Previous Scouting Reports:
One of my favorite memories of the 2015 NCAA March Madness is the Georgia State upset of 3rd seed Baylor in the second round. R.J. Hunter hit a deep three-pointer to win the game, his dad and Coach Ron Hunter celebrated the shot by throwing his hands in the air and following off of his stool. Why was he sitting on a stool, you may ask? Because he rupture his Achilles tendon when he was celebrating the team’s win in the Sun Belt tournament that crowned them the champions of their conference and earned them a berth to the “Big Dance.”
Last Thursday the Portland Trail Blazers interviewed the younger Hunter and really put him through the paces. He said of his interview with the team psychiatrist, “She was picking my brain. I was just sitting there like a lab rat, but it was cool. She gave me good feedback.”
The Blazers are doing their due diligence and the process has just begun, but Hunter is an intriguing prospect.
Scouting Report: R.J.Hunter
Hometown: Oxford, Ohio
Height: 6’6” (w/ shoes)
Weight: 185 lbs
Noted Measurables: 8’8” standing reach, 6’10.5” wingspan, 33.5 max vertical jump (All measurements from 2015 NBA Combine)
School: Georgia State University (3 seasons)
Experience: 99 games played, 3 years in college. (2-time Sun Belt Player of the Year)
Age: 21 (October 24, 1993)
College Statistics: 18.4 points per game, 4.8 rebounds per game, 2.4 assists per game, 1.9 steals per game, 1.7 turnovers per game, 85% free throw shooter
Scouting Report: NBA Range beyond the arc. Willing passer. Coach’s son, intelligent basketball player. Runs off screens really well. Can be primary ball handler when called upon. Good facilitator in pick and roll situations. Can get out on break. Slight of build, needs to hit the weights. Long arms. Good on defense for stretches but seems to disappear on defense when matched up against super-athletic competition. Can shoot the 3 off the dribble or spot up. Best when shooting from the top of the arc. Runs around a lot like J.J. Redick without the ball. Not afraid of the big moment. Good leadership. Instinctual player. Needs to work on finishing at the rim. Has not reached full potential on either end of the court, which is a good thing.
Highlights:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9w8697jZPtI] [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F17vql6W_II]NBA Comparison: J.J. Redick – No, I did not choose this comparison because of the similarities in their names, I chose it because of the similarity of their games. As I watched film of Hunter running off screens and finding the openings beyond the arc, I saw Redick. When I saw Hunter catch the ball on the perimeter, spot up, and shoot, I saw Redick. I do not think that these players are mirror images of each other, but it should be high praise that Hunter is being compared to Redick (the 2006 National College Player of the Year). Hunter has some things that Redick does not, notably the wingspan and some additional size. If Hunter can add a little bit more weight to his frame, it would help him fulfill his potential on both sides of the ball. Hunter could find himself in the sixth-man role in the NBA which is one that Redick has known at times in his career. Come off the bench, bring some energy, shoot the three, and help your teams win some games.
Where he would fit in Portland: Hunter should be picked towards the end of the 1st round, close to where the Blazers pick at 23. Slated as an NBA 6th Man, Hunter would help solidify the bench in Portland. The problem with that is, the roster is so fluid at this point, especially surrounding that shooting guard position. CJ McCollum is back and looks to continue his forward momentum from this season. Arron Afflalo has a player option on his contract that I think he will exercise, which would make the Blazers two-deep at the two-guard position. And that is not taking into account the Ironman, Wesley Matthews. Matthews is a free agent this summer and also recovering from a torn Achilles tendon. The uncertainty of how his injury will impact his play in the coming years will sour the market a bit but I believe Portland will sign Matthews to a long-term deal. That would leave this team stacked at the shooting guard position, possibly the best stable of shooting guards in the entire league. Hunter could come in, however, and make a name for himself in summer league and during training camp and force the Blazers to find a spot for him on the floor. Maybe the Blazers could play more three guard sets? A shooter like Hunter, coming off of the bench, is a very valuable thing in today’s NBA.
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