Chad Ford Mock Draft: Atlanta Hawks select Zach LaVine
By Jacob Rude
Chad Ford, NBA Draft expert for ESPN, released the seventh edition of his mock draft on Tuesday morning, and there were a couple surprises. Of note, the Hawks were mocked as taking Zach Lavine, guard out of UCLA, with the 15th pick of the draft. LaVine is a combo guard who is looking to prove he can play point guard at the next level.
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According to Ford, the Hawks will be looking to add more shooting and more scoring from the two-guard position. As stated above, LaVine is trying to prove to scouts and general managers his has potential at the point guard spot, but most believe he will play the shooting guard spot to start his career in the league.
While Kyle Korve is one of the best shooters in the game, he’s not a natural scorer. By that, he can’t create shots for himself and really is just a three-point specialist, albeit one of the best in the league. Lavine’s athleticism was on full display in Los Angeles last week when he nearly jumped out of the gym, posting a 46″ vertical. His explosiveness has drawn comparisons to Russell Westbrook, and rightfully so.
The Hawks need a player like LaVine, a team that lacks athleticism, especially on the perimeter. LaVine would not start right away, but that’d be a good situation for him considering he’s still a bit raw and could use some maturing and refining.