Fansided

2017 NBA Mock Draft, Week 23: The NBA Playoffs are upon us

By Chris Stone

Feb 9, 2017; Boulder, CO, USA; Washington Huskies guard Markelle Fultz (20) before the game against the Colorado Buffaloes at the Coors Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 9, 2017; Boulder, CO, USA; Washington Huskies guard Markelle Fultz (20) before the game against the Colorado Buffaloes at the Coors Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
21 of 30
Next
Mar 16, 2017; Buffalo, NY, USA; Villanova Wildcats guard Josh Hart (3) drives against Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers guard Greg Alexander (23) in the first half during the first round of the NCAA Tournament at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 16, 2017; Buffalo, NY, USA; Villanova Wildcats guard Josh Hart (3) drives against Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers guard Greg Alexander (23) in the first half during the first round of the NCAA Tournament at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports /
21

Josh Hart

SG, Villanova

Draft status: Automatically eligible as a senior

The Oklahoma City Thunder are set for an opening round matchup against the Houston Rockets that will be the talk of the town because it features Russell Westbrook vs. James Harden, but the real story will likely be the Rockets’ superior supporting casts. That’s what makes the draft so important for Oklahoma City. The Thunder need to find some additional pieces that can help push their franchise to the next level.

Villanova’s Josh Hart was named the Big East Player of the Year and averaged 22.6 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists per 40 minutes as a senior while posting a 61.9 true shooting percentage. He likely projects as a 3-and-D wing in the NBA and made 38.9 percent of his 532 3-point attempts in college. Hart also operated as a secondary creator for the Wildcats by using his ability to change pace to shed defenders. His lack of explosiveness may limit his ability to do so in the NBA, though.

Hart is also a tough defender. He should be able to guard both wing spots and may be able to do move after defending one through four in college. He rebounds well for his size and creates post a steal rate of 2.4 percent over his four seasons at Villanova.