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Chandler Hutchison – 6’7″ Forward, Boise State University, 22 Years Old
Chandler Hutchison will enter the NBA Draft as a likely late first round pick. A senior from Boise State University, Hutchison was a Top 30 Finalist for the Naismith Trophy and a Top 10 Finalist for the Jerry West Award in 2018. He was also named First Team All-Mountain West Conference. Hutchison initially declared for the 2017 NBA Draft but chose to return to college, having a highly successful senior season.
During the 2017-18 season, Hutchison established himself as Boise State’s number one option. He averaged 20 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.3 blocks. He connected on 47.5% of field goal attempts, 35.9% of three-point shots, and 72.8% of free-throws. A versatile two-way player who can guard multiple positions, Hutchison recently withdrew from the NBA Combine, with reports he has found a “safe landing spot”, with a team in the 20-30 range.
Strengths
Chandler Hutchison is an extremely explosive and versatile player, who is able to score in a multitude of ways. He is extremely efficient in catch and shoot situations, and his size and athleticism allow him to finish at the rim with ease. Hutchison passes well for a forward (3.5 assists per game) and is a terrific defensive rebounder (6.8 per game). He is a solid defender and posts particularly high steals per game numbers (1.5).
Hutchison had a usage percentage of 33.2, meaning a third of team plays were engineered for him whilst on the floor. This seems to have been successful; he had a PER of 25.9. The league average was 15. With a free-throw attempt rate of 0.519, he also displayed an ability to draw fouls and get to the line
Defense seems to be an area where Hutchison is fairly efficient. Despite being a forward, he averaged 1.5 steals a game. He posted defensive wins shares of .092. His size, speed, and athleticism allow him to guard multi-positionally and should allow him to make the transition to the NBA level.
Weaknesses
While Hutchison is a high-level scorer, he can struggle to create his own shot. He is an inconsistent shooter off the dribble, and his handle is shaky at times. Because of this, he also has a high turnover count, at around three and a half per game. Hutchison also struggles to rebound offensively, with only 0.9 per game.
Defensively, Hutchison can struggle to guard fast and explosive guards, as he can be slow to move his feet. Furthermore, for his size, he blocks shots at a fairly low rate of 0.3 per game.
NBA Potential
Hutchison is an athletic wing, hopefully translating to the desired ‘3-and-D’ player which have come into fashion in the modern NBA. His versatility means he could fit into a number of teams and systems, and become a serviceable starting wing, possibly even a key role player. Hutchison can add the much-needed spark to a team, and give them consistent numbers on both sides of the ball.
NBA Player Comparison
Chandler Hutchison is a stretch wing player, extremely versatile and able to provide for a team on both ends of the court. When comparing him to NBA players, think Jayson Tatum, Andre Iguodala, and Will Barton. Long, explosive, able to score and distribute the ball, whilst locking up their man on the other end. Expect to see Hutchison taken late in the first round, come draft night.
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