We love Noah Hartsock, don't we? He's just a big lovable oaf who rocks the Friar Tuck hair style and doesn't mind running like a guy in a duck mascot suit.
But that's not why we love him. We love him because he's a reliable, consistent and downright destructive force on the basketball court. When we need a bucket, we turn to The Bald Spot. When we need a big play, Noah's the man.
He's the best player on our team. But can Noah play at the next level?
In this article, I'm going to make the case for Noah. I'll let you guys rip me apart in the comments.I say Noah Hartsock can succeed in the NBA. Call me crazy, I dare you. But before you write me off, you should know that some NBA scouts share the same opinion. It took me four years of watching him play, but I'm finally convinced. Noah's got game.
Noah's always been a good shooter. The baseline 15-footer has been his bread and butter since his freshman year. He's a tall guy with a big frame, too. He moves well, and he has a knack for blocking shots.
Check.
Last year he surprised the fans by being able to step back and hit the three. Not only is he an outside shooter, he's a long-range outside shooter. He got a lot of open shots last year (and this year) by drawing his defender out to the perimeter. Noah's got the long ball.
Check number two.
This year, Noah added another arrow to his quiver. Thanks to what I can only assume is excellent coaching from our man Mark Pope, Noah can now bang on the low block and score with his back to the basket (something he shied away from in years previous). Noah has been incredibly effective with his drop-step, his pivot and his step-through (These are big-man terms. Don't worry about it.). Noah has earned himself a lot of easy looks at the basket thanks to his nifty footwork on the low-block, and has added a whole new dimension to his game.
Check, check, check.
For the three reasons above, I truly believe Noah can have a long career in the NBA. I see him as an Adam Keefe-type player. A guy who can step in, hit a mid-range jumper, hold serve for a few minutes at a time and put up some points off the bench.
His defense might be an issue, but he won't asked to be a heavy contributor. Just step in and spell a starter for a few minutes.
Dreaming? I could be. But if this is a dream, I don't want to wake up. The NBA scouts see Noah's potential. Do you?