One Lakers draft target at each position with the 17th overall pick
Lakers shooting guard draft target: Jordan Hawkins, UConn
Jordan Hawkins, a 6’5″ wing player out of UConn, is a former top-50 recruit known for his elite three-point shooting. Hawkins led the Big East Conference in three-point makes with an impressive 109 triples. He is an absolute sniper from beyond the arc, hitting 38.8 percent of his 7.6 three-point attempts per game.
Hawkins also showcased an improved mid-range and pull-up game in the final month of the season. As an off-ball player, the Lakers could deploy him in dribble handoffs as they do in this clip with Malik Beasley, who also has built a reputation for his three-point shooting in the NBA.
Here the Lakers are in early offense and smoothly run a stagger dho for Beasley who hits off-movement. His level of shooting adds such a needed wrinkle to the playbook. pic.twitter.com/JpOqnYQZ9A
— Alex Regla (@AlexmRegla) February 16, 2023
Hawkins would be prepared to be placed in these types of off-ball actions as he was the beneficiary of many types of NBA actions as a constant movement guy for Dan Hurley and the Huskies. The clip below demonstrates a DHO that UConn frequently used this past season to get Hawkins on the move and create space for him to get a three-point shot off.
NBA movement J from Jordan Hawkins
— Bryce Hendricks (@BryceHendrick14) May 13, 2023
He definitely seems more comfortable hopping and going left, but it's great to see him hit movement 1-2s going right. Not sure he is in that top echelon of movement shooters, but the volume of NBA actions is promising pic.twitter.com/nGIovWMFPy
Defensively, he is a decent off-ball defender who can make solid defensive rotations and hustles frequently, but his limited athletic ceiling may require teams to hide him on defense. Hawkins may struggle to create his own shots at the NBA level against lankier and much stronger defenders, but he did put up pretty good tape against Anthony Black, one of the best defensive guards in this year’s draft.
His shooting ability more than offsets his lack of ball-handling expertise and playmaking gravity. Although he struggles to finish inside the paint, his championship pedigree and ability to excel as an off-ball player make him a promising prospect for the Lakers. The question about Hawkins may be whether the Lakers even get a chance at him, as he’s been projected to go anywhere from 11 to 20 in most mock drafts.
NBA Comparison: Memphis Grizzlies guard Luke Kennard