Corey Hawkins and the NBA draft

Ed Isaacson on Corey Hawkins -- what he does well now and what he still needs to do:

Corey Hawkins, California-Davis, Guard, 6’3, 195
(2013-14, 33.8 mpg) 18.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.5 spg
44.4 FG%, 75.7 FT%, 32.2 3FG%, 55.6 TS%, 49.4 eFG%
28.7 USG%, 21.0 AST%, 2.6 STL%

After a great sophomore season after transferring from Arizona State, Hawkins, the son of former NBA player Hersey, saw a drop in some of his offensive numbers as he faced defenses intent on stopping him. Hawkins is very skilled on the offensive end, capable of facilitating the offense or playing off the ball.  He is an above-average ballhandler, capable of using both hands well, and a growing set of advanced dribbles to help keep the defender off-balance. Hawkins likes to use screens to set up his jumper, as well as to get into the lane. Once he is in the lane, Hawkins can hit the floater/short jumper or weave his way through the defense to get to the basket, where he can finish with either hand. Hawkins has a great feel for the game on the offensive end, at times making scoring opportunities look effortless. He has also improved his ability to hit the open man when he draws help defenders. Hawkins has good range on his jumper, with a high, quick release. He also can be effective in transition both as the ballhandler and running the wings. On defense, Hawkins does a good job positioning both on and off the ball, and while not exceptionally quick, he moves his feet well and can navigate through screens.

What he needs to show this season:  There is little doubt that Hawkins is skilled as an offensive player, but there are some areas where he can make some improvements. As mentioned, he likes to use screens to get into the lane, but once he gets into the defense, he can find himself stuck. Hawkins needs to learn to make reads off the screens quicker, as well as working to come off of them tighter. Also, I would like to see Hawkins move better without the ball, instead of being content to get passes deep behind the 3-point line. Hawkins can improve his shot selection, as he tended to force more shots last season. On defense, Hawkins could put in a better effort, especially on the ball, where he can be seen at times playing with his arms at his sides. He has a very good understanding of the game, and he has the offensive skill set to play high level professional basketball.