The Ducks kindly spotted UConn a 10-0 lead before going on a 39-14 run to lead by 15 at half. It was never really close after that as Oregon led by as many as 24 in the 2nd half.
The Celtics have the 45th pick in the draft and while that may not be the most exciting draft pick to have, the 2021 Draft Class is full of exciting young talent even in the second round. Since there is no way to know for certain who will be available, I will be making my way through each prospect I have ranked below 30. This evening, we are going to take a look at Matthew Hurt. Please let me know in the comments what you think about Hurt as a prospect!
If you are interested in seeing the full list of prospect breakdowns with stats and pictures, feel free to check it out here.
Matthew Hurt
Profile:
Position: Power Forward
Role: Stretch Four
Age: 21
Nation: USA
Year: Sophomore
College: Duke
Height: 6’9
Wingspan: 6’9
Weight: 232 lbs
Positives:
- Excellent shooter off the catch. His form is incredibly unconventional but very effective. He has a high release point and fires his shot off like a catapult from above his head. He keeps the ball up high off the catch and has no dip to his shot. The overall height of his shot makes it very hard for opponents to contest and he converts at a very good clip. He is very good at making stationary shots and while he isn’t particularly quick when running plays to shoot off of movement, he can knock down the shots.
- Efficient post scorer. He loves to post up opponents before receiving the ball and facing them up before firing off a mid-ranger. He can also keep his back to opponents before spinning into his lethal turnaround jumper. He has good footwork and patience on the inside and converts at a high clip. He keeps the ball high and takes advantage of mismatches by finishing over them.
- Solid finisher. He is an efficient scorer when driving on the inside. He leverages his shooting ability to make effective backdoor cuts and he is an effective catch and finisher. He can beat slower defenders off the dribble from time to time on straight-line drives.
Negatives:
- Bad shooter in the pick and pop. Despite being a good shooter, he struggled to convert on pick-and-pop jump shots. A lot of his pick and pop attempts were short, which could be a result of him not jumping very high on his jumper. He attempts to fake out defenders with jab steps while at the top of the key but his profile as a shooter means very few defenders fall for it.
- Poor perimeter defender. He is slow-footed and is beaten easily off of the dribble
This is probably going to be laughable to some but I'm higher on Hurt than what I see the general consensus to be on mocks and big boards. Not lottery high, but I think he's a solid pick in the first round, and here's why.
Considering that ceilings are always hypothetical, his is being undersold imo (which is honestly a norm for white players). I get he's not a great athlete, which is a legitimate concern, but when I watch him I see a lot of Gallinari or Bogdanovic (Utah) which are both really solid. Watching his film, he consistently hits shots that made me think "Damn, that was a really good fucking shot".
Also part of my philosophy while scouting is keeping in mind that only 15-20 players per draft are going to stick around no matter what, and projecting who I think these players will be based off the direction the league is going. To me, if you think a guy is one of these players you should take him in the first round. I think if he can keep up athletically, skillset wise I could see him being one of those players.
DISCLAMIER: I rarely evaluate individual defense. The only time defense is a factor for me is if a guy is on either end of the extremes: he has potential to be an absolute game changer or he shows no effort whatsoever.
Matthew Hurt from Duke,
Marcus Zegarowski (brother of MCW) from Creighton,
Jose Alvarado from Georgia Tech,
Colin Castleton from Florida,
Any insight on them if they’re decent prospects? I’m asking because the Bucks worked them out. Only one with potential seems like Hurt & Marcus.
I don’t really think any of these guys are good enough to warrant being selected basically in the first round so I think if they go undrafted the Bucks will either throw a contract at them or buy a late second rounder.
Not really shocked here, but man they would’ve been real good if he had stayed.
