Is there another player (other than Trae) more important to this team's future?
Peachtree HoopsThe emergence of De’Andre Hunter
De’Andre Hunter has never failed to surprise — fans, coaches and perhaps even himself.
He isn’t the flashiest player. He isn’t the most animated competitor on the court. But he has quietly gotten the job done since high school, and despite adversity, he has exceeded expectations at every stop in his career. Hunter has bypassed the “sophomore slump” and, through 15 games, has been one of the Hawks’ most reliable options. Hunter has looked comfortable in his second season, smoothly navigating through pick-and-rolls and creating for himself without playing too much outside of his game.
Hunter’s offense hasn’t just progressed; it has blossomed. The forward is averaging 17.4 points and 5.8 rebounds per game through the first month-plus of the NBA season. Although he’s only games into his second campaign, Hunter has enjoyed incredible jumps in efficiency from everywhere on the floor, shooting 52.0 percent from the field, 39.1 percent from three-point range and 86.7 percent from the free-throw line.
While Hunter has continued to expand offensively, he has also emphasized his defense more than ever. Given the unsatisfactory season Hunter had defensively a year ago, the expectations for him to pick up his pre-draft prowess have resurfaced. Hunter has answered the call.
Hunter has turned heads and changed expectations everywhere he’s been. Growth is all he knows. To challenge Hunter to improve isn’t a matter of whether he can do it — it’s a matter of when. In terms of his development, Hawks fans might only be seeing him scratch the surface.