The Athletic Mock NBA Draft: Hawkins #26, Jackson #37

[awfuldan]

2023 NBA Mock Draft 2.0: Victor, Scoot are 1-2; behind them are lottery questions

Players will certainly emerge, but there is not a lot of excitement right now regarding the returning college prospects.

theathletic.com

26. LA Clippers​

Jordan Hawkins | 6-5 wing | 20 years old | Connecticut​

Jordan Hawkins is a killer potential floor spacer with real athleticism at 6-foot-5, and those players are in shorter supply than you’d think. He is terrific at flying off screens and getting his feet set to fire on-balance, something that scouts expect to see plenty of this season after visiting Connecticut practices. Hawkins has looked like arguably the best player there, apparently, and seems to have taken a leap. The big questions for him revolve around what happens when he puts the ball on the deck. Can he consistently process the game and make passes without losing the ball? Can he attack closeouts and not get run off the line every single time?

No write-up on Andre or any other projected second-rounders.

 

[aburks41]

When Hawkins proves that he's as good as we think he's going to be, I can't see him falling out of the lottery. His stock is going to skyrocket

 

[tcf15]

He is terrific at flying off screens and getting his feet set to fire on-balance, something that scouts expect to see plenty of this season after visiting Connecticut practices. Hawkins has looked like arguably the best player there, apparently, and seems to have taken a leap.

Please let it be true.

 

[awfuldan]

Please let it be true.

Yeah I thought that was the most significant part of the write-up for sure. Huge difference between “best player there” and “best NBA prospect there.”

Nice that the info is coming from scouts who have been to practice and not just random speculation too.

 

[NH Husky]

Can’t open it.
Sanogo?

 

[Tenspro2002]

Can’t open it.
Sanogo?

The only people who think Sanogo is an NBA prospect inhabit this message board.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Shoot efficiently. Play lockdown defense. He can be a first rounder with over 10ppg. Lottery picks at guard are generally better at creating offense.

 

[Punkbo]

There are some players who have the raw skills and athletic ability which make them unique talents. Bouknight was one and Hawkins is another. Hawkins is destined to have a big year. Watch and enjoy!

 

[Hurleyman216]

The fact that Sanogo apparently has added range to his jump shot makes him a likely 2nd round pick. So, in my mind we have 3 future NBA picks in our starting 5, but we’re still not considered a top 25 team. I get we have a lot of new pieces to put together, but I think you’d have a hard time finding another team with 2-3 NBA picks in their lineup that aren’t already considered top 25. I may be wrong, but if we stay healthy I really see us in the 10-15 range. I think we have so many options on offense and we know that Hurley is going to have a top 30 defense.

 

[BlueMAB]

The only people who think Sanogo is an NBA prospect inhabit this message board.

I've been as skeptical as anyone on this board, but you're wrong.

late first to early second round pick in the 2023 NBA Draft

Projected Draft Range: 2nd round to undrafted

Scout #1: “He’s a little undersized. He actually reminded me a little bit of Emeka (Okafor) when I first saw him. Offensively, 15 feet in he’s pretty good. The way the game is today, everybody’s got to shoot 3’s, handle the ball. They want bigs to step out. That’s the challenge for him, he’s not gonna shoot 3’s. But, he can score in the paint, he’s strong, he blocks shots, he runs the floor, he’s athletic. To me, I think he has a chance.”

He's going to have to prove his game has extended beyond 15 feet, but scouts will be watching him alongside Hawkins and Jackson.

 

[BattersonBoyz]

The only people who think Sanogo is an NBA prospect inhabit this message board.

In order to be taken seriously he's going to have to have a more consistent three. Sounds like he's taken steps in the right direction in the offseason but he's got a ways to go if he wants to get drafted I think.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

I really don’t see how the kid who scored 16 points in 16 minutes against the number one team in the country at the time doesn’t blow up now that he gets to play 30 mins a game.

He really needs to tighten his handle and then the sky is pretty much the limit after that.

 

[CTBasketball]

I really don’t see how the kid who scored 16 points in 16 minutes against the number one team in the country at the time doesn’t blow up now that he gets to play 30 mins a game.

He really needs to tighten his handle and then the sky is pretty much the limit after that.

Tighten his handle is key. If he doesn’t he’ll struggle.

 

[Huskybass]

The only people who think Sanogo is an NBA prospect inhabit this message board.

Adama can score, rebound and really run the floor for a guy his size. Don't bet against him.

 

[JohnFSilver]

2023 NBA Mock Draft 2.0: Victor, Scoot are 1-2; behind them are lottery questions

Players will certainly emerge, but there is not a lot of excitement right now regarding the returning college prospects.

theathletic.com

26. LA Clippers​

Jordan Hawkins | 6-5 wing | 20 years old | Connecticut​

Jordan Hawkins is a killer potential floor spacer with real athleticism at 6-foot-5, and those players are in shorter supply than you’d think. He is terrific at flying off screens and getting his feet set to fire on-balance, something that scouts expect to see plenty of this season after visiting Connecticut practices. Hawkins has looked like arguably the best player there, apparently, and seems to have taken a leap. The big questions for him revolve around what happens when he puts the ball on the deck. Can he consistently process the game and make passes without losing the ball? Can he attack closeouts and not get run off the line every single time?

No write-up on Andre or any other projected second-rounders.

