CHANDLER HUTCHISON WILL BECOME THE FIRST FIRST-ROUND DRAFT PICK IN BOISE STATE BASKETBALL HISTORY

Posted on March 2, 2018

BY MIKE PRATER
@KTIK.COM

There’s something magical brewing at Boise State …

Leighton Vander Esch is headed to the NFL Draft – where he COULD be selected in the first round.

Chandler Hutchison is headed to the NBA Draft – where he WILL be selected in the first round.

The Boise State football team has produced four first-round draft picks (Ryan Clady, Shea McClellin, Doug Martin, Kyle Wilson), and now it’s time for the basketball program to make its first-round contribution to professional sports.

Consider it done.

Consider Boise State basketball a few months away from a historic milestone for the program and the state’s three Division I universities, who have never produced a No. 1 NBA Draft pick.

Hutchison is loaded with an NBA skill-set, strong potential and a grounded mental approach, but that’s not what’s going to make him millions in the June draft. It’s his 6-foot-7, 200-pound body type and the position he plays. That’s what makes him a first-rounder, according to the experts.

“The NBA really wants – and needs – a true No. 3 with a 6-8 body with bulk,” one NBA executive told the Opinionator.

“He looks primed to take advantage of the lack of wing depth in the draft, and the NBA in general, this June,” ESPN wrote in its mock draft, where Hutchison is listed as a top-20 pick.

Roberto Bergersen (second round, No. 52 overall in 1999) is the highest draft pick in Boise State basketball history. He never played in the NBA, though five former Broncos have played a combined 1,180 games in the league (James Webb III, Coby Karl, John Coker, Chris Childs, Gus Johnson).

Hutchison, the only player in the Mountain West this season to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists and steals, has a chance to blow away all those milestones.

He’s that good.

He’s that smart.

He’s that dedicated.

And he absolutely has the attention of the NBA braintrust. Here’s what a variety of NBA personnel are thinking about Hutchison, whose “development has been intriguing,” one NBA executive told the Opinionator.

  • Plays a true position (No. 3/shooting forward)
  • Has length, stride, mobility and athleticism
  • Plays on the perimeter and in the paint
  • Can shoot from outside, but prefers to go to the rim
  • Shooting mechanics are strong (high/quick release point)
  • Can make the open shot, is improving, and can get better
  • Dependable ball-handler
  • Strong rebounder
  • Strong defender
  • Excellent foot speed
  • Has a natural ability to run/stretch the floor
  • Loves to kick out to teammates
  • Cuts off the ball/slasher/change-of-pace movement
  • Can create separation with one quick step
  • Has improved going left in the paint
  • Natural ability to get to the free throw line
  • Seems to care and wants to make the right play
  • Work ethic and potential for improvement
  • Could be a strong role player at the next level

RED FLAGS

  • Appears to play soft and with a lack of confidence at times, though one NBA executive said that’s a sign of being “unselfish.”
  • Can be inconsistent against stronger competition (shot 8-for-28 and 0-for-7 from 3 in last two games against Nevada and San Diego State).
  • Still working to extend his shooting range. His overall field goal shooting percentage has declined for three straight years (49.7 to 49.5 to 47.6), but he’s taking more 3-pointers this season (114 attempts after a combined 96 in his first three seasons). He shot 37.7 percent from 3 last year, and is shooting 35.1 percent from long range this year (35 to 40 percent is good in the NBA).
  • Needs to add another 5-10 pounds for the NBA grind.

Bottom line: Hutchison tested the NBA waters after last season, and after not hiring an agent, returned to Boise State to improve as a player. At the time, he told the Idaho Statesman:

“I’ll continue to work on extending my shooting range and adding strength while keeping my mobility. The NBA is a grown man’s league, but I know if I work even harder than I did last year then by this time next season I will belong. That’s all the motivation I need.”

Mission accomplished.

On June 21, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., Hutchison will become the first Boise State basketball player to be selected in the first round of the NBA Draft.

Mike Prater, editor of The Opinionator, co-hosts Idaho Sports Talk with Caves & Prater weekdays from 3-6 p.m. on KTIK 93.1 FM The Ticket and can be heard on Bronco GameNight after BSU football games on KBOI 670 AM and KTIK 93.1 FM. He can be reached at [email protected], and found @CavesandPrater(Facebook) and @MikeFPrater (Twitter).

Photo of Hutchison courtesy of Boise State Photo Services

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