Taylor Hendricks NBA Draft 2023: Scouting report, age, projected teams and more
Taylor Hendricks is a projected lottery pick in the 2023 NBA draft. The UCF product has exploded onto the scene this year after being overlooked as a prospect in 2022.
This past season, Hendricks averaged 15.1 points, 7 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game, shooting 47.8% from the field and 39.4% from deep. With such impressive shooting splits, he will undoubtedly have multiple team's watching his draft position on June 22.
At 19, Hendricks will be viewed as a high-upside talent with almost a decade of improvement before reaching his prime. As he enters the NBA, his defense will likely be his calling card due to his 6-foot-9 frame and 7-foot wingspan, making him a tough wing defender to contend with.
"Hendricks’ most translatable skill, and the one that will get him on an NBA floor the quickest, is his defense," Andrew Norton of Lineups wrote on June 19. "Hendricks has immense upside on the defensive end of the floor, with an ability to protect the rim by blocking shots, but also possessing the capability of switching on any opposing player, if needed."
"Additionally, Hendricks has proven, with a large sample size, to be a strong shooter from behind the arc: another highly coveted NBA skill, especially for frontcourt players. Don’t expect too much shot creation in the beginning, but Hendrick projects as a late bloomer who is nowhere near realizing his ceiling as a player."
Hendricks will also make an immediate impact as a catch-and-shoot threat who is spaced out around the perimeter. However, he will likely need to improve his strength and body control if he is to develop into a high-level interior finisher, especially around the rim.
Taylor Hendricks is expected to land in Utah
According to CBS Sports' most recent mock draft, Taylor Hendricks could find himself being selected by the Utah Jazz with the 9th pick in the draft. Considering Hendricks wasn't considered to be a one-and-done prospect entering his collegiate career, being a top-10 pick just a year later is an incredible rise to prominence for the 19-year-old wing.
"Hendricks is an out-of-nowhere one-and-done prospect who is likely to go in the lottery despite being a sub-80 prospect in the Class of 2022," Gary Parrish wrote for CBS Sports. "He's the type of tall, athletic and a proven shooter who could help progress Utah's rebuild."
The Utah Jazz overperformed last season, as Will Hardy's team developed at a quicker rate than anybody expected. Now, adding a versatile defender who can also make an impact as a perimeter shooter would help, unlike a new level for Utah's rotation.
With Lauri Markkanen taking a leap in his game last season, Taylor Hendricks could allow the All-Star forward additional room to be aggressive on the offensive end, as he would know Hendricks is there to help mop things up on the defensive end.
Furthermore, landing on a rebuilding team would ensure that Hendricks got all the playing time he would need to develop into a high-level NBA contributor.