Best Pro Prospect: Darrun Hilliard (Villanova)
by Mark Titus
November 7, 2014
There’s a fair chance that none of the Big East players in the 2015 NBA draft class will ever play a meaningful pro minute. That’s insane. I’ve held out hope that the Big East would get its mojo back after conference realignment. I mean, it’s still called the Big East and DePaul is still at the bottom of the standings, so it can’t be that different, right? Well, yes, it can be. There are no noteworthy NBA prospects in the Big East. That is the world we live in. Dave Gavitt is rolling in his grave.
If any Big East player this year has a chance to carve out an NBA career, it’s Darrun Hilliard. Before we explain why he has a shot, let’s start with the bad side of Hilliard’s scouting report. Even though he was Villanova’s second-leading scorer and was named the conference’s co-most improved player last season, Hilliard isn’t making NBA waves yet because he’s not that explosive and he needs to tighten up his ballhandling. Hilliard has great range on his shot and can consistently score in a variety of ways, but isolation, using ball screens, and finishing at/above the rim don’t seem to be included on that list. NBA wings separate themselves with their ability to make something out of nothing. Hilliard’s not there yet.
There is good news: Hilliard has an NBA body (6-foot-6, 215 pounds) to go with a smooth and reliable outside stroke. With just those attributes, he’ll be able to play professional basketball overseas for a long time. And Hilliard still has a good chance to develop into an NBA player. He’s a solid defender, and even though 3-point shooting is his bread and butter, he’s not one-dimensional on offense. In fact, he aced my “Is This Shooter One-Dimensional?” test last season, the lone criterion for passing being that he managed to have good games even when his shots weren’t falling.
Last season, Hilliard was like a poor man’s version of Kentucky guard James Young, all the way down to the left-handedness and the sleeve on the left arm. (But thankfully not Young’s Cheetos or Wanda Sykes hair.) This year, Hilliard will carry more of Villanova’s offensive load, which also means that defenses will focus more on stopping him. The extra attention may shine a spotlight on his weaknesses and snuff out any interest from NBA scouts. But if he made huge strides in the offseason like he’s done every other summer he’s been at Villanova, Hilliard could prove to NBA teams that he belongs in the league.
If any Big East player this year has a chance to carve out an NBA career, it’s Darrun Hilliard. Before we explain why he has a shot, let’s start with the bad side of Hilliard’s scouting report. Even though he was Villanova’s second-leading scorer and was named the conference’s co-most improved player last season, Hilliard isn’t making NBA waves yet because he’s not that explosive and he needs to tighten up his ballhandling. Hilliard has great range on his shot and can consistently score in a variety of ways, but isolation, using ball screens, and finishing at/above the rim don’t seem to be included on that list. NBA wings separate themselves with their ability to make something out of nothing. Hilliard’s not there yet.
There is good news: Hilliard has an NBA body (6-foot-6, 215 pounds) to go with a smooth and reliable outside stroke. With just those attributes, he’ll be able to play professional basketball overseas for a long time. And Hilliard still has a good chance to develop into an NBA player. He’s a solid defender, and even though 3-point shooting is his bread and butter, he’s not one-dimensional on offense. In fact, he aced my “Is This Shooter One-Dimensional?” test last season, the lone criterion for passing being that he managed to have good games even when his shots weren’t falling.
Last season, Hilliard was like a poor man’s version of Kentucky guard James Young, all the way down to the left-handedness and the sleeve on the left arm. (But thankfully not Young’s Cheetos or Wanda Sykes hair.) This year, Hilliard will carry more of Villanova’s offensive load, which also means that defenses will focus more on stopping him. The extra attention may shine a spotlight on his weaknesses and snuff out any interest from NBA scouts. But if he made huge strides in the offseason like he’s done every other summer he’s been at Villanova, Hilliard could prove to NBA teams that he belongs in the league.
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