Villanova Wildcats: How Josh Hart Fits With Los Angeles Lakers

After hearing his name called Thursday night, what does former Villanova Wildcat Josh Hart bring to the table for his new team: the Los Angeles Lakers?

Draft night definitely goes down as a great night for many young men. It’s a night where 60 of the best and most gifted athletes have the opportunity to prove themselves in the NBA. For some, the draft closes the chapter on a golden era of championship basketball in one’s career. In return, these players must look to climb the ladder again one rung at a time, fighting for a spot on an NBA roster. Josh Hart may very well be one of those players.

Now, in projecting Josh Hart’s draft potential, many see him as a rotational wing player in limited minutes. While achieving success previously, such prestige does not carry over into the NBA. If anything, this can ultimately throw unnecessary criticism towards a prospect. “Why hasn’t he lived up to his potential? I thought he was a winner. What a wasted pick!”. Unfortunately, this sort of thing happens, and all too often, these prospects don’t live up to the hype.

Thursday night marked the start of Josh Hart’s NBA career. After spending four years with the Villanova Wildcats, Hart’s hard work and dedication to the program has come to fruition. He was taken 30th overall in the first round by the Lakers.

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At the end of the day, Villanova Wildcats’ Josh Hart heard his name called and will now join the rebuilding Los Angeles Lakers. To me, this is a match made in heaven. Yes, the Lakers have lacked direction, but better days are ahead for LaLa Land.

Ball with Hart

To clarify, I don’t see Josh Hart as a starter for the Los Angeles Lakers. That said, I do think he can play an important role for this young team. Looking at the two guard position, the Lakers do not have much to work with. Interestingly enough, before the draft, the Lakers traded arguably their best guard in D’Angelo Russell to the Brooklyn Nets. This deal signaled a change in direction for the Lakers, as they would ultimately select Lonzo Ball with their second overall pick.

Now, many see Lonzo Ball as a key piece to the Lakers’ future. I mean, why else would he go second overall? But, Ball can’t do it all on his own, so to speak. If anything, he will need a strong supporting cast. To me, Josh Hart fits that supporting cast.

Must Read: Villanova Wildcats: A look at Josh Hart’s NBA potential

Back when he played with the Villanova Wildcats, Josh Hart had to work his way through the ranks. During his time in Villanova, Hart played quite a few roles. He went from coming off the bench his first two years to starting in his last two. He played the three in his junior year and the two in his senior year. Obviously, Hart’s used to the “plug-and-play” aspect of basketball. If anyone can make that sort of role work, Josh Hart is that guy.

Veteran Hart

The Lakers need a guy like that. Considering how young their backcourt currently stands, a little polished, veteran leadership could prove vital. While he may not be as skilled as a Lonzo Ball or a Jordan Clarkson, he brings a knack for doing the right things with him. Los Angeles picked up a real gem here, and could seriously benefit from having some Hart on the team.

Now, Josh Hart has developed into one of the better two-way players in this draft class. He can do it all on both ends of the floor. Offensively, he can give you valuable minutes. For instance, his three point shot has improved drastically during his time with the Villanova Wildcats. Last season, he shot 40.4 percent from three point range, which is important considering that the Los Angeles Lakers shot 34.6 percent from three point range. Clearly, they need some help there.

On defense, Hart has improved dramatically over the course of his four seasons with the Villanova Wildcats. He’s very crafty and likes to bug the opposition. One thing Hart has, for lack of a better term, is heart. He doesn’t take plays off and always tries to help his team out whenever he can. That showed in his 1.56 steals per game in his senior year. Last season, the Lakers were the worst defensive team the league, netting an 110.6 defensive rating. If anything, the simple addition of Josh Hart could signal a bolstering of the Lakers’ bench. Clearly, they need it.

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So, Josh Hart has heard his name called by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. The Lakers are going to need you to step up. To me, he can very easily take the reigns as a leader off the bench. With his offensive improvements, coupled with his defensive prowess and polished leadership qualities, the Lakers truly found a gem late in the draft. Like he did with the Villanova Wildcats, I believe Josh Hart can excel off the bench and, who knows, maybe find a starting role in Los Angeles. Hopefully, LA enjoys watching him play as much as Nova fans did.

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