Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard, Josh Hart, is ready to become more than just a 3-and-D player.
Last season, the Los Angeles Lakers had one of the best draft classes in recent memory. While Lonzo Ball garnered the most attention as the No. 2 overall pick, it was the work the Lakers did later in the draft that was most impressive.
After some wheeling and dealing, the Lakers landed two more selections in the first round; No. 27 and No. 30. With the No. 27 overall pick, Los Angeles selected Kyle Kuzma out of Utah. Kuzma surpassed expectations right from the start, finishing the regular season tied for the team lead in points per game with 16.1.
With the No. 30 overall selection, the Lakers landed Josh Hart out of Villanova. As a four-year collegiate player, Hart was a little undervalued because of his age. However, there weren’t many players that were more ready for the NBA than Hart.
Hart battled injuries early on, but as the season wore on, his role grew as well. Hart could do everything well coming out of Villanova. He was the quintessential 3-and-D player, as he could defend multiple positions and knock down shots from the perimeter.
He showcased those talents throughout his rookie season. Hart is an excellent rebounder for a guard, enabling Luke Walton to deploy him at a number of different positions on the court.
The Lakers are very high on the Villanova product. They liked what they saw from him in his rookie season, but management hoping to see even more this upcoming season.
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Magic Johnson is especially fond of Hart, saying at one point he wished he had 20 Josh Harts on his roster. Heading into Summer League, Johnson gushed about Hart’s potential and what the team wanted him to work on this offseason.
"“Some guys better watch out, because he’s going to be pushing to start,” Johnson said during summer league“I told him the one thing he was missing was that he just couldn’t dribble very, very well,” Johnson said. “But now you can see he can break the defense down off the dribble now, off the bounce. He already had a good 3-point shot; it’s better now.”"
Hart wasted no time showcasing those talents in Las Vegas. He took home the MVP award, the second consecutive year a Lakers player won the award. The Lakers fell one game short of the title for a second straight year, but Hard played outstanding basketball regardless.
Second-year players are expected to play well in Summer League, and Hart did not disappoint. Hart averaged 22.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.5 blocks per game in Las Vegas.
"“That’s one of the biggest emphases … that I’m gonna work on this offseason,” Hart said at his exit interview. “Definitely getting more comfortable with the ball in my hands. Obviously I was able to show that a little bit later in the season. That’s something I feel like I can get a lot better in.”"
During his exit interview, he acknowledged that he needed to improve in some areas of his game, and it looks like he did from what he did at Summer League.
Hart was great in every facet of the game. The 3-and-D moniker bestowed on people sometimes can be a compliment. Hart, however, does not see it that way and is ready to be acknowledged as more than a 3-and-D player.
"“I don’t want to put a limit or a ceiling on what I think I can be,” Hart said. “When you hear ‘3 and D guy,’ you think of someone that can stand in the corner, make some jump shots when they need to and play defense. I think I can do that, but I think I can do so much more than that.”"
With LeBron James on the roster, Hart is one of the players that can truly flourish. His style of play will mesh well alongside James, as his high basketball IQ, shooting ability and defensive prowess are all necessary skills to succeed alongside the uber-talented James.
Hart will be battling it out with Kentaivous Caldwell-Pope for a starting spot next season. Even if he doesn’t win that spot, you can bet the house that Hart will be an integral part of the Lakers rotation and a big reason for their success.