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Portland Trail Blazers: 5 options for pick No. 26 in 2017 NBA Draft

By Raymond Simms

Mar 10, 2017; New York, NY, USA; Villanova Wildcats guard Josh Hart (3) reacts after making a basket late in the second half against the Seton Hall Pirates during the Big East Conference Tournament at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 10, 2017; New York, NY, USA; Villanova Wildcats guard Josh Hart (3) reacts after making a basket late in the second half against the Seton Hall Pirates during the Big East Conference Tournament at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports /
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Josh Hart
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1. Josh Hart, SG, Villanova

Josh Hart leaves Villanova as a very accomplished college basketball player. He was named First team All-American, Big East Player of the Year, and Big East tournament MVP this season. He also led the Wildcats to a national championship in 2016. Between his talent and effort on the court and his personality off of it, Hart fits the profile of what NBA front offices want in a player.

When Hart was awarded the 2017 Senior CLASS Award, his coach Jay Wright spoke highly of him in the award’s press release.

"“The Senior CLASS Award befits Josh’s career at Villanova,” said head coach Jay Wright. “He is one of the most complete players in Villanova history—among our leaders in scoring, rebounding, steals and assists. Off the court he is an Eagle Scout, a respected, active member of our community and of the student body and is set to graduate on time in May. He is a proud example of a student-athlete at Villanova.”"

Josh Hart is an amazing scorer that gets points in a number of ways. He finished 2016-17 averaging 18.7 points per game, shooting 51.0 percent from the field and 40.4 percent from three. He accumulated 5.1 offensive win shares, seventh-most in the country.

He’s also a talented defender, using his strong footwork and hustle to lock down opponents and go for 50-50 balls. His 2.6 defensive win shares are 19th-most in college basketball. Hart’s 7.7 rebounds per 40 minutes, pace-adjusted, is impressive for a 6’5″ 2-guard.

However, draft scouts have questions about how his offensive game will translate at the NBA level. Hart is not very creative or explosive off of the dribble. He often favors driving and finishing with his right hand.

He also struggles to finish at the rim if he’s too deep amongst the trees. When he can finish, he’s often hunting for fouls. It’s questionable if that will work early on in his career. He likely won’t get the same favorable calls as a rookie in the NBA that he received as a Villanova Wildcat. His shooting mechanics have also come into question.

Those concerns have really affected Hart’s draft stock. The Ringer has him at No. 41 and DraftExpress has him at No. 44 in their respective mock drafts. Picking him at No. 26 could be seen as a reach.

Next: 2017 NBA Mock Draft: Post-Lottery edition

However, with this being Portland’s last pick in the draft, taking a chance on a talented two-way player with good character could be worth the risk.

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