1 Floor, 1 realistic, 1 dream player comparison for Hawks’ Kobe Bufkin
By Tyler Watts
Realistic comparison: Tyrese Maxey
Maxey is slightly shorter and a few pounds heavier, but they produced extremely similar college stats. In his lone year at Kentucky, the current 76ers guard averaged the same points, 0.3 more assists, and 0.2 fewer rebounds in 0.5 additional minutes per game than Bufkin. The Hawks rookie also averaged 0.4 more steals and 0.3 blocks each game.
Maxey averaged just 15.3 minutes per game in his rookie season, but he quickly blossomed into a key piece for the Sixers. The 22-year-old produced 20.3 points, 3.5 assists, and 2.9 rebounds in 33.6 minutes per game last season playing next to Joel Embiid and James Harden in Philadelphia. Maxey is viewed as a future star with All-Star potential.
Hawks fans would be ecstatic if Kobe Bufkin turned into Tyrese Maxey. Atlanta actually selected the 19-year-old six spots higher than Philly chose Maxey. Both players slipped a bit in their classes from where scouts had them projected partially because of their size.
Kobe Bufkin improved significantly in his second year at the University of Michigan, which had most experts believing there was significantly more room to grow. What if the teenager reaches his ceiling? What should Atlanta Hawks fans expect?