Breaking Down the Frontcourt as Draft Day Draws Near
Almost anything can happen on Draft night, but if the final player in this
alphabetically-ordered list doesn’t go No. 1 to the Pelicans, something very
strange is happening.
The Wine & Gold – who still have plenty of assets to play with – will be on the
clock with the 5th and 26th picks of the first round, and any of the other four
forwards could be available up and down the board.
On today’s list, we have the ultimate team player who led his school to the
national title, an undersized do-it-all guy with a burning will to win, arguably
the best international prospect in the Draft, an athletic wing born in Japan and
finally, the most intriguing and dominant prospect to enter the league since the
last time the team picking first picked first.
And here’s what the scouts have been saying about them as we draw closer to the
big night on Thursday …
Left to Right: Sekou Doumbouya, PJ Washington, Zion Williamson, Rui Hachimura,
De’Andre Hunter Photo by David Dow via NBAE/Getty Images
SEKOU DOUMBOUYA – 6-9, 230 – Born: December 23, 2000 – (Conakry, Guinea) – Team:
Limoges CSP – one of the top international prospects in the 2019 Draft,
Doumbouya has intrigued scouts with his incredible athleticism and impressive
measurables; outstanding in transition, runs the floor extremely well; improving
his ball-handling skills but far from a finished product; didn’t begin playing
organized hoops until he was 12; active defender, very good weakside
shot-blocker; solid shooting mechanics; late start means he currently doesn’t
have a solid basketball IQ, feel for the game on either end of the floor; has
drawn comparisons to Toronto’s Pascal Siakam; always looking to make the extra
pass but can be unselfish to a fault; powerful and graceful athlete; above
average three-point shooter at current stage of his career; outstanding leaping
ability and strong finisher at the rim; doesn’t turn 20 years old until next
Christmas; can bully smaller defenders; outstanding end-to-end speed in
transition; just an average first step for a perimeter player; needs to work on
off-the-ball defense; depends more on athleticism than basketball skillset at
this stage of his career; in the age of potential vs. proof, Doumbouya still has
a ways to go in his development but has the tools to be a two-way star at the
next level.
RUI HACHIMURA – 6-8, 235 – Born: February 8, 1998 – (Toyama, Japan) – College:
Gonzaga – intriguing prospect with big upside; good decision-maker; perfect NBA
build; outstanding length (7-2 wingspan); saves his best for big opponents;
almost unguardable in transition; relentless motor; potential to be a top-flight
defender at next level; turned himself into a solid free throw shooter; has
never played AAU ball; excellent approach to the game, hard worker; plays a
controlled game for such an up-tempo athlete; has dedicated himself in the
weight room; isn’t afraid of contact and uses his body well to create space;
needs to improve ballhandling abilities; solid post game; loves to pull down the
defensive rebound and lead the break; doesn’t have an explosive first step; as a
latecomer, hasn’t developed bad habits but also lacks feel for the game; tends
to force shots against bigger opponents at the rim; bit of a tweener at the
forward spot; shot well from three-point range (45 percent) but only seven
percent of his FG attempts were from deep – will need to expand range at the
next level; in terms of high-upside players, Hachimura’s natural ability,
NBA-ready frame and overall smarts is the type of player some Lottery team will
likely take a shot at.
De’ANDRE HUNTER – 6-7, 225 – Born: December 1, 1997 – (Philadelphia, PA) –
College: Virginia – besides Zion, maybe the closest to a sure thing among top 10
picks; impeccable resume at Virginia; ACC Defensive Player of the Year as a
sophomore; led ‘Hoos to National Championship – tallied 27 points and nine
boards while holding fellow Lottery pick, Texas Tech’s Jarrett Culver to 5-of-22
shooting; natural leader, ultimate team player; viewed as a “high floor/low
ceiling” prospect; goes all-out on both ends; very good wingspan (7-2);
outstanding on both the offensive and defensive glass; needs to work on
ball-handling at the next level; plays above the rim; seeks and can score
through contact; was ACC’s Sixth Man of the Year as a freshman; NBA-ready body
at 6-7, 225; can guard 1-through-5; very good in the open floor; moves well
without the ball; plays under control; shot 52 percent from the floor, 44
percent from beyond the arc as a sophomore; chance to be an elite defender at
the next level; outstanding mid-range jumper; offensive game might have been
even better if not for Virginia’s methodical system; one of the older players in
his class – turns 22 in early December; might not develop into a superstar, but
could be an outstanding two-way NBA player for a decade.
P.J. WASHINGTON – 6-7, 230 – Born: August 23, 1998 – (Frisco, TX) – College:
Kentucky – not an elite athlete or high-flyer, the broad-shouldered Washington
does a little bit of everything on both ends; can muscle his way around the
paint, but also skilled on the perimeter; solidly-built and will easily be able
to handle the physical rigors of the NBA; extremely mature game for such a young
player; at 6-7, doesn’t have ideal forward size; extremely nimble on his feet,
good agility, lateral quickness; excellent mechanics on his jumper with a high
release point; expanded his range from freshman to sophomore season – shot 42
percent from deep in second season at Kentucky; should be able to step in and
contribute almost right away; deadly mid-range game, great shooter from the
elbow and round the key; excellent court vision and passing ability for a PF –
can initiate the offense from the high post; warrior with an intense desire to
win; polished, refined game for a player who’s still under 21; Washington isn’t
expected to be a franchise-altering pick, but he is viewed as a pro-ready player
who’s skill-set can fit into any system.
ZION WILLIAMSON – 6-6, 280 – Born: July 6, 2000 – (Spartanburg, SC) – College:
Duke – most unique prospect to enter the Draft since Anthony Davis; been the
presumptive No. 1 since high school; physical freak with all the tools –
explosive, strong and extremely quick and agile for a man his size; lefty;
outstanding anticipation; extremely coachable with a great basketball IQ,
absorbs new information well; doesn’t turn 20 until next July; excels in the
open court; underappreciated defensive skills; can probably improve on free
throw (64 percent) and three-point shooting, but still shot 40 percent on 2.5
attempts over last 20 games; at 280 pounds has a 40-inch vertical and the first
step of a guard; incredible on the offensive glass; plays “downhill”; not just a
highlight dunker – great basketball instincts, creative post moves and without
peer finishing at the rim; only third freshman (Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis) to
ever win Naismith Player of the Year Award; can play either forward position and
the lateral quickness and overall defensive versatility to switch out on guards;
only question remains whether his overall brute strength will translate in the
NBA against more physically-mature athletes.
Media Content:
https://www.nba.com/cavaliers/features/draft-positions-breakdown-panini-forwards-
2019
Media Keywords: NBA, Sports, Cleveland Cavaliers, Cleveland Cavaliers
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Taxonomy: Features, Joe Gabriele, 2019 Draft, De’Andre Hunter
Story Link:
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2019
