VCU's Nah'Shon 'Bones' Hyland possesses an incredible 3-point range originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
The Washington Wizards are picking in the middle of the first round of the 2021 NBA Draft. Whether they trade up, down or stay firm at No. 15, here is the latest in our series on draft prospects whom the Wizards could consider selecting.
2021 NBA Draft Prospect Preview: Nah'Shon 'Bones' Hyland
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School/team: VCU
Position: SG
Age: 20
NBC Sports
Height: 6-3
Weight: 169
Wingspan: 6-9
2020/21 stats: 24 G, 19.5 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.9 spg, 0.2 bpg, 44.7 FG% (6.3/14.2), 37.1 3PT% (2.9/7.8), 86.2 FT%
Player comparison: Jordan Clarkson
Projections: NBC Sports Washington N/A, Ringer N/A, NBADraft.net 18th, Bleacher Report 27th
5 things to know:
- Nah'Shon Hyland never met a 3-point shot he didn't like. The range and effectiveness that Hyland possesses makes him one of the best of long-ball shooters in this draft class. High, hesitation dribbles at the arc are his go-to moves as he'll step back for 30-foot shots. And if a defender goes under a screen, he'll definitely pull-up for a jumper no matter how far away he is from the basket.
- Hyland's more known for his nickname than he is his first name. 'Bones' is how all his teammates, commentators, coaches and friends refer to the VCU guard. Shortened from 'Bizzy Bones,' Hyland's nickname came during his grade school days in Wilmington, Del. His game was "getting busy" on the court and his skinny stature led to the moniker he now owns. Of course, now he'll be looking to drop what got him the nickname to fit the build of NBA players.
- All reports from the NBA Combine raved about Hyland's performance. During the first scrimmage, he dazzled executives and scouts as the leading scorer with 17 points, six rebounds, four assists and two blocks in 23 minutes. He played to his skillset, getting down the floor in transition and hitting deep, step-back threes.
- Coming from a program like VCU, one would assume that his defensive repertoire would be plentiful. With nearly two steals a game, it fits the bill. However, Hyland's steal rate doesn't quite fully reflect his defensive skills. Many of his steals come from being aggressive on the ball and jumping passing lanes. When it comes to one-on-one defending, though, his lateral quickness is subpar. There's also a knack for him giving up the middle of the court, which will need to be addressed by whichever team drafts him.
- During high school, Hyland survived a house fire by jumping out a second-floor bedroom window. In the process, he suffered a knee injury that had doctors fearing his playing career could be over. His cousin and grandmother did not survive the fire.
Fit with Wizards:
Every team needs 3-point depth down their roster. The Wizards should be right at the front of the line to address this need this offseason.
While Hyland might not be a reasonable option to take as high as No. 15 (the highest projections have him in the mid-20s), if Washington acquired more assets or moved its pick, he would be a notable depth addition.
Hyland would greatly stretch the floor and be the biggest deep-ball threat on the roster aside from Davis Bertans. He'll likely have to come off the bench given the makeup of the roster, but either way he'll spread the floor out for a team that thrives on attacking the rim and scoring in the midrange.
There's just enough ballhandling skills that will allow him to ease some of the playmaking burden. Ideally, his length defending other guards should help generate some transition chances as well -- which were few and far between in 2020-21.
Other options and more complete wings will be available at No. 15 in the draft. But if the priority is volume 3-point shooting, there is a spot to fit a wing like the VCU product on the roster.
