June 23, 2016
For Saint Joseph's forward DeAndre' Bembry, it appears the Hawk really will never die.
With the Sixers' second of three first-round selections just a few picks away, Bembry was taken by the Atlanta Hawks with the 21st-overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.
The 2015-16 Atlantic 10 Player of the Year, Bembry averaged 17.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.4 blocks per game in 37.3 minutes during his junior year at St. Joe's. He also helped lead the Hawks to an A-10 title -- his second in three seasons on the Main Line -- and into the second round of the NCAA Tournament, where they nearly knocked off No. 1 seed Oregon to advance to the Sweet 16.
Aside from a majestic 'fro, the (Atlanta) Hawks will be getting a player whose best attribute is that he can do pretty much everything.
His shot is good, but not great -- he shot over 47 percent in 2015-16 and like most shooters, when he's on, he's on. He can bring the ball up the court if need be, but his handle isn't good enough to consider him a point forward. He's strong on the glass, but at just 6-foot-6, he could struggle on the boards in the NBA.
That being said, his shooting and, to a lesser degree, his handle can be improved upon. And when you combine all his skills, along with his athleticism and other intangibles he brings on the court -- like his basketball IQ, according to rival Villanova swingman Josh Hart -- he has the potential to be a really good NBA player.
And did I mention his awesome hair?
We wrote a bunch about Bembry during the season, and here are some of the best:
Here's a look at his highlights from that impressive tourney win over the Bearcats:
It may have been a great year on the court for Bembry, but off the court, he had to deal with personal tragedy when his brother was shot and killed in North Carolina earlier this month.
Follow Matt on Twitter: @matt_mullin
