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Atlanta Hawks NBA Draft: 5 prospects to target with the 20th pick

By Joshua Buckhalter

April 5, 2021; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Baylor Bears guard Jared Butler (12) in the second half during the national championship game in the Final Four of the 2021 NCAA Tournament against the Gonzaga Bulldogs at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
April 5, 2021; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Baylor Bears guard Jared Butler (12) in the second half during the national championship game in the Final Four of the 2021 NCAA Tournament against the Gonzaga Bulldogs at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
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Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta Hawks (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) /

Atlanta Hawks 2021 NBA Draft Prospect No. 2: Chris Duarte is an older prospect, but he’s also NBA-ready

2021 Stats: 17.1/4.6/2.7; .532/.424/.810

Players don’t often come more complete than Chris Duarte. The 6-foot-6, 190-pound senior averaged 17.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.7 assists for the Ducks who bowed out of the NCAA Tournament in the Sweet 16. Duarte, to his credit, had 21 points on 50 percent shooting in the 82-68 loss to USC. He also had six assists, five boards, three steals, and a block.

In two Tournament games, Duarte averaged 22 points, 6.5 assists, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.0 steals, with just 1.5 turnovers. He also committed just 1.5 personal fouls per contest.

Duarte had 11 games with at least 21 points during the season including the NCAA Tournament. He shot 46 percent from three in those games so he’s capable of going off from outside. But he also had seven games with at least three steals and one, against Utah back in January, where he had six.

There were also seven games in which Duarte had at least four assists.

Immediately, Duarte’s age jumps out at you. The 24-year-old native of the Dominican Republic spent two years at a junior college before heading to the Northwest where he was named First Team All Pac-12 and to the Pac-12 All-Defensive team.

He withdrew from this year’s NBA Scouting Combine leading some to speculate a team may have made a promise to take him in the first round. He’d be the oldest prospect taken in the first round if that were to happen. He’d edge out Cameron Johnson of the Phoenix Suns who many scouts have compared him to.

So yes, he is older. But he’s also arguably the most NBA-ready prospect in this class.