UCONN’s 2023 NBA Prospects

[UConnSwag11]

Figured we can condense news and highlights into here.

Save the discussions for the individual threads - Andre Jackson Testing the NBA Draft Waters: ESPN

Adama / Andre Highlights @ NBA Combine

the-boneyard.com

2023 NBA Mock Draft Thread

Does it make sense to have a thread with mock drafts as they’re updated? I think so? ESPN has Hawkins at #11 to Orlando and Jackson at #32 to Indiana in their latest. I’d love another year of Jackson. If he goes and gets drafted that early, I don’t blame him. I couldn’t be rooting harder for a...

the-boneyard.com

Tristen playing now

#12 on the white team

the-boneyard.com

 

[UConnSwag11]

 

[UConnSwag11]

 

[UConnSwag11]

 

[UConnSwag11]

 

[UConnSwag11]

 

[UConnSwag11]

 

[UConnSwag11]

 

[UConnSwag11]

 

[UConnSwag11]

 

[UConnSwag11]

 

[UConnSwag11]

 

[UConnSwag11]

 

[UConnSwag11]

 

[husky429]

Picks 12, 10, 17, 21 and the Wizard tomorrow are #8.

 

[Scottobot]

If someone gives Adama a chance, I think he will crack the rotation and be a productive player. He was unstoppable when not double teamed, and no one will double him in NBA. He can catch any any pass in traffic and has no problem finishing against larger and athletic opponents. He shoots at like 70%.
The statements that he can play defense are BS. There is at least one player on every starting 5 he would have no problem guarding. He would have no problem guarding, Draymond Green, Looney, Sabonis, etc.
The only thing against him is on paper when someone sees his height they think he can’t play. I am hoping someone gives him a chance and he proves everyone wrong.

 

[UofCT]

From John Hollingers Athletic Big Board

20. Jordan Hawkins, 21, 6-5 Jr. SG, Connecticut
Hawkins may have briefly blown up this spring as the “NCAA Tournament Guy,” and that may yet see him overvalued on draft night. Nonetheless, his credentials as a movement shooter do warrant first-round consideration despite his limitations in other areas.

First of all, if you need to believe in his shot beyond the eye test of a buttery smooth release that looks exactly the same every time, look at his free-throw percentage. That’ a better long-term predictor than 3-point percentage, and Hawkins made 88.7 percent from the stripe last season. He also got up a ton of attempts, which is another strongly positive indicator, launching 13.8 per 100 possessions while rarely dribbling — he just runs around off the ball until it finds him for a catch-and-shoot.

Investing in limited shooters is always slightly more risky because if they aren’t shooting 40 percent, what do they do? But Hawkins is going to be a guy whose shooting threat bends defenses even when he’s running cold, and he drew fouls at a surprisingly high rate with all his running around and some well-timed shot fakes. Inside the arc, he’s still a limited threat, but nobody is drafting this guy to shoot 2s.

As for his defense, it’s actually pretty competent for this ilk of player. Hawkins is 6-5 with decent length and was notably good at slithering through screens off the ball. (He’d be great at guarding himself.) He lacks strength and can be overpowered, but he slides his feet and applies decent ball pressure and contributed on the glass (7.5 boards per 100 possessions). Realistically, he probably projects as a high-end backup, but he’ll have value.

 

[UofCT]

John Hollinger's Top 20 players in this year's NBA Draft

As we examine the top players in this year's class, positions matter, and so does age.

theathletic.com

 

[imno1]

From John Hollingers Athletic Big Board

20. Jordan Hawkins, 21, 6-5 Jr. SG, Connecticut
Hawkins may have briefly blown up this spring as the “NCAA Tournament Guy,” and that may yet see him overvalued on draft night. Nonetheless, his credentials as a movement shooter do warrant first-round consideration despite his limitations in other areas.

First of all, if you need to believe in his shot beyond the eye test of a buttery smooth release that looks exactly the same every time, look at his free-throw percentage. That’ a better long-term predictor than 3-point percentage, and Hawkins made 88.7 percent from the stripe last season. He also got up a ton of attempts, which is another strongly positive indicator, launching 13.8 per 100 possessions while rarely dribbling — he just runs around off the ball until it finds him for a catch-and-shoot.

Investing in limited shooters is always slightly more risky because if they aren’t shooting 40 percent, what do they do? But Hawkins is going to be a guy whose shooting threat bends defenses even when he’s running cold, and he drew fouls at a surprisingly high rate with all his running around and some well-timed shot fakes. Inside the arc, he’s still a limited threat, but nobody is drafting this guy to shoot 2s.

As for his defense, it’s actually pretty competent for this ilk of player. Hawkins is 6-5 with decent length and was notably good at slithering through screens off the ball. (He’d be great at guarding himself.) He lacks strength and can be overpowered, but he slides his feet and applies decent ball pressure and contributed on the glass (7.5 boards per 100 possessions). Realistically, he probably projects as a high-end backup, but he’ll have value.

Hawkins will be more than just a 3pt shooter in a few years. If he goes 20 some of the teams who passed Will regret it

 

[navery12]

 

[Palatine]

The BY complained quite a bit because Sanogo didn't dunk enough. And now for the other side of the story....

 

[UConnSwag11]

The BY complained quite a bit because Sanogo didn't dunk enough. And now for the other side of the story....

 

[HuskyHawk]

The BY complained quite a bit because Sanogo didn't dunk enough. And now for the other side of the story....

His ability to finish with both hands is astonishing. He got so much better facing the basket. Not so many baby hooks, and instead attacked it head on, and whatever the defender did he switched hands and shielded the ball with the rim. Really hard to defend that and he missed very few of those.

 

[boog204]

I'm shocked these mocks have Hawkins in the later teens/early 20s. He will be able to score in the league. Great range, quick release, knows how to shoot under duress, and is much more athletic than people realize. Any team that needs a shooter/scorer would be foolish to pass him up. Bare minimum, he's a mid-teens scorer as a 6th man.

 

[elmcityboy]

ryen russillo had an amazing, 5-minute monologue about sanogo on his show the other day. this is, like, the third or fourth most-listened-to sports podcast in the world. i loved listening, assume others here will as well:

starts with 46:45 left to go