The Atlanta Hawks did not waste any time adding quality players to their 2018-19 roster while also filling a major need; shooting, bench depth. With the third pick Atlanta traded down to Dallas and came away with Oklahoma sharp-shooting point guard Trae Young and with the 19th pick general manager Travis Schlenk and newly hired first time head coach Lloyd Pierce selected Maryland guard Kevin Huerter who averaged 14.8 points per game and shot 42 percent from three this past season. Huerter, a 6’7″ Clifton Park, New York native, was an honorable mention All-Big 10 selection and averaged nine points a game as a freshman a season ago.
Atlanta was amongst the worst three-point shooting teams in the league last season (.360) after having been one of the best just a few seasons ago. The acquisition of shooters through the draft was key for the Hawks according to Schlenk. “That’s been an emphasis since I got here,” said Schlenk following the Huerter pick. “[Huerter] has good size, great ball skills and is a really good shooter.”
With the 30th pick the Hawks drafted Villanova power forward Omari Spellman, the 2017-18 Big East Freshman of the Year who averaged just over 10 points a game last season for the national champion Wildcats. Spellman will add much needed bench depth.
All three first round picks are scheduled to be introduced to the local media on Monday morning at 11 a.m. at the team’s practice facility, the Emory Sports Medicine Complex, in Brookhaven.
