Atlanta Hawks: Evaluating Kevin Huerter’s rookie season

Defender

When casual NBA fans hear about Kevin Huerter, they often picture the prototypical shooter. His body of work in college had him projected as that coming into the league, so that opinion is not unjustified … but he is so much more than just a shooter.

Athleticism and defense are two of the strongest parts of Huerter’s game. He has highlight reel dunks over intimidating defenders and and some vicious rejections as well.

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The trio of Huerter, Taurean Waller-Prince, and DeAndre’ Bembry have been entrenched as the defensive wing unit for coach Pierce. That is part of the reason that this team has jelled so well. Every player on the Hawks knows what they and their teammates do well, which reinforces the faith they have in each other.

Huerter averages almost a steal per game (0.9) and has shown his ability to block shots (0.3 per game). They key to his success though, lies in his defensive efficiency. Huerter averages 2.0 fouls per game while playing 27.2 minutes per game.

For context, Andre Drummond of the Detroit Pistons averages 3.5 fouls per contest, which is third-most in the league.

Huerter’s ability to defend without fouling is key for his development as it will keep him in games longer while he develops and improves his skill-set. All in all, Atlanta found a gem with the 19th overall pick.