Continuing the trend of unique comboforwards, Jaylen Hoard has made a strong early impression at Wake Forest. He’s only shooting 21.4 percent from deep, but his slashing, cutting and rebounding are all viable NBA skills.
At 6-foot-9, Hoard is fluid attacking the basket. He’s great in the open court, can exploit slower bigs, and embraces contact at the rim. He’s shooting 69.2 percent at the free throw line and his shooting mechanics, while far from perfect, are workable long term.
Hoard will also get praise for his defensive prowess, using his 7-foot-1 wingspan to wall off drives to the rim and intercept passes. He can defend on the perimeter and has the size to eventually bother players in the post. The tools are there.