Joseph Treutlein
After flashing potential in a very limited role as a freshman, largely due to his freakish athleticism, Senario Hillman saw his minutes double as a sophomore, with him also improving in quite a few areas. However, while hes made strides in some areas, his increased role has also magnified some of his flaws, and there is much work to do before he becomes a legitimate NBA prospect.
On the offensive end, Hillman is still very much a shooting guard, playing the majority of the time off the ball, clearly being a shoot-first player, not doing much in terms of creating for others, and being very turnover prone with the ball. Hillman still does most of his damage with his mid-range jump shot, being able to get excellent separation off the dribble with his athleticism and rangy step-back move. However his shot is still very inconsistent, and the large percentage of shots he takes off the dribble with a hand in his face certainly does not help his efficiency.
While Hillman still has a long ways to go with his outside shooting, he is considerably improved from three-point range this season, doubling his shooting percentage and hitting five times as many shots from behind the arc, albeit that still only makes him a 29% shooter on 29 makes. Hillmans mechanics have a plethora of inconsistencies and potential issues, namely his tendency to fade away on almost all of his shots, rarely keeping his feet underneath him. In spite of these concerns, he does appear to have some good natural shooting ability, capable of hitting a lot of tough shots and showing good range, but hell never become a consistent and efficient thread if he doesnt clean up his mechanics and focus on getting more high-quality attempts (feet set, body squared, on balance).
In terms of attacking the basket, Hillmans separation abilities from his mid-range game do not carry over, with him looking a bit sloppy and out of control on many of his forays to the hoop. His handle does appear to be improving, but he still struggles very much when going to his right hand, and the array of floaters and pull-up jumpers he relies on in the lane are largely inconsistent. With that said, there is much to be impressed with in this area of his game, as Hillman takes long and quick strides with the ball while being able to effortlessly elevate around the basket, making this an area of his game where he still has considerable potential.
Defensively, Hillman still shows the same ability he showed as a freshman, capable of locking players down on the perimeter with an aggressive stance in combination with his excellent length and lateral quickness. However, some bad habits seem to be forming, as Hillman is prone to easing up, not getting into a full stance, and not always moving his feet, leading to some unnecessary beats. On the positive side, Hillman is a disruptive force in the passing lanes, making many plays leading to fast breaks by picking off passes.
Looking forward, Hillman clearly has work to do in virtually every facet of his game, which he should have plenty of opportunities to do with leading scorers Alonzo Gee and Ronald Steele now graduated, putting a much larger offensive burden on Hillman. With his athletic tools and defensive abilities, Hillman should get some looks down the line if he can become a more efficient player, however its going to be very much an uphill road if he isnt able to develop his playmaking ability, as he is undersized and lacking in any plus NBA offensive skills at the moment.
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