The San Antonio Spurs are cruising right now and on their way to another playoff season (knock on wood). That would guarantee the Spurs will be picking outside of the lottery once again, so it’s my job to make sure you’re educated about college players the team could try to draft come June.
This week’s prospect is no stranger to big games and certainly would be a good fit for the Spurs. It’s none other than Villanova shooting guard Josh Hart, who helped the Wildcats win their first NCAA Championship last season, which was the first since 1985 and the school’s second overall. He doesn’t get all the hype that a guy like Luke Kennard at Duke might get because he goes to a smaller school, but he is still a very good player and possibly a better one than Kennard.
Last season, Hart averaged 15.5 points, 1.9 assists and 6.8 rebounds a game while sharing time on the floor with seniors Ryan Arcidiacono and Daniel Ochefu. This year, without the two stars, he is averaging 18.2 points, two assists and 5.8 rebounds per game. Did I mention he’s shooting a ridiculous 57.4 percent from the floor and 44.4 percent from beyond the arc to start this college basketball season?
Hart is listed at 6’6” and 215 pounds as a shooting guard, but, he can play multiple positions thanks to his great basketball IQ and willingness to work. His shooting numbers prove he can stroke the ball and he may become a perfect replacement off the bench as he can score with or without the ball effectively, since Jonathon Simmons will be a free agent next summer and Manu Ginobili’s decision to continue playing is still undecided until the season ends.
While he lacks elite athleticism, that has never stopped the Spurs from drafting a guy. He is a good defender with a 93.2 individual defensive rating and currently has a Player Efficiency Rating of 28.7 six games into the season. Most mock drafts have him as a late first-round guy to middle of the second round.
Photo: CBS Sports
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