Multiple mock drafts have Golden State Warriors taking sharpshooter with 19th overall pick
Earlier in the week it was confirmed the Golden State Warriors would be taking the 19th overall pick to the 2023 NBA Draft. Should they not trade the selection, it will be the defending champions’ fourth first-round pick in the last three drafts.
It promises to be a big offseason for the Warriors who have clear deficiencies on a roster that will hope to remain in championship contention. Although Golden State are stocked at the guard position, that won’t prevent them from taking the best available player with the 19th overall pick.
Multiple mock drafts have the Golden State Warriors taking NCAA champion Jordan Hawkins with the 19th overall pick later this year.
Jordan Hawkins has just declared for the 2023 NBA Draft having been a key part in the UConn Huskies successful run to the NCAA championship. The 6’5″ guard is seen as a sure-fire first-round selection, with his three-point shooting threat only rising as March Madness progressed.
The sophomore had 16 points on 5-for-9 shooting (2-for-4 from three) in the Huskies 76-59 win over the San Diego State aztecs in the final. Hawkins shot 21-for-42 (50%) from deep over his last six games of the tournament.
The 20-year-old average 16.2 points in 37 games (all starts) for the Huskies, shooting 38.8% from three-point range. Hawkins played half the gametime (14.7 minutes per outing) in his freshman year, averaging 5.8 points with mediocre shooting percentages.
NBC Sports and NBA Draft.net both have the Warriors taking Hawkins with the 19th pick in the draft. The former described him as an “elite shotmaker who could contribute immediately to an NBA roster.”
However, Golden State might be lucky to have Hawkins fall to their pick, with a number of other mock drafts having him taken earlier. Fox Sports have him going 12th to the Oklahoma City Thunder, stating that Hawkins has the “potential to be a microwave from downtown any time he steps on the floor.”
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There’s still a lot to play out between now and the June 22 draft, and the Warriors’ decision will undoubtedly be impacted by how their postseason finishes. If they can get their hands on Hawkins though, then perhaps he projects as their long-term replacement for Klay Thompson.