Three Atlanta Hawks draft prospects who wanted to see in March Madness.
Although it feels more like two years, it’s now been two weeks since the Atlanta Hawks and the rest of the NBA suspended their season. While the National Basketball Association was the first major sports league to suspend/cancel their season, all the others followed soon after.
One of the later ones to do so was the NCAA, who along with canceling spring sports, axed the March Madness National Championship Tournament, ending the college basketball season without a champion.
It also ended the collegiate careers of seniors and top underclassmen who are leaving for the NBA draft. Since the cancellation, we’ve seen players like Georgia’s Anthony Edwards, Duke’s Tre Jones, and Iowa State’s Tyrese Haliburton all declare for the draft.
No March Madness means missing out on all the buzzer-beaters, upsets, and cinderella stories, but it also means missing out on watching draft prospects on the biggest stage of their young careers.
The Atlanta Hawks were certainly going to be watching the tournament with another lottery pick coming their way this June and the abrupt nixing of March Madness could have thrown a wrench in their scouting plans.
Here, we’ll be naming the top-three draft prospects that we (and the Hawks’ front office) are going to miss watching now that the tourney is gone.
Isaac Okoro
Isaac Okoro’s name has been paired with the Atlanta Hawks on more than a few mock drafts, and it’s easy to see why. Atlanta already has a handful of young players with upside, and Okoro is seen as a more pro-ready wing, one who brings defensive help that the Hawks desperately need.
Okoro’s high motor and defensive intensity will make him a top-ten pick, and those skills alone could make him worth a selection. He can become a truly elite role player, but to become a star he’ll need to find a jumper.
He averaged 12.7 points per game for Auburn as a freshman, shooting 51 percent from the field. Most of those shots came inside and on looks created by his teammates. Okoro did find some success with his mid-range shot but shot less than 30 percent when stepping behind the arch.
According to ESPN’s Joe Lunardi, Auburn was set to be a #5 seed in the tourney, and Okoro could have helped the Tigers make another run to the Final Four with his solid defense and athletic prowess.
Because of his ability to make an instant impact on D, Atlanta should have Okoro on their board, even if some other players will have a higher ceiling overall.
Onyeka Okongwu
The USC big man had a great freshman year, earning All Pac-12 First Team honors averaging 16.2 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game. He’s shot up into the top-ten, even top-five on some mock drafts with his inspired play on both ends of the court.
A potential selection of Okongwu makes a bit less sense for the Hawks since they acquired Clint Capela, although whoever the Hawks draft probably isn’t cracking the starting rotation anyways. With Capela, John Collins, Dewayne Dedmon, and Okongwu, the Hawks could have their frontcourt of the future locked in.
The 6’9 Okongwu can play both the four and five with a 7’1 wingspan, and his leaping ability overrides any size-related shortcomings. If nothing else, his rim protection should translate into the NBA seamlessly and should be able to last in the league for a long time with that alone.
Offensively, he’s an elite rim-runner, but not much else. If he becomes someone who can make his shots in the post or stretch the floor with a three, that would be something we didn’t see during his time with the Trojans.
Speaking of the Trojans, they were hot coming into March and could have made a nice little run into the second or third weekend. Okongwu could have cemented himself as a top-five pick with a few good games.
Tre Jones
If you couldn’t tell between my first two mock drafts and my pitch for the Hawks to move down in the draft, I’m very high on Tre Jones. The ACC Defensive Player of the Year and ACC Player of the Year is a proven winner in his two years in Durham, and we missed a great opportunity to see him go out with a bang in March.
After being cast into Zion Williamson’s, RJ Barrett’s, and Cam Reddish‘s shadow as a freshman, Jones excelled in a bigger role for the Blue Devils, averaging 16.2 points, 6.4 assists, and 1.8 steals per game as a sophomore.
He shot 42 percent from the field on over 13 attempts per game, and while he wasn’t lights out from deep (36 percent) could still get it done. Jones always showed up in big games, and his clutch factor could have been a difference-maker in many tournament games.
Jones should carve out a nice NBA career on his defense and play-making alone. Even with his small 6’2 frame, Jones is a great perimeter defender and gets under the opposing players’ skin with his tight D and shifty hands.
Tre could be an instant back up to Trae Young, and Jones’ elite defense should be enough to offset Young’s downfalls on that side of the court.
Which potential future Atlanta Hawks player were you most disappointed we didn’t get to see play in march?