“Nearly Perfect Modern Mobile Power Forward: The Rise of Taylor Hendricks”

Taylor Hendricks

BIRTHDATE：Nov 22, 2003

DRAFT AGE：19.58 yrs

HEIGHT：6’9″

WEIGHT：210 lbs

NCAA Stats：

34.7 mins  5.4/11.3 47.8%FG 1.8/4.6 39.4%3P 2.5/3.2 78.2%FT

15.1 points, 1.4 assists, 7.0 rebounds, 0.9 steals, 1.7 pots, 1.4 turnovers

Taylor Hendricks was not highly evaluated in high school, with poor ball-handling skills, average passing vision, and only good physical fitness. Therefore, before entering the NCAA, he was only evaluated as a 4-star high school student. He was considered rough in technology and lacked the ability to attack independently. , It is difficult to squeeze into the NBA, but in recent years, more and more players have made rapid progress in technology after entering college, breaking the established impression of the outside world. Taylor Hendricks belongs to such a player.

Taylor Hendricks chose UCF University, partly because this school is not a first-class strong school, and there are not many seniors stuck in the starting position, so he can have more room to play, and the other half is because his twin brother Tayler Hendricks was also accepted by UCF University Recruit, the two can fight together. Unexpectedly, the positioning and environment given by UCF just gave Taylor Hendricks the opportunity to explode, so starting from the middle of the season, we saw the birth of a player who perfectly fits the model of a modern power forward.

Usually, we have the following requirements for extending No. 4 and small ball No. 5: 1. Three-pointers with a high shooting rate. 2. Excellent peripheral defense and inside assist defense capabilities. 3. The ability to score in the restricted area. 4. Rebound protection ability. 5. Pick-and-roll handling ability. Let’s take a look at Taylor Hendricks’ performance in these categories. He averaged 4.6 three-pointers and shot 39.4% of the field. This is a data that far exceeds expectations and is almost perfect. Peripheral defense and defense ability, average 0.9 copy 1.7 hot pot per game, the content of the game is even more visible to the naked eye, with excellent linear acceleration and jumping height, this project is also very good. The restricted area scoring rate was 58.8%, a passing grade. Rebound protection ability, averaged 7.0 rebounds per game, above the passing grade, the pick-and-roll scoring rate ranked in the top 3% of all NCAA players, almost perfect. Basically all the evaluation items are on the passing line, and there are even two items that are still in the top ranks. That’s why Taylor Hendricks is considered the best 3-and-D wing of the year.

The power forward position in 2023 is very crowded. There are Brandon Miller, Jarace Walker, Cam Whitmore, and maybe even Wembanyama can come to this position, but the above players all have some ball-handling skills, but Taylor Hendricks does not. Currently he is A very pure pie-eating power forward. But as high as 39.4% three-point shooting percentage, 78.2% free throws, and averaged 0.9 steals and 1.7 hot pots per game. With top-level athletic ability, he basically guarantees the top 3D. Even with his age and growth rate, if he passes 2.3 It won’t be too surprising that he will develop further singles skills after the next year. Of course, this is a perfect situation. Under normal circumstances, the team should use him as the fourth position, with a preference for off-ball roles.

The biggest feature of Taylor Hendricks on the offensive end is the high shooting percentage of three-pointers, and the ability to cut into the penalty area in an instant after the pick-and-roll. At the same time, on the defensive end, Taylor Hendricks has excellent instant acceleration, which allows him to execute very good defense. Single defense relies on his size and good speed, and he can face most of the smaller guards. Can keep up, although there are often obvious positioning errors in pick-and-roll defense, but considering that he is only a freshman, he will definitely be an excellent defender in the future.

Considering Taylor Hendricks’ current ball and physical conditions, he has a high chance to become the next excellent player like Jaren Jackson Jr. or Myles Turner, and the template is also these two players. Such an excellent high wing definitely has a chance to grab the top 10 picks this year, and can effectively provide combat power in the first year. It will be the most ideal choice for teams lacking high wings and small ball centers.

Smiling Niu Niu’s 2023 rookie series:

[2023新秀] Rookies looking to prove themselves big in the NBA: Keyonte George, Dariq Whitehead, Nick Smith Jr.

[2023新秀] All-around big lock and don’t steal the ball: Cason Wallace

[2023新秀] Nearly perfect modern mobile power forward: Taylor Hendricks

[2023新秀] Real Men Get Hard: Gradey Dick

to be continued