Busting Brackets
Fansided

North Carolina Basketball: Who is the Tar Heels’ best NBA Draft prospect?

By Daniel Benjamin

Apr 1, 2017; Glendale, AZ, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Justin Jackson (44) reacts after making a basket against the Oregon Ducks in the second half in the semifinals of the 2017 NCAA Men's Final Four at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 1, 2017; Glendale, AZ, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Justin Jackson (44) reacts after making a basket against the Oregon Ducks in the second half in the semifinals of the 2017 NCAA Men's Final Four at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 6
Next
Apr 1, 2017; Glendale, AZ, USA; Oregon Ducks forward Dillon Brooks (24) drives to the basket against North Carolina Tar Heels forward Isaiah Hicks (4) and North Carolina Tar Heels guard Joel Berry II (2) during the first half in the semifinals of the 2017 NCAA Men’s Final Four at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 1, 2017; Glendale, AZ, USA; Oregon Ducks forward Dillon Brooks (24) drives to the basket against North Carolina Tar Heels forward Isaiah Hicks (4) and North Carolina Tar Heels guard Joel Berry II (2) during the first half in the semifinals of the 2017 NCAA Men’s Final Four at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports /

Isaiah Hicks

Isaiah Hicks is a fringe NBA player in my opinion. Hicks would likely thrive in the D-League or in top-tier European leagues. However, he is seen as a possible second-round choice by ESPN’s Chad Ford and Draft Express, mainly due to his athleticism. He is ranked No. 61 on Ford’s Big Board and 78th best prospect by Draft Express.

Hicks is extremely explosive leaper who finishes well around the rim. The 6’9″ power forward has chiseled physique. He also has fabulous physical tools with a standing reach of 8’9″ and a 7’1″ wingspan. His biggest drawbacks are his lack of perimeter game and overall strength.

Hicks improved his scoring, rebounding, assists, blocks, and free-throw shooting throughout his collegiate career. His shooting percentage dropped a little bit from his junior campaign of 61.4% to 57.4% last year. He gets into foul trouble as he has been whistled for a foul 5.2 times per 40 minutes, though that is down from 6.7 fouls the previous two years. Hicks is also not great defensively.

Hicks averaged 11.8 points along with 5.5 rebounds a game in 2016-17. He ranked in the ACC’s Top-10 in two-point field goal percentage, true shooting percentage, and offensive rating. For his career, Hicks has produced 7.4 points and 3.8 rebounds while shooting 57.1% from the field.

Home/NBA Draft News