Prospects for Sixers to consider with 28th pick: Nah’Shon “Bones” Hyland
Bones is one of my favorite players in this entire class, and not just because he’s from the same hometown as me. A 6-foot-3.5 combo guard out of VCU, he has one of the most coveted skills an NBA guard can offer: efficient pull-up shooting.
Bones recently made a name for himself (for those who hadn’t heard of him already) at the NBA combine, where he was the best player on the floor Thursday in a gym full of talent. He showed off the skills he’s had for a while — his ability to take and make pull up 3-pointers on a high volume. He attempted almost eight (!!!) 3-point attempts per game during his sophomore season, something that is valuable in of itself before you even mention he shot 37.1 percent on them. Add on the fact that he shot 86.2 percent from the free throw line, and I have full confidence Bones is going to be an incredible shot maker for a long time.
Besides his card calling skill he’s incredibly effective off the bounce, consistently being able to create space for himself and not being afraid to let it fly if the shot is there. He’s active enough on defense to where I don’t think he’ll be a total negative, as even though his frame is quite small (that’s why his nickname is Bones), his 6-foot-9.25 wingspan will be a wonderful asset for him. That wingspan also allows him to be able to shoot over taller defenders at the rim, as he can create space and keep them on his hip while his extension doesn’t allow much of a contest. His passing skills are still a work in progress (I’m sensing a theme here) but he wouldn’t be asked to create for others too often, as the Sixers have the means to just let him be great at what he’s great at.
His stock appears to be rising drastically after his performance at the combine, as he’s seen as a consensus first-round pick now instead of around early second round prior. I have my doubts on if he’d be available just because what he’s great at is so coveted in this league, but I truly hope the Sixers wouldn’t pass on him if he’s there .