NBA Draft Scouting Report: Penn State's Zach Hicks
Zach Hicks
Wing | Penn State
Height: 6'8” | Weight: 200 lbs
2024 Draft Age: 21.16
Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
Prospect Profile
After two impactful years at Temple, Hicks is off to Penn State and is ready to break out on the NBA draft radar. Tall wing, knockdown shooters simply will always have plug-and-play value on an NBA floor. As Hicks navigates the challenges of a new conference, furthering his defensive impact and ancillary skill development will be vital to his draft stock as he could be the next Nittany Lion drafted in either the 2024 or 2025 class. During his first two collegiate seasons at Temple, Zach Hicks quietly earned some prospect love as one of the better under the radar prospects in the AAC. Now, he will have both the opportunity and platform to really emerge.
Listed at 6-foot-8 and 195 pounds with a career 36% 3-point mark (388 attempts), Hicks marries NBA wing size with the knockdown perimeter shooting that NBA evaluators are captivated by. In his two seasons at Temple, the sharpshooting wing led Temple with 141 made triples. Hicks is at his best operating as a spot up, catch-and-shoot player where his easy shooting stroke, sound mechanics and high release shine. Last season, he shot 37.5% on 144 spot up threes and 35.5% on 214 catch-and-shoot 3-point attempts including more versatility as a movement shooter than he gets credit for.
For the most part, Hicks has proven to primarily be an off-ball shooter whose shots are either created by others, his own off-ball movement or closeout attacks. Last season, 76.8% of his shots came from beyond the arc and 95% of them were assisted. He isn't equipped with much wiggle or bust off the bounce to create a ton of space, but more aggression as a self creator off the bounce, at least in advantageous scoring scenarios, would be a welcome sight to diversity his scoring arsenal and could potentially lead to an uptick in his 32 total free throw attempts.
If his jumper isn't falling, what can Hicks hang his hat on? Can he find other ways to impact the game? Noticeable realistic ancillary skill development from connective passing, rebounding and on ball screen operation are all ceiling raiser skills to monitor.
Because of his NBA wing size and translatable 3-point shooting, Hicks will be identified as someone that can slot into a 3-and-D role. The defensive end still requires work, but the hope is that his size and length can eventually yield serviceable defensive results that can keep him on the floor to thrive as a shooter. There is a difference between slotting into a role and fulfilling it, and he is a prime example of that. He likely doesn't possess the ideal quick twitch athleticism, lateral quickness or defensive instincts to develop into a plus defender and that’s fine. For him, it will be about finding ways to generate defensive events/plays by leveraging his size and length with an increased activity to compensate so that he can stay on the floor.
With more development and a big season with Penn State, don’t be surprised if Hick ends up being a great NBA role player.
Highlights
Draft Projection
Potential Second-Round Pick in 2024 NBA Draft.
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