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Atlanta Hawks Projected To Take All-Conference Wing With No. 57 Pick
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- Atlanta Hawks Projected To Take All-Conference Wing With No. 57 Pick
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The Atlanta Hawks entered the 2026 NBA Draft with three picks to their name, and so far, they've kept all of them.
They made two selections in the first round of the draft, and they're currently scheduled to make one more in the second round on Wednesday. They're due to pick at No. 57 overall.
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In the latest mock draft from Sam Vecenie of The Athletic , the Hawks are projected to select an all-conference performer with that pick in Jaden Henley from Grand Canyon University.
Henley had an eventful collegiate career. He played for four schools in four years, getting a taste of power conference basketball before spending his final two seasons in the Mountain West.
In his one and only season at Grand Canyon as a senior, he put together a really strong campaign, averaging 17.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game while shooting 46.6 percent from the field and 26.8 percent from beyond the arc.
His play earned him All-Mountain West First Team honors, a major accomplishment to put a bow on his collegiate career.
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Henley has good size -- a number of outlets have him listed at 6-foot-7. The mock draft from The Athletic noted that he has ball skills, can get to the rim, passes well and is a solid defender.
But his shooting will be something to watch, given his struggles from beyond the arc as a senior. For what it's worth, he did shoot a respectable 35.1 percent from deep as a junior, but he appears to lack consistency in that department as of now.
A player like Henley can be a worthwhile prospect to roll the dice on late in the draft. Expectations aren't usually too high for players drafted late in the second round, but a chance to pick up an all-conference performer with some NBA upside sounds pretty appealing.
In the first round, the Hawks picked up Kingston Flemings from the University of Houston at No. 8 overall and Zuby Ejiofor from St. John's University at No. 23 overall. The hope is that infusion of young talent will help the franchise as it enters the post-Trae Young era, and Wednesday's second round will provide Atlanta with at least one more chance to add some rookie help.
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The Hawks made the playoffs this past season but were eliminated in the first round by the New York Knicks. They are still in search of their first playoff series victory since 2021.
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