It's not common for a college basketball senior to suddenly fly up NBA draft boards after three years of failing to win over scouts.
He went earlier (No. 6) in a draft than any senior since Sheldon Williams (No. 5) out of Duke in 2006.
The year before Hield, it was Wisconsin's Frank Kaminsky who blew up his senior year. He followed Creighton's Doug McDermott in 2014, Lehigh's C.J. McCollum in 2013 and BYU's Jimmer Fredette in 2011. There weren't any seniors taken in the lottery in 2012 or 2010.
In 2017, no senior has a better shot than Clemson's Jaron Blossomgame.
He's coming off his second consecutive season showing significant improvement—a trend we've seen from previous breakout seniors.
"I feel I can come back and improve my stock tremendously with the opportunities I have here at Clemson,” Blossomgame said, per the Post and Courier's Aaron Brenner.
Last May, he used the NCAA's new draft-eligibility rule to work out and speak with teams before opting to return. Being able to attend the NBA Draft Combine and perform well—16 points and 10 rebounds during the Day 2 scrimmage—should only act as a confidence-booster.
Meanwhile, he was the one player to attend both the Nike Skills Academy and Adidas Nations in July.
Between his gradual rise, summer experiences and the fact that we're talking about an explosive, 6'7 ½", 218-pound wing, Blossomgame's stock appears ready for takeoff.
He already aces the eye test with textbook physical tools and exciting athleticism—usually half the battle for NBA hopefuls.
Blossomgame projects as a two-way scorer at the 3 or even small-ball 4. His game is reminiscent of that of Denver Nuggets forward Wilson Chandler in terms of style of play and skill set.
The drive is Blossomgame's bread and butter in the half-court, whether it's off a first-step move, pump-fake or rip-through. He blends solid quickness with body control and the strength to finish through contact.
But as a junior, he expanded his scoring versatility, which took his offensive game and production to new levels. He added everything from post-ups to floaters:
To pull-ups and spot-up threes:
Blossomgame erupted late last season with 30 points against Notre Dame, 33 against North Carolina State and 31 against Virginia. He poured in at least 20 points in 11 of Clemson's final 14 games.
It felt like a preview of what's to come in 2016-17, when he's likely to take more than the 12.6 field-goal attempts he averaged his junior year.
He'll also have the chance to continue building his defensive image, particularly against younger, flashier ACC assignments like Duke's Jayson Tatum, Florida State's Dwayne Bacon and Jonathan Isaac and Syracuse's Tyler Lydon. These matchups represent opportunities for Blossomgame to showcase his ability to guard high-level talent of all different shapes.
He isn't the sharpest defender, but he possesses the tools, versatility and competitiveness to create the perception that defensive potential exists.
Since playmaking won't be under Blossomgame's NBA job description as a slashing combo forward, it's not a weakness that should block his path up draft boards. Shot-making is another story.
He only hit 36.3 percent of his two-point jumpers, per Hoop-Math.com, and though the 44.1 percent he shot from deep was a major step in the right direction, 102 total attempts isn't the most convincing sample size. Plus, funky shot mechanics—which consist of a push motion in front of his face—suggest adjustments may be needed.
The good news: If there is a prescription known to help improve shot-making accuracy, it's heavy reps and confidence. And Blossomgame should have both entering his final college season.
Though nobody could have predicted Hield's rise to the No. 6 pick before last season, Blossomgame's draft ceiling doesn't seem to go that high—at least not this particular year, with projected one-and-done freshman stars like Washington's Markelle Fultz, Duke's Harry Giles, Kansas' Josh Jackson and North Carolina State's Dennis Smith Jr.
Throw in Tatum, UCLA's Lonzo Ball, California's Ivan Rabb and France's Frank Ntilikina—a group I'd pencil into the next tier—and it's tough to imagine many open top-10 spots.
Eventually earning consideration in the late-lottery range would require Blossomgame to return as a sharper, more complete all-around player. But if there is a senior capable of climbing next year's board, this is the guy.
Other senior prospects on the verge of breakout seasons include: Iowa State's Monte Morris, Oregon's Chris Boucher, Notre Dame's V.J. Beachem, Wisconsin's Nigel Hayes, Arkansas' Moses Kingsley, Valparaiso's Alec Peters, Villanova's Josh Hart and Syracuse's Tyler Roberson.
However, none of them can match the height of Blossomgame's ceiling, which is powered by tools, bounce, translatable skills and room for growth. Though he'll be older than most in the 2017 field (he turns 23 in September), his best-case outcome as a pro still packs enough upside to justify interest from late-lottery teams.
Assuming he can build on last year's numbers and overall performance, he is one of the more proven prospects with a body and game that fit the NBA.
I'm buying preseason stock in Blossomgame, who's more of a steady bloomer than a late one.
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