2018 NBA Draft: Chandler Hutchison is a first round sleeper
By Max Holm
As conference play is fully underway in college basketball, several first round sleepers like Chandler Hutchison are starting to emerge in unlikely places.
Conference play in college basketball can get a bit overrated in terms of how valuable the performances are by NBA prospects. However, we do sometimes get matchups between players with NBA potential. In general, though, it sees top players face their toughest competition of the year.
Players that thrive during conference play and through the end of the season can see their draft stock soar. For Boise State’s Chandler Hutchison, he was already trending in the right direction.
A career night
The senior wing was playing great ball, but then had his game of the season in a conference game against an athletic San Diego State team.
Against the Aztecs, Hutchison went off for 44 points on just 21 shot attempts. The Boise State senior hit seven 3s and seven free throws en route to a career night. Not only was it an amazing night for the senior, but it was actually the most points scored in Boise State’s history. In addition to his scoring explosion, Hutchison grabbed eight rebounds and had one assist.
After his monster night, Hutchison sits nicely on the season, averaging 19.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.2 steals per game. In addition to those great numbers, he’s hitting a career-high 42.4 percent from 3, a career high from the charity stripe and is assisting on nearly one-fourth of his team’s field goals when he’s on the floor.
If Hutchison continues to rebound and pass well, he becomes more appealing as a prospect. How quickly he can pick up defensive schemes and concepts will be critical to being a rotation player early on in his career.
Not a lot of first round depth
For this upcoming draft class, there’s a lot of excitement about the top 8-10 players. After that, things get a lot more uncertain. Hutchison doesn’t possess the same upside as younger wings like Lonnie Walker. However, for a team picking in the back third of the first round, Hutchison’s 3-and-D potential is worth taking a flier on.
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
The 3-and-D wing is arguably the toughest position to find in the NBA and one that is highly valued. Rather than investing in project big men who are extremely risky, more teams should look for wings like Hutchison.
Sure he may be 22 and closer to 23 by the time his career starts, but he’s a useful player. One of the pros of drafting a senior is they may be more likely to contribute sooner than freshmen. For a lot of teams picking in the mid-to-late 20s, they’re looking to make playoff runs in 2019. Those teams could use someone who can contribute sooner rather than later.
This is especially true if a team doesn’t have a loaded bench when it comes to shooting guard and small forward. Sometimes swinging for the fences isn’t always the best option. Nearly every team in the NBA could use another long, athletic shooter on the wing.
Next: 2018 NBA Mock Draft: End of 2017 edition
With still months to go until the draft, Hutchison has clearly emerged as someone worth following. Yet, even if he goes in the second round, we may look back on him as someone who should have gone in the first. He’s putting his name in the conversation for sure.