2017 NBA Draft Preview
Josh Hart: Hart of a Champion
Maturity, focus, and toughness — traits that the Knicks could use around the clubhouse. Could Josh Hart bring positive vibes to the Garden?
Josh Hart is one of the most decorated and accomplished players in Villanova Basketball history. During his four years as a Wildcat, Hart shot at least 50 percent from the field every year and improved his scoring numbers each season, closing his career with an impressive 18.7 points per game during his senior campaign. The 6'6" shooting guard’s résumé also includes a National Championship in 2016.
Hart is one of the most mature players in this draft class and possesses an incredibly high basketball I.Q. His winning attitude, coupled with his tremendous motor and big game experience, makes him an attractive option for general managers looking for a quality role player in the second round.
The 22-year-old, under the tutelage of the great Jay Wright, grew into a lethal perimeter shooter that always seemed to make the right decision with the ball. As a Villanova fan, I found myself watching Hart play quite frequently, and it was evident that he has the potential to stick in the NBA for a long time as a 3-and-D type player that makes others around him better.
Pro Comparisons
Ceiling: Malcolm Brogdon
Both Hart and Milwaukee Bucks guard Malcolm Brogdon experienced a wide range of big game college basketball experiences by the time they declared for the NBA draft. Brogdon has carved out a nice role in Milwaukee and he became a valuable player on an up and coming team. Despite his limited athleticism and subpar offensive creativity, he can shoot the three, play strong defense, and also get to the rim.
Brogdon is never going to wow you with his explosiveness, but his work ethic, court awareness, and well-rounded production are impressive.
Best case, I could see Hart becoming a Brogdon-esque type of player who could start for a good team in the future. Both of these guys have similar stature and are light years ahead of their age in terms of intelligence on the court. Good shooters and fierce competitors at their core, they also make their fair share of defensive plays. To me, Hart has the potential to be an even better NBA shooter than Brogdon, but in terms of overall impact, I don’t envision Hart panning out to be a star player. Whatever the outcome, every team needs a guy like Josh Hart or Malcolm Brogdon to be successful.
Realistic Outcome: Norman Powell
Norman Powell had a solid season for the Toronto Raptors in a limited role. His production off the bench helped take some of the offensive load off the shoulders of All-Stars DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry. I envision Hart having the exact same role as Powell in the NBA, at least for his first few seasons. Hart is an efficient scorer, similar to Powell, who exploded for 25 points in Game 5 of Toronto’s series against the Bucks. Hart is comparable to Powell in that they both are undersized shooting guards that can get to the rim and stroke it from behind the arc.
Powell is in an ideal situation where he can thrive not being a top four scoring option on a well coached team. I believe that if Hart lands in a good situation where the kitchen sink isn’t thrown at him, he could fit into a role nicely like Powell has, and maybe even develop into a solid sixth man.
Strengths
Perimeter Shooting
Hart was one of the most dangerous catch-and-shoot players in the Big East this past year. His excellent shooting numbers can be attributed to his alteration of his release point following his freshman season, in which he focused on releasing the ball at its apex instead of on the way down. Hart averaged two made threes per game in his final season at Nova, with many of those being game-tying or game-winning shots in crunch time. Hart isn’t afraid to hoist them up when it matters and exhibits an understated confidence while shooting the rock.
In order for Hart to sustain any type of career in the NBA, he must continue to be an efficient shooter from the outside and progress in shaking off defenders for open looks.
Leadership
Hart’s exceptional leadership abilities really came to the forefront during his senior season after point guard and Villanova all-time great Ryan Arcidiacono graduated. It became Hart’s team to lead, and he did an exceptional job grabbing the bull by the horns, mentoring younger guys and playing his butt off to the tune of a 32–4 record for his Wildcats. You almost never saw Hart throw up ill-advised shots or pout on the bench like a lot of today’s shooting guards do. He is the first one in the gym to lead by example and he takes winning seriously.
Defensive Intensity
Hart isn’t the most explosive or physically gifted athlete in the world, but by no means is he slow or unathletic. He is actually an exceptional defender for someone who isn’t supremely quick. Hart plays more of a crafty style of defense, always getting his hands into the passing lanes and taking charges in big spots. Josh takes his defensive responsibilities seriously and works extremely hard to lock down his man. His effort on closeouts is excellent and constant. He does have experience guarding four positions on the floor, even though he will probably only guard 1’s and 2’s in the NBA.
Weaknesses
Creating Own Shot
Throughout his college career, Hart excelled in the catch-and-shoot game but struggled at creating his own looks with the ball. His dribbling skills are mediocre, which prevented him from creating space and pulling up on a dime from mid-range. His lack of offensive creativity and versatility is a huge reason why Hart’s ceiling isn’t as high as other shooting guards in this class, and why he is not a projected first rounder. Hart must get more comfortable with isolation opportunities and improve upon both his pull-up jumpers and ball handling skill to secure a long term role.
Finishing Against Bigger Defenders
Moving up to the NBA means the players are bigger, faster, stronger, and more physical. This could pose a problem for Hart, who doesn’t have the power or agility to finish in traffic despite his solid frame. His leaping ability is average, and there was no indication from his time as a Wildcat that he will be throwing down highlight reel dunks. Similar to the player covered in my last draft profile, Oregon star Dillon Brooks, Hart is a slasher who only moves in one direction towards the hoop. With bigger guards and interior players, he won’t be able to attack the rim mano a mano like he did at Nova. Hart will have to improve on upping his field-goal percentage in the paint and work on his finishing ability around the rim.
Hart’s Fit With The Knicks
I believe Josh Hart would be an excellent second round pick for New York. He has all of the characteristics that the Knicks as a team lack, such as toughness, shooting ability, and a winning mindset. I believe he could be a contributor off of the bench and someone who would fit in well with the Triangle due to his passing ability and unselfish attitude.
Playing on the biggest stage at MSG wouldn’t be daunting for Hart, considering that he has played in New York City before in games of large magnitude. I believe he is one of the more NBA ready and mature prospects in this draft, and he could be a valuable 3-and-D guy coming off of the bench while the Knicks continue to attempt to build a playoff team.
If I were Steve Mills and Phil Jackson, then this is the guy I would want on my team, and the chances of him being available when the Knicks select in the second round are pretty high.
— Nick Scolaro, site writer
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