NBA Comparison: Hilton Armstrong

Strengths: Bigman with a good level of experience after 4 years of development at one of college basketball’s top programs … An above average run/jump athlete with solid fluidity and athleticism … Very explosive. Measured a 39.5 inch maximum vertical, which is elite for a center … Showed some rim protection and shot blocking ability, despite lacking ideal length … Surprisingly good passer for a center with a near 2-1 A/TO ratio as a junior and 3 assists per game over the past two seasons … A good rebounder. Very active on the offensive boards … Utilizes his great leaping ability to snatch rebounds … Excellent as a lob target on rim runs … Very good leaper from a standstill and seems more effective operating in the half court … Has shown steady progress throughout his college career from a statistical and impact standpoint … Finds ways to help his team win even when he’s not scoring … 7 rebounds and 3 assists per game as a senior illustrate his versatility … Smart, team player who gives solid effort on the defensive end … Has quick feet and does a good job of defending in space … Solid post defender, although he’ll need to add some weight to find similar success at the next level … Has a very effective runner that he utilizes in the paint … Shows some ability to face the basket and run the pick and roll as the ball handler … Candidate to be used in high post, utilizing his passing ability …

Weaknesses: Undersized for a center at 6’9.5 barefoot and just a 6’11 wingspan and 8’8.5 standing reach …. Shooting is a real weakness … Most of his scoring came from within the paint and even his mid range shots are more of push shots and floaters than actual jumpshots … Will need to work on adding a better shooting motion from outside the paint … Currently has no three point shooting ability … His lack of shooting range hurts his ability to be much of a factor on the offensive end … Lack of touch affects his ability to convert post moves and non-dunks around the rim … Post game remains limited … A career 62% free throw shooter … Has added some bulk and become a more physical player, but struggles to be much of a factor creating points through free throw trips (1.5 made FT for his career, 2.5 made FT per game as a senior) … Needs to add more strength, at 222 lbs, he will get pushed around in the paint and struggle when matched against more physical bigs at the NBA level … Surprisingly just an average player in transition …

Outlook: Eligible for the 2024 NBA Draft and is projected to go somewhere in the mid-late second round … Athletic big who provides versatility with his great athleticism, defense, and passing ability … An unfinished product due to his shooting inefficiency. Could end up a steal if a team with a top level shot doctor is effectively able to reconstruct his form … Better shooting/scoring could really unlock his overall impact on games …

Notes: Measured: 6′ 9.50” barefoot, 222 lbs, 6′ 11.00” wingspan, 8′ 8.50” standing reach, 35 standing vert, 39.5 max vert at the 2024 NBA Draft Combine … Native of Chandler, AZ …

Aran Smith 6/16/24