As he prepares to make a final decision on his status for the 2018 NBA Draft, what could Maryland guard Kevin Huerter provide in the NBA?
Who is Kevin Huerter?
As a pro prospect, Kevin Huerter has definitely flown under the radar nationally. His two seasons at the University of Maryland have not been the most fruitful in terms of team success, which has helped to keep him out of the public eye.
Maryland’s Sophomore shooting guard has been climbing big boards across the league since declaring for the NBA draft in April. His recent surge has been aided by an impressive showing at the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago, where he strengthened his case as the best shooter in this year’s crop.
Huerter has not hired an agent, and with his big decision currently looming, he may still opt to return to Maryland for one more year.
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Should he stay in school, Huerter will be looking to elevate his stock while leading his team and going deep into the NCAA Tournament for the first time. A first-round NCAA Tournament loss to Xavier ended his freshman campaign, while his most recent season ended when his Terrapins were defeated by Wisconsin in the second round of the Big 10 Conference Tournament.
With plenty of positive buzz stemming from the Combine, Huerter may have good reason to take the jump to the NBA now, though.
Let’s take a closer look at Huerter’s strengths and weaknesses on both ends of the court, get an up-to-date look at how draft experts rate him, and consider his potential role on the Milwaukee Bucks.
Strengths
At the risk of selling short some of his versatility, Kevin Huerter is an NBA prospect because he is very good at shooting. Huerter has repeatable form and a quick release that he has used to hit shots from all over the court.
Projected as a shooting guard, Huerter measured in at a height of 6’7″ and will have great size for his position.
Adjusting to NBA three-point range will be no problem for the Clifton Park, NY native. After a solid freshman shooting season where Huerter knocked down 37.1 percent from three-point range, he kicked on last season as a sophomore to make an impressive 41.7 percent of his 5.5 three-point attempts per game.
That sharpshooting spilled over into the Combine where Huerter ranked in the top-five of five of the seven shooting categories tested.
A former high-school point guard, Huerter uses his size to read defenses and make smart passes. He has shown the ability to facilitate pick and rolls, and the threat he presents as a shooter puts defenders in a difficult position.
Weaknesses
Huerter was decent as a ball-handler at Maryland, but the challenge of facilitating against pro defenses is going to be several levels up from what he is used to. While he may continue to improve this part of his game, it is going to take a lot of work before he can take full advantage of his court vision and creative instincts in the NBA.
Similarly, part of Heurter’s attractiveness as a prospect has to do with how he can shoot off the bounce while running the pick and roll. He’ll need to show that he can beat defenders one-on-one before getting that kind of space to shoot in the NBA.
Currently an efficient scorer in many different situations, Huerter is simply going to see a narrowing of scope in terms of what he can do well on the offensive end. As a young pro it is going to be all about catch-and-shoot threes. From there, he may have the chance to continue developing the all-around game he’s flashed during his two seasons of collegiate play.
Huerter held his own defensively at Maryland, and has the length and athleticism to play NBA defense. However, it’s worth noting that he usually didn’t draw the toughest defensive assignment, which leaves Huerter relatively unproven.
What the experts say
(As of 5/29)
ESPN (Jonathan Givony): N/A
The Ringer (Kevin O’Connor, Jonathan Tjarks, Danny Chau): 42nd
Sports Illustrated (Jeremy Woo): 18th
Sporting News (Chris Stone): N/A
The Athletic (Sam Vecenie): N/A
The Stepien (Cole Zwicker): 21st
The Step Back (Brandon Kleen): 51st
Quotes:
Jackson Hoy of The Stepien is bullish on Huerter’s chances to have a diverse role in an offense:
"“Huerter was the big riser in The Stepien’s updated rankings. His dynamic shooting ability at 6-foot-7.25 is the starting point for his attractiveness as a prospect. However, he’s more than a shooter, as he has shown surprising handling ability for a player of his size and shooting reputation.”"
Jeremy Woo of Sports Illustrated has the Spurs snatching Huerter with the 18th pick:
"“His size, shooting stroke and ability to make difficult shots off the catch and dribble are all high-level traits for a two-guard, and he tested well athletically, which didn’t hurt. His ability to make quick decisions and space the floor would fit nicely in San Antonio.”"
Fit with the Bucks
The Bucks have a number of capable three-point shooters, but since waiving forward Mirza Teletovic the Bucks lack a high-volume threat from deep. Huerter would fill that gap and probably be the team’s best shooter from day one.
According to many projections, if he stays in the draft, the former Terrapin will be available when the Bucks make their pick with the 17th overall selection. Many experts might consider it a reach, but is it ever really a reach when you’re getting the best shooter in the draft?
While he has one bankable skill already, Huerter does present a lot of upside. He is a solid athlete and has good vision, so coach Budenholzer and company would probably be licking their chops at the opportunity to cultivate his potential. With certain elements of his game still pretty raw, Budenholzer and his reputation for player development present a desirable landing spot for the 19-year-old.
If he pans out, Huerter’s shooting, athleticism, and feel for the game would make him the Bucks’ shooting guard of the future. The sight of a first-class shooter spacing the floor for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton would be a wonder to behold.
In the short term, he would probably back up Tony Snell and Middleton, and have the green light to light it fly. While Malcolm Brogdon and Sterling Brown are decent three-point shooters already coming off the bench, Huerter would be the guy to really put fear into the defense when the starters are getting rest.
It’s pretty hard to project how Huerter would perform on defense. He’ll have the length to defend shooting guards and small forwards, which opens up some possibilities in terms of playing him alongside the likes of Brogdon, Brown, Middleton, and Jabari Parker.
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On the whole, Huerter projects as a prospect whose skills would offer the Bucks some nice versatility, while also playing to the strengths of the best players already on the roster. If he remains in the draft, he’ll be a player worth consideration.