NBA Comparison: Jordan Clarkson

Strengths: Talented scorer, averaging 19.5 points per game while shooting 44.7% from the floor … Despite being the main focus of every defense the Rams faced, Hyland consistently was the team’s most important player and scorer … One of the draft’s most talented outside shooters … His best asset is his three-point shooting … Hyland has a quick release and can get his shot off above defenders … Hit at a 37.1% clip this season, but a 43.4% shooter as a freshman … The drop off is likely due more to having to take more difficult shots and a higher volume as the star versus getting easier looks as a role player in his freshman year … Should be a sniper in the NBA, as he will be getting set up for more catch and shoot, open looks … Is also very comfortable canning shots off the dribble, and has great range … Electric playmaker with polished, streetball type handle and tremendous quickness … Can get to the rim well, especially in transition, and converted at the rim at a very good 63.5% this past season … While he won’t be a primary ball handler in the NBA, Hyland showed creativity on the ball, using crossovers, stepbacks and eurosteps in order to gain separation both at the rim and behind the arc … Loves to push in transition and is able to get easy looks for himself and teammates with his tempo and ball skills … Is a tremendous free throw shooter … Is a solid rebounder with almost five per game … Was a great defender in college, forcing 1.9 steals per game … Can defend well on or off the ball, and has good instincts and positioning … Understands well when to switch, help or rotate, and makes a big impact on the defensive end of the floor … Over 50% of his looks came from behind the arc, and less than 15% came from mid-range, showing he will be an asset in the analytically-driven NBA … Hit 172 threes between his two seasons at VCU … Plays with tremendous energy and figures to be a great fit as an instant offense sixth man type …

Weaknesses: With a shift to more position-less basketball and versatility becoming a bigger part of the NBA, Hyland’s skinny, smaller stature stands out … Is the height and weight suited for a point guard, with the game of a shooting guard … Has added some weight, but still has to put in a lot of work on his body to be able to handle the physicality of making plays around the basket at the next level , as well as becoming a consistent defender … He is a good defender, but will struggle defending bigger players, even most shooting guards as they will have an immense strength advantage … Even with a pure shooting stroke, the 6% drop-off in percentage from his freshman season is a slight concern … Averaged more turnovers per game than assists, cementing the need to be a secondary playmaker than offensive initiator … To the same extent, the offense was always run through Hyland, but even with a high usage rate, he had a high number of poor decisions with the ball in his hands … He would be best utilized in the NBA as an off-ball cutter who comes off screens to get open looks from three, but often stood around when their wasn’t a specific play drawn for him to get open … His size and weight could impact his ability to have the same success attacking the basket … Has good lateral quickness, but lacks any leaping explosion, and has limited athleticism … Would likely have a higher projection if he had played a higher level of competition consistently. Faced an easy schedule this season, playing just one ranked team, scoring only 13 points with 31% from the floor …

Notes: Measured: 6’2.0” barefoot, 6’3.5” in shoes, 8’5.5” standings reach, 169.0 lba, 6’9.25” wingspan at the 2021 NBA Draft Combine …Nicknamed “Bones” … Appears to have a wingspan in the 6-9 to 6-10 range … Hyland was the A10 player of the year, leading both VCU and the conference in scoring … If drafted, he would be the first player to be taken since Larry Sanders in 2010, and would also join Sanders as the only VCU players to be taken that were not seniors … Was a four-star recruit out of HS, and rated the number one player in Delaware …

Michael Hopp 6/10/21