Cleveland Cavaliers: 5 options for pick No. 5 in 2019 NBA Draft
By Tony Pesta
1. De’Andre Hunter
The No. 1 prospect on our list just so happens to be a reigning national champion, De’Andre Hunter. A key member during Virginia’s 2019 championship run, Hunter is a talented, 6’7″ guard.
In his freshman year, Hunter put up a promising 9.2 points per game off of the bench. After an injury stopped Hunter from participating in the NCAA Tournament that year, his team became the first ever 1-seed to be upset in the first round by a 16-seed. It is no coincidence that one year later, with Hunter in the lineup, the Virginia Cavaliers won the championship.
This is largely due to the massive leap Hunter made in his sophomore season. Averaging 15.2 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, Hunter was named to the 2019 All-ACC Team and won the ACC Defensive Player of the Year award.
The most impressive part of his game is how efficient Hunter shot from the field. Above average finishing around the rim and smart shot selection from deep led to him connecting on 52.0 percent of all field goal attempts and 43.8 percent of his 3-point field goals.
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Hunter’s long frame and versatility on both offense and defense have helped draw in comparisons to Kawhi Leonard. This comparison might be a stretch, but it speaks volumes to the type of player Hunter has the potential to become. The Cleveland Cavaliers absolutely should have him at the top of their list with the fifth overall pick.