POP 2023 NBA Draft Profile: Taylor Hendricks
The 2023 NBA Draft class isn’t loaded with a dearth of talented forward prospects outside of Victor Wembenyama and Brandon Miller - the current projected first and second picks in the draft. However, when discussing which forward prospect ranks third in this class, Central Florida forward Taylor Hendricks firmly belongs in the discussion.
A 6’9” wing - who even stretched as a small-ball five at times - Hendricks possesses the player archetype that is among the most demanded of in the league. In a vacuum, he’s a 3&D wing - a near 40% 3-point shooter that averaged 1.7 blocks and 0.9 steals in 34 games last season. As the draft process continues and Hendricks visits with and works out in front of more teams, it’s easy to imagine his name being discussed as a potential top-five pick along with Cam Whitmore, Jarace Walker, Amen, and Ausar Thompson.
Strengths
Among many of the prospects ranked within the 4-10 range in the draft, there are questions about each prospect’s ability to shoot the ball. That is not the case for Hendricks, arguably one of the best shooters in the entire draft. The AAC All-Freshman shot 39.4% from the 3-point line on 4.6 attempts per game, and led all freshmen in the conference with 61 3-point field goals.
https://twitter.com/droppingdimes20/status/1618400078900887554
The shot mechanics are not perfect, but the results are tried and true on legitimate volume - a bit reminiscent of Tyrese Haliburton at Iowa State (funky form / good results). His ability to space the floor and knock down shots from beyond the arc will place him in a team’s rotation on day one of the NBA season.
Although the rest of his game on offense is a bit unpolished, Hendricks makes up for this by filling out as one of the most intriguing defensive prospects in the draft. He led all AAC freshmen with 59 blocks and is the fourth freshman in the last 30 years to record 50+ 3-PT field goals and blocks.
With the ability to defend on the perimeter and protect the rim, Hendricks can guard multiple positions, another trait that will earn him minutes on a nightly basis.
https://twitter.com/heisnotahooper/status/1630070453824880641
His mix of fundamentals, instincts, and size has culminated in Hendricks becoming a tantalizing defensive prospect. He’s the prototypical 3&D wing that is in such high demand in today’s NBA. Hendricks' best qualities give him a higher floor than other prospects in the draft, even if his ceiling isn’t equivalent to either of the Thompson twins or Whitemore.
Weaknesses
As mentioned, there is a sizable amount of room for improvement in Hendricks' offensive game. Any caution towards his worthiness as a top-five pick begins with his lack of skill as a shot-creator. He’s not a threat to beat his man off the dribble due to a lack of refinement to his handle. This impacts his ability to score off the bounce - something he’s not efficiently capable of doing unless it results in a dunk at the rim.
https://twitter.com/MavsDraft/status/1645098296069718018
It's also worth mentioning that Hendricks REALLY struggled to finish around the basket - he shot 57.7% at the rim and 44.7% on layups. Any shot around the basket that wasn’t a dunk was a wildly inefficient field goal attempt. These numbers are certainly concerning and he will need to improve his touch around the rim to counterbalance his outside shooting skills.
Fit
Hendricks’ fit with the Pistons is undeniable. The large majority of his minutes in the early moments of his NBA career are likely to come at the power forward spot, a position Detroit has been rumored to be looking to upgrade this offseason. Even if the franchise lands a bigger fish in free agency like Jerami Grant, Kyle Kuzma, or Harrison Barnes, Hendricks would be a strong depth piece that would ideally develop into a player capable of taking over the starting spot after a few seasons.
https://twitter.com/NBADraftWass/status/1618979234416070656
Detroit needs size, shooting, and defense, all qualities that Hendricks possesses. With so many other options to handle the ball and create offense (Cunningham, Ivey, Bogdanovic, Burks, etc.) I don’t think there would be a ton of pressure on Hendricks to generate offense for the team outside of spacing the floor and finishing plays at the rim. As one of the best 3&D prospects in the draft, Hendricks’ fit with the current construction of the Pistons may be the best out of any of the projected players to be selected with the fifth-overall pick.
Read - POP 2023 NBA Draft Profile: Jarace Walker
Read - POP 2023 NBA Draft Profile: Amen Thompson
https://youtu.be/em0mhXjEOK4