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2019 NBA Mock Draft: No one in the lottery wants to lose

By Brendon Kleen

PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 22: Cam Reddish #2 of the Duke Blue Devils reacts after hitting a three pointer against the Pittsburgh Panthers at Petersen Events Center on January 22, 2019 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 22: Cam Reddish #2 of the Duke Blue Devils reacts after hitting a three pointer against the Pittsburgh Panthers at Petersen Events Center on January 22, 2019 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) /
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MORAGA, CA – MARCH 02: Rui Hachimura #21 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs reacts after a slam dunk against the Saint Mary’s Gaels during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at McKeon Pavilion on March 2, 2019 in Moraga, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
MORAGA, CA – MARCH 02: Rui Hachimura #21 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs reacts after a slam dunk against the Saint Mary’s Gaels during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at McKeon Pavilion on March 2, 2019 in Moraga, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

Gonzaga. Rui Hachimura. 14. player. 18. . F

Boston has drafted so many players the past ten or so years that it can be difficult to peg precisely what type of guy they “usually” target. The reality is they’ve drafted players from a variety of backgrounds during this rebuild, from underrated ACC All-Regioner Terry Rozier to international youngsters Guerschon Yabusele and Ante Zizic. Most often, though, they’ve targeted big-time prospects from Blue Blood college programs.

Examples in that mold include Jared Sullinger, James Young, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Robert Williams III. So while Gonzaga isn’t quite what you’d consider a Blue Blood (especially until they win a national championship under Mark Few), the Celtics could become the team to pull the trigger on the hotly debated Hachimura.

Hachimura remains incredibly productive and incredibly efficient, scoring 27.1 points per 40 minutes on a 66.0 true shooting percentage. His block percentage has crept back up to his career average (it’s at 2.4 percent right now) and his turnovers are down despite more opportunities with the ball in his hand.

No, the debate is not about productivity. Instead, the questions about Hachimura are about winning — can he be a part of it? This seems like a remarkably backward conception of Hachimura as a player as he currently is and far too draft-nerdy a way to look at things. You may have heard Gonzaga is a powerhouse. They have not lost a game in the West Coast Conference and will cruise to another No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. Hachimura is the best player on one of the best teams in the nation — but he can’t win?

His decision-making could use some NBA coaching and he needs to get better as a 3-point shooter, but it’s hard to find much more to worry about in his game.

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