Atlanta Hawks Prospect Profile: Josh Green

Taking a look at Atlanta Hawks Draft prospect Josh Green.

It’s still uncertain if the NBA season will resume, but for the 20-47 Atlanta Hawks, it was already time to start looking ahead to the off-season. Here, we’ll be starting a new series of prospect profiles, starting with Arizona wing Josh Green.

Green was the #8 recruit on the ESPN 100 out of high school, committing to play in Tucson alongside fellow top-ten recruit Nico Mannion. He went on to start 30 games for Arizona, averaging 12.0 points per contest.

Green made a name for himself as an elite defender and could sneak into the lottery on his potential on that end. He’s explosively quick around the perimeter and can guard 1-3 with nice length. He sports a 6-10 wingspan to go with this 6-6 frame.

He’s a cornerback and safety all-in-one and uses smart instincts to leave his man and jump into the lane for an interception. He averaged 1.5 steals per game, which was tied for fifth-best in the Pac-12.

As a scorer, Green has work to do, especially when it comes to making his own shots. He’s a nice catch-and-shoot guy right now, but nothing more. The guard/forward combo had a hot finish from deep, shooting 46 percent from three in his final ten games.

He does have a nice handle for his size and could play some backup point with some more polishing there.

His potential to be a dud on the offensive end of the court will probably keep him out of the lottery, but his elite upside on defense should keep him from falling too far. The Hawks, who currently own the fourth-best lottery odds, would likely have to trade down to grab Green, but that might not be such a bad idea.

Despite good production from last year’s first-rounders, Cam Reddish and De’Andre Hunter, the Hawks were still one of the worst teams in the league last season. Green’s defensive presence should be felt right away, even if it takes a few years for his offensive game to develop.