Ambitious, but what’s the point of projecting if you don’t project.

 

[BGesus4]

I have to say it surprises me that there is such a widespread expectation outside of the program that Hawkins has a good shot at being a first rounder by the end of the year, just because he had so little opportunity to it last year. It doesn’t surprise me that those who follow UConn very closely feel that way but the extent to which national media seem to be totally on board is somewhat striking.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I've been as skeptical as anyone on this board, but you're wrong.

late first to early second round pick in the 2023 NBA Draft

Projected Draft Range: 2nd round to undrafted

Scout #1: “He’s a little undersized. He actually reminded me a little bit of Emeka (Okafor) when I first saw him. Offensively, 15 feet in he’s pretty good. The way the game is today, everybody’s got to shoot 3’s, handle the ball. They want bigs to step out. That’s the challenge for him, he’s not gonna shoot 3’s. But, he can score in the paint, he’s strong, he blocks shots, he runs the floor, he’s athletic. To me, I think he has a chance.”

He's going to have to prove his game has extended beyond 15 feet, but scouts will be watching him alongside Hawkins and Jackson.

I think we sometimes make a mistake projecting these kids that came from Africa and haven't been playing as long. Adama is perfectly capable of learning to handle the ball and to shoot from outside. His rate of improvement has been astonishing so far. It's one of the reasons I think Johnson will surprise us with his improvement as well. It's not like they have been playing since they were 4 years old like most American kids. Expectations for where they will be at a certain age need to be different.

I read this, and some of the things Self says about Embiid are the same things Hurley says about Sanogo. He's not Embiid, I'm not suggesting that at all, he doesn't have the size or athleticism, but he is similarly a guy who was raw and who is a sponge with a tireless work ethic. You hear some of the same things about Johnson.

 

[I Bleed Blue]

If Hawkins has indeed made a leap and is our best player this year we are in GREAT shape this season. Adama will be Adama. Dominant Top 5 center in the nation. As mentioned in another recent thread we need at least 30 points per game from those 2 to be where we want to be. Ideally closer to 32-33 ppg avg.

 

[imno1]

The fact that Sanogo apparently has added range to his jump shot makes him a likely 2nd round pick. So, in my mind we have 3 future NBA picks in our starting 5, but we’re still not considered a top 25 team. I get we have a lot of new pieces to put together, but I think you’d have a hard time finding another team with 2-3 NBA picks in their lineup that aren’t already considered top 25. I may be wrong, but if we stay healthy I really see us in the 10-15 range. I think we have so many options on offense and we know that Hurley is going to have a top 30 defense.

I think AK is a future pick also just not next year.

 

[8893]

You hear some of the same things about Johnson.

I‘m really beginning to savor how well you can work Johnson into any discussion. I think you should make it a thing to mention him in every post, even in non-basketball discussions.

“Yeah, that’s a special bottling; a little young but opens up nicely in the Glencairn.

You hear some of the same things about Samson Johnson.”

 

[HuskyHawk]

I‘m really beginning to savor how well you can work Johnson into any discussion. I think you should make it a thing to mention him in every post, even in non-basketball discussions.

“Yeah, that’s a special bottling; a little young but opens up nicely in the Glencairn.

You hear some of the same things about Samson Johnson.”

My masterstroke will be to do that, but only in haiku.

 

[8893]

My masterstroke will be to do that, but only in haiku.

Perfect.

 

[BlueMAB]

If Hawkins has indeed made a leap and is our best player this year we are in GREAT shape this season. Adama will be Adama. Dominant Top 5 center in the nation. As mentioned in another recent thread we need at least 30 points per game from those 2 to be where we want to be. Ideally closer to 32-33 ppg avg.

What are people basing this arbitrary number on? Is it because someone said it and people thought it sounded smart?

We can go back to 2017-2018 and our top 2 scorers have averaged 29+ ppg every year. Did we get where we wanted to be every year?

We can get 32-33 PPG from them, but it won't matter if we don't get consistent production from a few more guys.

 

[superjohn]

What are people basing this arbitrary number on? Is it because someone said it and people thought it sounded smart?

We can go back to 2017-2018 and our top 2 scorers have averaged 29+ ppg every year. Did we get where we wanted to be every year?

We can get 32-33 PPG from them, but it won't matter if we don't get consistent production from a few more guys.

I think because people think this is a much deeper and more versatile team than we had in all those other years but we need another alpha dog big time scorer to go along with Sanogo for it all to work.

Andre is a great player but I don't think people see him becoming a 15 ppg scorer this year, Hawkins is the guy we're banking on.

 

[BlueMAB]

I think because people think this is a much deeper and more versatile team than we had in all those other years

If this is a much deeper and more versatile team then we should expect more production from the other 6-7 guys in the rotation and not need to be so reliant on those two.

but we need another alpha dog big time scorer to go along with Sanogo for it all to work.

Or we need 2-3 other guys capable of being the go to guy when called for.

Andre is a great player but I don't think people see him becoming a 15 ppg scorer this year, Hawkins is the guy we're banking on.

He doesn’t need to be. Jackson can probably jump to 10. Newton can get 10-12, Alleyne averaged just under 10 in the ACC.

We could have 4 guys averaging double figures. It wouldn’t be the first time.

we’ve almost always had two guys that combine to average 28+.

It can, and likely will happen; but it doesn’t mean we’ll get where we want to be.