New York Knicks: Top 10 2019 NBA Draft prospects in NCAA Tournament

4. Rui Hachimura, Gonzaga

Age: 21
Height, Weight: 6-foot-9, 234 pounds
Slash Line: .609/.469/.741
Season Averages: 20.1 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 1.6 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 0.5 3PM

Rui Hachimura entered the 2018-19 college season with the chance to build off two limited years at Gonzaga. Talented players were ahead of him, but the coast cleared in the fall, and the Japanese sensation took off immediately.

Taking his stock into top-five territory, Hachimura had a dominant 20.1 points and 6.6 rebounds as a forward for the Bulldogs. He, and others, led the way towards a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, as they will face the winner of a No. 16 play-in game. So there should be at least two chances for the 21-year-old to stake his claim as a top draft prospect.

In previous years, Hachimura would have profiled as a tweener. However, as the NBA moves towards positionless basketball, his lack of a concrete spot in a lineup diminishes in meaning.

Hachimura is efficient as any collegiate scorer with a 60.9 shooting percentage. His outside shot will make or break his status at the next level, but taking at least one attempt per game, and making it, points him in the right direction.

At 6-foot-9 and the scoring potential to push further, Hachimura should find his way into the top 10 or even the top five. Time remains for his stock to fluctuate, but he’s one of the best forward options available in the draft — potentially for the New York Knicks frontcourt.