the hubbub around each and every team certainly reaches its preseason zenith as players begin to talk about the upcoming season as well as hype themselves and their teammates up with high praise.

Similarly, head coaches are often also “guilty” of playing this hype game, and Hawks Head Coach Lloyd Pierce dipped his toe into such waters during his discussion of #4 overall pick De’Andre Hunter out of Virginia.

“We’re going to love De’Andre,” Pierce said, according to a Tweet from Kevin Chouinard of NBA.com. “That’s all I can say. We’re going to love De’Andre,” Pierce told reporters. “I’ve coached a couple guys who have played deep into the NCAA Tournament. He is the first one I can say, ‘I can see why Virginia won.’”

“He has got a poise about him. Nothing rattles him,” Pierce continued. “He is going to come over here and if you can get a couple words out of him, congratulations. He’s not going to say much. He’s very humble and on the court, it’s just all about business.”

That description sounds very similar to NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, to whom Hunter was compared by his teammate Alex Len recently on media day as well.

“He knows all five spots already,” Pierce concluded. “Defensively, he is about as solid as they come. He makes open shots. He can actually put it on the floor. I have a ton of respect for that kid already.”

Indeed, Hunter was easily one of the best perimeter defenders in his draft class, which is an area of sore need for the Atlanta Hawks next season.

Though hype is unavoidable this time of year, Hunter’s skill set seems solid enough that he may be able to live up to Pierce’s lofty expectations in his rookie season. We shall see!