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R.J. Hunter Draft Profile — 6’6″ Shooting Guard, Georgia State University, 21 Years Old
R.J. Hunter is a gunner and sharpshooter who played for his father’s team at Georgia State University. This past season, the junior Hunter played for the Panthers alongside Louisville transfer Kevin Ware and Kentucky transfer Ryan Harrow, averaging 19.5 points per game. In the NCAA tournament, Hunter shot a memorable game winning NBA-length 3, leading the upstart 14 seed Panthers over the heavily favored Baylor Bears. He projects as an outside shooter in the NBA, and although his shooting numbers are lower than expected for a perimeter-based shooting guard, that hasn’t deterred NBA teams from pursuing him aggressively.
Offensive Game: R.J. Hunter has a constructed niche for playing in the NBA as an outside shooter. Although he only shot 30.5 percent from 3 this year, NBA scouts have attributed that number to a dismal start to his 2014-2015 campaign. However, Hunter shot nearly 40% in his sophomore year, a number which causes many guard-based teams to salivate. Hunter also is an excellent ball handler, often maneuvering through offenses with much finesse. However, his frame is light, and at only 185 pounds, Hunter will need to spend some time in the weight room in order to add significant amounts of muscle mass. Additionally, there is some concern for Hunter in his ability to beat people off the dribble, but he was known for “creating” chances during this past season, earning 230 trips to the free throw line. Hunter is also an excellent distributor of the ball, leading the team with 126 assists.
Defensive Game: An agile asset, Hunter played a prolific role in the Panthers’ zone defense, averaging 2.1 steals and 1.0 blocks per game. Hunter’s defensive traits are also seen in his excellent basketball IQ and 6′ 10″ wingspan, making him a valuable player to many schemes. However, many scouts question whether or not his adaptability to a man defense and conditioning make him a valuable enough asset defensively. His combine performance in Chicago will go a long way toward determining his draft placement.
NBA Potential: Due to his lack of experience against top tier competition, Hunter’s true potential is unknown. However, if his shooting numbers go back toward his stellar sophomore levels, and he is able to remain injury free, Hunter has an extremely high ceiling and could turn into a championship team’s starting shooting guard over the next 3 years. Question marks currently surround his defensive adaptability in a man defense, but in any zone, Hunter is an asset. Hunter will never have head-turning speed, but his shooting may be able to compensate.
NBA comparison: The Sun Belt male athlete of the year can be compared favorably with Manu Ginobili or Shane Battier, given the fluidity in his shot and his size at the shooting guard position.
