The 2022 NBA Draft will be an important event for teams to build for their future. Here is the Jaden Hardy 2022 NBA Draft Profile.
Jaden Hardy Background
Position:Â Guard
Size:Â 6-foot-4, 198 pounds
Class:Â N/A
Former Team:Â G-League Ignite
2021-22 stats:Â 17.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.3 blocks per game, 35.1% FG, 26.9% 3FG, 88.2% FT
Hardy is one of the several players who took the G-League path to pro basketball. He is now headed to the 2022 NBA Draft.
As a high school prospect, Hardy was a five-star prospect. He turned down offers from Arizona and Florida State to go to the G-League. In 12 games played, Hardy averaged 17.7 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. The smaller sample size still allowed Hardy to display his abilities.
Following one season in the G-League, Hardy is heading to the next level. He is a projected late first-round pick or early second-round pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.
Jaden Hardy Strengths
Hardy was able to create his own shot in the G-League. He got to the basket with decent ball-handling skills and dribble moves. Hardy can also create space for his jumpers. It is apparent that he has learned how to get open shots for himself at the high school level before entering the G-League.
Once he gets to the rim, Hardy is able to finish well. He can finish with layups and dunks around the rim. Hardy was able to finish over and around bigger defenders in the G-League. His consistent finishing around the basket may be the most impressive thing about his game and may not need much work at the NBA level.
On the defensive end of the floor, Hardy was able to generate some steals. He can pick-pocket an opponent or jump passing lanes. He shows good awareness in off-ball situations to be able to jump passing lanes and turn defense to offense.
Jaden Hardy Weaknesses
If Hardy wants to be an effective pro, he needs to shoot the ball better. He shot just 35.1 percent from the floor in his 12 games of professional basketball. His 3-point shot didn’t help, as he shot 26.9% from behind the arc. His free throw shooting was a little bit of a saving grace at 88.2 percent and hopefully shows that Hardy can improve as a shooter.
One way he can improve his shooting is by improving his shot selection. He had a tendency to take a lot of contested shots at the G-League level, whether that was near the basket or on the perimeter. Taking the right shot will greatly benefit his shooting percentages at the next level.
Hardy is entirely too turnover prone. He averaged 3.2 assists to 3.5 turnovers in the G-League. While Hardy has good intentions, he sometimes tries to force the action too much when setting up his teammates. He needs to focus on protecting the ball in order to be trusted on the floor.
Projected Draft Range:Â Late First Round Pick-Early Second Round Pick
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