Atlanta Hawks NBA Draft Prospect Scouting Report: Jordan Nwora

Scouting Jordan Nwora and his potential fit with the Atlanta Hawks.

The Atlanta Hawks already have a plethora of young studs on their roster, and it wouldn’t be a bad idea to take a pro-ready player in the draft that can contribute right away.

We’ve already looked at some upcoming rookies that could work in that role such as Desmond Bane, Killian Tillie, and Jalen Smith. Another one they could look at is Louisville forward Jordan Nwora.

Nwora would have likely been a sure-fire first-round pick if he declared for the draft last summer, but is now projected as a mid-to-late second-rounder after returning for his junior season. It was a season that didn’t see any major improvement for Nwora with some scouts worried that he’s already at his ceiling.

When scouting him last year, I noted that “Nwora could be the rare instant plug-in-play rookie that’s not a lottery pick, a la Omari Spellman [last] year,” which still holds true.

Nwora held solid shooting percentages during his time as a Cardinal despite being a volume shooter. As a junior, he made 44 percent of his 14 attempts per game, almost half of which came from three (40 percent on 6.1 attempts).

Only Syracuse’s Elijah Hughes – also likely to be a second-round pick – averaged more points per game in the ACC than Nwora’s 18.0, with the 6’7 forward filling up the rest of the stat sheet with 7.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists per contest.

He was able to work past a stiff handle and a slow first step while in college, but will likely never be much more than an outside shooter at the next level. He could be a true sniper, too, and flashed range that would even be considered deep in the NBA.

His shot is a bit janky but effective enough where you can’t question it. He releases it quickly from around his chest, which makes him a valuable shooter coming off screens and on the move.

Nwora’s defense is mostly based on his feel of the game, which may not be enough to offset his so-so athleticism. He’ll be best utilized as a small-ball four on D to avoid guarding dominant slashing forwards.

Fit with Atlanta Hawks

It’s no secret the Hawks need to surround Trae Young with more three-point shooters and Nwora would be able to help right away as either a three or four. Defensively, he’s not going to be game-changing, but likely won’t be seen as an awful defender either.

If he’s able to fall to the 52nd pick that the Hawks own, they could certainly do worse than the Louisville product, who could fill in for DeAndre’ Bembry who’s set for free agency this fall.

Nwora’s age, lack of upside, and one-dimensional brand of offense won’t make him the sexiest pick, but he can certainly become a sturdy three-point marksman who plays team defense.

Should the Atlanta Hawks draft Jordan Nwora?