Villanova Wildcats: A look at Josh Hart’s NBA potential
By Pete Sawan
With the NBA Draft on the horizon, how will Villanova Wildcats guard Josh Hart hang with the NBA-level competition? Can he stack up?
Now that the NBA Draft Lottery has commenced, we now have an idea of where teams will be picking. Fans can now accurately speculate where the biggest and baddest names in this year’s draft will go. With that said, where does that leave the other guys? In particular, where does that leave Villanova Wildcats guard Josh Hart?
Hart presents a peculiar dilemma. Interestingly enough, most mock drafts have him going either late in the first round or early in the second round. That presents a head-scratching dynamic. How good is Josh Hart? Can the former Wildcat hang with the big dogs?
Offensive Hart
To begin, let’s take a look at what Josh Hart brings to the table. At 6-5, 205 pounds, Hart has the build of a prototypical two-guard. In terms of playstyle, his offensive game is predicated on scoring (obviously).
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For instance, Josh Hart can score the ball in a number of ways. As his game has developed, Hart became one of the better three-point shooters in the Big East. Last season, he proved that by averaging 40.4 percent from three-point range. Now, while that stat alone should intrigue teams, it goes without saying that Hart had to really hone that aspect of his game.
In past seasons, Josh Hart’s shooting ability was a bit spotty, to say the least. Similar to the business cycle, Hart would have up years and down ones. It all depended on whether or not his shot was falling. But, when Josh Hart’s shot fell, the Villanova Wildcats were nearly unstoppable.
Another way that Josh Hart can make you pay on offense is his ability to take it to the rack. While not the most athletic player in his class, Hart can take it inside with the best of them. When driving the ball into the lane, it’s almost as if Hart plays bigger than he actually is. That sort of mentality should make general managers drool over the senior.
Defensive Hart
On the flip side, Josh Hart has shown signs of being a quality defender in today’s NBA. During his tenure with the Villanova Wildcats, Hart proved to be a very pesky defender. Last season, he averaged 1.56 steals per game. He was seventh in the Big East in steals, which helped contribute to his Big East Player of the Year nod.
If you watch him play, Hart knows how to pester his opposition. In many instances, the simple notion of “staying with your man” proved ever so vital to the Villanova Wildcats. Hart embodies that sort of persistence and fortitude that teams should look for going into the draft.
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Josh Hart’s defensive game reminds me of guys like Andre Roberson and Thabo Sefolosha. If you know anything about these two, both players have that sort of pestering aspect to their game that general managers love. Although, Hart has a more polished offensive game than these two, which only adds to the hype.
Age to Perfection?
Now, the one knock that most will find with Josh Hart is his age. Interestingly enough, Josh Hart is 22 years old. That makes him one of the oldest prospects in this year’s NBA Draft. In a year where the vast majority of the potential first round picks are underclassmen, that’s saying something. Clearly, Josh Hart is an outlier.
With that said, that could work to his benefit. Remember, most mock drafts have Hart going in the 20s. Typically, teams picking in that range are the playoff mainstays. These teams are looking for rotational pieces who can contribute immediately. Obviously, Josh Hart can fill that need.
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So, Villanova Wildcats guard Josh Hart could find himself in an interesting position this year. As a senior, it looks like he has reached his ceiling, so to speak. This means that teams looking for immediate “plug-and-play” rotational pieces could target him. To me, a team like the San Antonio Spurs, the Portland Trailblazers, or the Utah Jazz could be knocking on the door. Hopefully, the 22-year-old shooting guard can find a place in today’s NBA.