NBA Draft 2019: Mock Draft 3.0
Rui Hachimura. 8. 125. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Forward. Gonzaga. player
Imagine a pairing like Penny and Shaq, just with the Atlanta Hawks.
This could be possible. Rookie of the Year candidate Trae Young brought national attention back to Atlanta. With his incredible distance and ballhandling ability, he showed the league that he has the potential to be a top point guard. He has been able to grow his game with veteran players like Vince Carter. This development has lead to the Hawks’ development as a team. But what if the Hawks took it a step further? What if the Hawks created a Kobe-Shaq duo? What if they were able to draft a player that cannot only shoot threes, but can also post up and contest shots on defense? This is all possible if the franchise was able to draft Rui Hachimura of Gonzaga.
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A sleeper player for Gonzaga, Hachimura had a break-out junior year. He averaged 19.2 points, 1.5 assists, and 6.5 rebounds per game, all while shooting 59.1% from the field. This past season, he developed his long-range game, giving him an advantage on offense.
Hachimura no longer is limited to the paint. This would be an ideal pairing with Young when it comes to playmaking. Being able to make a pass to the inside or from behind the arch, confidently, could be the difference between winning and losing a game. Having these two players develop their style over this next season could forge one of the more iconic pairings in league history. Legends.