Atlanta Hawks: Prince, Bembry Provide Depth At Wing

The Atlanta Hawks selected Taurean Prince and DeAndre Bembry with their first-round picks during Thursday’s NBA Draft, providing the team with NBA-ready contributors at the wing.

Many fans of the Atlanta Hawks were disappointed with the selection of Baylor’s Taurean Prince with the 12th pick (myself included). The hope was to try to move up in the draft and to take a player with a bigger name and more upside.

In hindsight though, it was smart a move on the part of the front office to take an older college player that can contribute right away. Prince has the look of a long-term “3&D” player for the Hawks, while the Hawks also addressed an immediate need.

Mock drafts placed Prince anywhere between No. 10 and No. 30, making the pick seem like a reach to some. In reality though, there is a lot of parity between the players vying to be drafted in that range.

The pick of Prince won’t blow anyone away, but at 6’8” and 220 pounds coming out of college, he has the body and the defensive acumen that can contribute at the NBA level immediately. He led Baylor in scoring last season with 15.9 points per game and also grabbed 6.9 boards per contest.

Prince possesses a similar body type to former Hawks swingman DeMarre Carroll and already features an excellent three-point shot that does not need to be developed, sinking almost 40 percent of his long-range shots in his final college campaign.

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Prince also is a capable finisher at the rim, displaying his ability to cut to the basket in college. While he does not possess good ball-handling skills or the ability to create his shot, he will likely never have to within the Hawks offensive system.

Coach Mike Budenholzer emphasizes defensive play, as the Hawks finished second in the NBA this season in defensive efficiency. Prince is already a good defender, but of course will have to adjust to the athleticism present at the professional level.

The Hawks second first-round pick at No. 21, DeAndre Bembry, displayed excellent athleticism that can translate well into the NBA. Bembry averaged 17.4 points and 7.8 rebounds per game at Saint Joseph’s en route to winning the Atlantic 10’s Player of the Year award.

March 18, 2016; Spokane , WA, USA; St. Joseph’s Hawks forward DeAndre Bembry (43) moves to the basket against Cincinnati Bearcats during the first half in the first round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

Bembry is a player that can do a lot, and has a high motor on offense. He is an excellent finisher at the rim, and is good slashing through screens and penetrating to the basket.

He finished his final season at St. Joe’s with a 47.8 field goal percentage.

He also displayed good rebounding skills during his college career — something the Hawks are certainly desperately craving.

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Bembry’s jump shot definitely needs work, as he only made 26 percent of his three-point attempts this past season.

While that may be concerning to some — especially considering the Hawks emphasis on three-point shooting — this should not be an issue for Atlanta’s player development personnel.

Both DeMarre Carroll and Kent Bazemore had suspect shots before coming to the Hawks, and they have turned into two very effective long-range threats.

The age of both Prince and Bembry should not be overlooked as well, as they both enter the NBA as two of the more mature players in the draft. While some front-offices see this as a detriment, the Hawks love their maturity, which should make adjusting to the NBA easier.

By taking Prince and Bembry, the Hawks addressed the need to get younger at small forward and to add depth at the position.

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Should Kent Bazemore bolt in free agency, the Hawks are prepared to develop both these young players into capable replacements.

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