Season Summary
At the beginning of the season, most considered the Lakers’ young core to consist of Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma and Julius Randle.
By the end of the year, it had become clear that Josh Hart was a member of that group.
The last pick of the draft’s first round far outplayed his selection, providing a blend of 3-point shooting, rebounding, defense and transition playmaking.
With shot selection befitting the modern NBA style, Hart ranked fourth among rookies 3-point percentage (39.6) and shot a healthy 64.9 percent in the restricted area.
The 6-foot-5 shooting guard also proved to be a tenacious rebounding, constantly saving possessions with offensive boards and sparking fast-breaks on the other side.
Post-All-Star he averaged 15.3 points and 6.8 rebounds.
And Hart provided in-your-jersey type defense on the defensive end.
At his position, he was tasked with guarding some of the best wings in the NBA. But the rookie wasn’t one to shrink away from such challenges, and displayed some textbook technique throughout the season.
By the Numbers
4: Rookies who had four-game streaks of at least 20 points this season. In the final week, Hart joined Donovan Mitchell, Kyle Kuzma and Josh Jackson.
8: Double-doubles from Hart, who led all shooting guards ahead of Lou Williams, Tyreke Evans and Nicolas Batum (seven).
30: Points scored by Hart in the last game of the season. He hit seven 3-pointers on just nine attempts.
What’s Next
Per the advice of his college coach, Jay Wright, Hart is determined to avoid being labeled a “3 and D” player.
While he has a silky stroke and strong defense, Hart wants to commit himself to proving that he can do more than spot up on the perimeter and guard several positions.
One of the areas that Hart plans to spend the summer working on is his ball handling.
Though he didn’t get the opportunity to handle much (outside of transition) for most of the season, he was able to flash his ability when Ball, Kuzma and Ingram were all injured during the final week.
Hart performed well with the rock in his hands, averaging 23.8 points on 53.2 percent shooting over those last four games.
Shot Chart