Get to Know Jaden Hardy
Andy Katz recently caught up with Jaden Hardy to find out what type of player he is on the floor and why chose the path of the G-League in lieu of college.
Prospect Overview
Aggressive scoring guard who found his range more consistently as the year wore on in the G League but is still only scratching the surface of his offensive potential.
About Jaden Hardy
Jaden Hardy is a dangerous shot maker with deep range who faced a steep learning curve as a rookie in the G League but got better as the year wore on. Earning a reputation as one of the most dynamic shot makers in the prep game, Jaden Hardy capped his interscholastic career at Coronado High School (NV) with McDonald All-American honors while ranked as a consensus top-3 prospect in the high school class of 2021.
Opting to join the G League Ignite program which also added his brother, Amauri, who played at UNLV and Oregon, the 19-year-old stepped into a massive role against quality competition. Serving as the team’s featured scorer, Hardy averaged 19.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 3.5 assists over 32.4 minutes per game while shooting 38% from the field.
• Standing 6-foot-4 in shoes with an improving 190-pound frame and a 6-foot-9 wingspan, Hardy possesses good size for a shooting guard and can play above the rim with a head of steam.
• Getting shots up in a variety of ways creating out of pick and rolls, serving as the target of many of his team’s designed actions, and spotting up off the ball, Hardy was very assertive hunting shots last season ranking among the G League leaders in possessions used per game. Facing an uphill battle playing against quality competition for the first time, he made strides with his shot selection and efficiency, but showed the ability to score in bunches when he ran hot from the field all season.
• Holding his own guarding one-on-one in spots and coming up with some steals in the passing lanes, Hardy fared better on the defensive end some nights than others as he was still learning how to be solid on and off the ball.
Advanced Stats
• Playing both on and off the ball but getting a lot of opportunities to shoot off movement, Hardy attempted as many jump shots as nearly any player in the G League as his production was heavily dependent on his perimeter shooting. Showing deep range on his jumper but not always looking fluid with his mechanics or picking and choosing his spots well, he had some ups and downs playing against pros for the first time.
• With nearly half of his shot attempts coming on pull-up jumpers or floaters, Hardy averaged 0.84 points per pull-up jump shot [51st percentile]. Proving pretty reliable taking what defenders gave him in midrange spots, the Detroit native drilled some impressive step back jumpers over defenders from beyond the arc too, but has room to improve his consistency as a pull-up 3-point shooter.
• Averaging 1.17 points per catch and shoot jump shot [76th percentile], Hardy was at his best with his feet set and did a better job playing to his strengths in that regard as the year wore on.
• Scoring 0.83 points per shot around the rim in the half court [8th percentile], Hardy showed the ability to play above the rim with a head of steam and had some nice moments getting into the body of opposing shot blockers to score, but was still clearly adjusting to the length of opposing rim protectors.
• Having some positive moments using hesitation moves effectively to get downhill and then making the simple play, Hardy flashed some vision as a passer in spots while wrestling with his shot selection and decision-making this season.
Defensive Analysis
• Showing some energy getting over screens, closing out shooters, and crashing the glass on occasion last season, Hardy’s inexperience was apparent in his inconsistency on the defensive end. He held up far better some nights than others on and off the ball.
• Possessing solid positional size, length, and improving frame, the ingredients are there for Hardy to hold his own long-term.
Profile by Synergy Sports
