Thunder Prospect Evaluation: Josh Hall
One of the most raw prospects on the entire Thunder roster, Josh Hall took a unique path to the NBA. Instead of going to college, he took a post-graduate high school season at Moravian Prep before going straight to the league.
This route to the NBA combined with a rookie season full of injuries has Hall hard to evaluate as a prospect. Although he went undrafted, he was one of the top-50 recruits in the country coming according to ESPN.
Standing at 6-foot-9, Hall fits the positionless roster in Oklahoma City.
As each player in this series is evaluated, it’s important to consider the prospect they are now, but more importantly how they could look in five years when the Thunder are a competitive playoff team once again.
Last Season’s Numbers
Due to injury, Hall played in only 21 games, averaging 4.1 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists per contest. He struggled offensively, converting on only 10.8 percent of his three and 50.0 percent of his free throws on a small sample size.
Signed to a two-way deal last season, Hall missed out on the opportunity to get court time in the G League. He missed nearly every game in the G League bubble because of injury.
In the final game of his rookie season, Hall exploded for 25 points in a double-double performance against the LA Clippers.
Earlier this month, Hall had the opportunity to play with the Thunder in NBA Summer League, averaging 6.6 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.
Fit On Current Roster
Hall will be 21 at the start of the season, making him one of the younger guys on the roster. With his 6-foot-9 frame, he’ll have the opportunity to play multiple positions with both the Thunder and Blue.
While he won’t be a starter for the Thunder this season, he should have the opportunity to be one of the top performers in the G League as he plays on a two-way deal for the second straight season.
It will be very important for Hall to simply play as many minutes as he can this season. Whether that’s in the NBA or G League, staying healthy and developing should be his top priority.
Overall, there should be a lot of growth from Hall this season as he plays his first real minutes as a professional.
Long-Term Fit
Over the next few seasons, Hall will establish himself in the NBA within a certain tier. While many players take huge strides later in their careers, they typically show their relative ceiling in their first four seasons.
With that in mind, it’s difficult to determine what Hall’s fit with the team long-term. Luckily for him, he’s tall enough to play either forward spot. Oklahoma City doesn’t have much depth at those positions to this point.
On a very guard-heavy team, it’s safe to say Hall could find a role in the on the wing with the Thunder for many years.
Prospect Grade
B-
Until Hall plays more minutes, it’ll be hard to truly understand what type of prospect he is. Considering how raw he is and the type of frame he has, the Thunder front office should feel optimistic.
For Hall, it will likely come down to his shooting ability. If he can knock down threes at an efficient rate and show some range, his ceiling is fairly high. On the flip side, if his shooting splits continue to look like they did last season, Hall might never be a productive NBA player.
The 2021-22 season could be one of the most developmental years for Hall as a prospect.
