2016 NBA Draft Sleeper: Daniel Hamilton
Daniel Hamilton was a standout at UCONN and could be a late-round steal in the 2016 NBA Draft.
Just a few short years ago, UCONN’s Daniel Hamilton was projected to be a lottery pick in whatever NBA Draft he ended up entering. Now, we’re just a few weeks away from the 2016 NBA Draft and he is either going to be a late second-round pick or go undrafted.
Hamilton surprised scouts and fans alike by deciding to enter the draft this year instead of returning to UConn for his junior season. Although he had a very solid season in his last year as a Husky, many believed Hamilton would have benefited from another year in school because he never quite lived up to his potential as the No. 30 recruit in ESPN’s 2014 Top 100.
But despite his shortcomings and the potentially poor decision to leave school early, Hamilton deserves to be drafted and could be an asset on an NBA team.
His bargain price means there’s really no risk to drafting him and whoever does would get themselves a pretty well-rounded player. He’s destined to be a project rather than an immediate contributor, but there’s definitely a good base to work with.
For starters, Hamilton is 6’7″ which is the ideal size for an NBA wing player. One of the biggest problems for him right now if he’s going to be an NBA wing is his jump shot.
He shot just 33 percent from behind the arc last season but wasn’t shy about hoisting them up as he averaged 3.9 three-point attempts per game. But jump shots can be fixed, so that alone shouldn’t deter teams from taking a flier on the former Husky.
More from NBA Draft
- Meet Cooper Flagg: The best American prospect since LeBron James
- Grading every NBA team’s highest draft pick in the last five years
- Meet Matas Buzelis, the NBA’s next great point-forward
- Predicting the top 5 rookies heading into the 2023–24 NBA season
- NBA Draft: Grading every first-round pick after rookie year
Another positive for Hamilton is the elite rebounding ability for a player his size. He crashes the boards relentlessly, which led to his 8.9 rebounds per game last season. That’s impressive for someone who was essentially UConn’s point guard much of the time.
Per Draft Express, if Hamilton is drafted he would join the group of Kenneth Faried, Draymond Green, Andre Roberson, Luke Harangody, and Arslan Kazemi as the only college players to put up similar rebounding numbers per 40 minutes while being 6’8″ or shorter.
In addition to rebounding, Hamilton is a great passer as he averaged 4.7 assists per game last season. Those aren’t mind-boggling numbers by any means, but for someone his size it’s something to take note of. Hamilton led the nation in assists per game among players 6’6″ or taller.
Still not convinced he’s one of the most versatile players in the draft? Hamilton was one of only 25 players to record a triple-double last season. He’s also one of only two players to total 450 points, 300 rebounds and 150 assists last year. The other was Ben Simmons.
More from Hoops Habit
- 7 Players the Miami Heat might replace Herro with by the trade deadline
- Meet Cooper Flagg: The best American prospect since LeBron James
- Are the Miami Heat laying the groundwork for their next super team?
- Sophomore Jump: 5 second-year NBA players bound to breakout
- NBA Trades: The Lakers bolster their frontcourt in this deal with the Pacers
While his impressive stat line and size could be enough for him to hear his name called on June 23, there’s a reason he’s on the bubble between being a second rounder or a UDFA. I already mentioned that his shot needs work, but so does his shot selection as he shot just 39 percent from the field.
As someone who was able to see Hamilton play in person several times throughout his career, it’s frustrating to watch him pass up an open jumper for a contested floater time and time again.
But again, there are things you can teach and things you can’t. Hamilton brings great size, court vision, and effort to any team willing to draft him. If he can work on becoming a more consistent shooter, improving his shot selection, and learning to play NBA-level defense, he could find himself with a meaningful role on a team before long.
More hoops habit: 2016 NBA Finals: Game 4 Recap And Highlights
Wherever Hamilton ends up, he’ll be bringing a solid track record and a ton of potential along with him. That makes him a prime sleeper in the second round of the 2016 NBA Draft.