Los Angeles Lakers: Josh Hart finishes rookie campaign on high note

Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Josh Hart had a strong rookie season, finishing on a high note.

Los Angeles Lakers rookie guard Josh Hart was selected 30th overall in the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft. He was a popular player that came from Villanova University. Though he was a part of the 2016 National Championship team at Villanova, his draft prospects weren’t high.

He was a 1st team All-American for the 2016-2017 season, but that didn’t translate to him becoming a lottery pick. Most scouts described Hart as a “3-and-D” player that would be a role player for potential teams. However, this pre-draft evaluation of Hart didn’t stop him from earning time and showing his full game for the Lakers.

Hart had to fight for minutes early on in the season. According to ESPN, Hart averaged 13.5 minutes in November, which limited him to only scoring 2.4 points per game. As various injuries began to affect the team, Hart saw his minutes increase. Hart eventually saw his playing time increase to 32.1 minutes in February before falling to a hand injury that kept him out for almost all of March.

With the increased time, Hart saw his scoring averages rise to 12.2 points. He also showed his ability to crash the glass effectively during February, averaging 7.4 rebounds per game. Coach Luke Walton and staff were impressed, taking notice of Hart’s versatility.

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After sustaining the hand injury at the beginning of March, Hart missed most of March. He returned on March 30th, but some people were skeptical of Hart’s ability to bounce back strong from injury. With multiple players out with injury, Hart led a depleted Lakers roster.

With the ball in his hands more, Hart balled out for the Lakers. In the final month of the season, Hart averaged 34.9 minutes a game. He saw his scoring averages rise to 17 points per game, including four-straight 20-plus games. Hart became the second Lakers rookie, alongside Kyle Kuzma, to achieve such a feat.

Hart’s versatility was on the display in the month of April too. He shot an efficient 49.4 percent from the field and 41.5 percent from deep. He also grabbed 6.3 rebounds and dished out 2.1 assists over that stretch.

Over the seven-game stretch in April, Hart grabbed double-digit rebounds twice. His reliable shooting and consistent rebounding showed Hart’s potential for the Lakers.

In his final game of the season against the Los Angeles Clippers, Hart’s full game was on display. He shot 9-for-15 overall to score 30 points in the season finale. This included him shooting a stellar 7-for-9 from deep and 5-for-5 from foul line.

Hart was asked after the game about how he as able to score at a higher clip. He took the question as an opportunity to take a jab at fellow rookie Kuzma.

The reporter asked, “Why do you think the end of the season opened up the way it did?” Hart wittily replied, “Told y’all because Kuz[ma] wasn’t in the game”.

Hart and his rookie teammates often joke with one another. Though, Hart also said that “the game started to just slow down for me.”

Josh Hart played great in the final stretch of the season. He was able to both guard the best players on opposing teams while also help to carry the offensive load. He’s proven that his initial “3-and-D” billing was a limited description of his game.

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He is excited to enter the off-season so he can continue to work at his game. If he and fellow rookies Kuzma and Ball can come back better next season, watch out for this Lakers team.

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