NBA Comparison: Antawn Jamison

Strengths: Athletic forward and smart decision maker with a versatile skill set … Reliable, steady performer with a smooth playing style … Very team oriented player, who puts his team’s performance and winning over individual accolades … Excellent mid-range jump shooter, and continues to add range and consistency … Possesses great length with a 7’2 wingspan … An above average athlete with agility, good speed and solid leaping ability … Very good at running the floor and finishing on the break … A strong competitor. Plays the game with consistent focus and energy … Coming to the US three years ago and having never played AAU ball, he has always played a structured game … Being late to the game, he never really developed any bad habits … Has an excellent approach to the game and shows the desire to improve through hard work … Has developed his ball handling to the point where he can comfortably bring the ball up the floor, lead the break as well as take bigger opponents off the dribble from the perimeter … Shows good touch around the rim … Plays a very controlled game. Doesn’t gamble for steals or generally get out of control on drives … Really embraced the role of team leader and superstar in his junior year, ramping up his scoring output from 11.6 ppg to 19.6 ppg … Should be a solid scorer at the next level due to his ability to knock down open jumpshots consistently … Solid defender. Does a good job of contesting shots on the perimeter, utilizing his length and anticipation … Good feel for playing in the post. Uses leverage and positioning to his advantage  … Understands how to use his body to create space and shield defenders off in order to get shots off … Strong, athletic body with good muscle tone … Scores well around the rim … Shows solid use of his left hand, both ball handling and finishing with dunks and shots around the rim … Has textbook shooting mechanics, squares up, quick release with follow through … A (decent) 74% free throw shooter and and should be able to improve that over time to be an 80+% FT shooter at the next level … Shows solid leadership skills … Confident personality. Rises to the challenge as he did against Duke in Maui, in their early season match up, leading Gonzaga to the win over Zion Williamson and Duke to capture the Maui Jim’s Maui Invitational championship … Has put in a lot of work in the weight room and has a very solid frame with good core and leg strength … Great conditioning. Gonzaga often uses him to spearhead their press and he never appears winded or runs out of energy late in games … Naturally athletic frame with good muscle tone …

Weaknesses: Needs to continue to improve his 1-on-1 skills and ability to create off the dribble, in order to enhance his shooting and scoring ability … Must continue to polish his feel for the game … Has a good wingspan, but at 6-8 is a bit small at the power forward position … Not a perfect fit at either forward position, though he could work at the next level as a match up, small ball four if he continues to get stronger and expands his shooting range … Doesn’t possess the fastest first step to get by smaller defenders … Must become a better passer and ball handler and add the ability to create pull up jumpers in rhythm … Being late to the game, (playing against high level competition) there are times that he looks a little lost when plays break down. He has moments where he makes shots that look unorthodox or shots that are off by a lot. His lack of feel at times is due to coming to the game late … At times will challenge bigger players and go into the teeth of the defense and force up contested low percentage shots, or get his shot blocked  … Only 7% of his shots were from three point range, though he did hit a very solid clip at 45% … Should look to expand his shooting range (to NBA 3) and make the three point shot a bigger part of his arsenal … Not the most physical of players at the 4 position. Could improve on his rebounding at 6.5 rebound per game … Struggles at times to keep a handle on the ball, allowing it to get poked loose. Should look to strengthen his hands and wrists with weights … Struggles some to limit opponents scoring. At times gets beat off the dribble by small er quicker players …

Outlook: Hachimura is considered a likely top 10 pick and possible top 5 pick for the 2019 NBA draft by NBA scouts … A bright kid who has picked up the English language and adapted to American culture quickly … Figures to have a substantial endorsement deal after his college career is over as he can become an ambassador to basketball for an entire nation, not to mention potentially boosting the interest of the sport in the surrounding countries in Asia …

Notes: From Toyama, Japan … Participated for Japan at the 2014 U17 World Championships in Dubai, where he led the tournament in scoring at 22.1 ppg … Also participated at the Jordan Brand Classic’s international game at the Barclays Center in 2015, after committing to Gonzaga … Came to the US for his freshman season in 2016-17 Season, and nearly red-shirted … Became the fifth Japan born player to play Division I NCAA basketball …

Aran Smith 3/30/19