2019 NBA Draft: Ranking the top 5 small forward prospects

NBA Draft R.J. Barrett (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images)
NBA Draft R.J. Barrett (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images)
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NBA Virginia De’Andre Hunter (Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images)

2. De’Andre Hunter, Virginia

Stats: 15.2 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 2.2 APG, 53.3% FG, 47.3% 3FG, 78.7% FT

Advanced Stats: PER- 26.0, WS- 6.3, OFF RTG- 129.6, DEF RTG- 91.7, BPM- 12.2

De’Andre Hunter has been one of college basketball’s best two-way players so far this season. His numbers on offense don’t jump off the screen, but you have to remember that Hunter and UVA play the slowest pace in college basketball so his numbers are always smaller in comparison to players who play on a faster paced team.

Hunter’s defense and 3-point shot (47%) really stand out as he’s a lockdown defender who can guard all five positions at the college level. In the Cavaliers win over UNC recently, Hunter was responsible for shutting down UNC PG Coby White in the second half.

Hunter doesn’t appear to have much of a weakness in his game other than nitpicking that he isn’t much of a playmaker but at the NBA level he shouldn’t be expected to create offense as much as be more of a 3-and-D type of player.