Texas Tech’s Donovan Atwell shattered records with a lethal lefty stroke. Discover how this high-volume perimeter threat could solve Sacramento’s spacing woes as a low-risk diamond in the rough.
With the Sacramento Kings' recent success in the second round and post-draft, we at KingsRoundtable are highlighting some hidden gems mocked later in the draft or projected to be UDFA.
Recently, we have showcased Purdue sharpshooter Fletcher Loyer and Oregon big man Nate Bittle as two potential targets.
In this profile, I will highlight another high-level 3-point shooter, Texas Tech's Donovan Atwell.
Knockdown Shooter
Atwell is one of the most gifted shooters in the class, with a smooth, lefty jump shot and sound footwork allowing him to take over the game with his 3-point shooting.
Last season, Atwell shot a scorching 45.8-percent from beyond the arc, despite shooting more than eight attempts per game.
As the only player on the roster to start in all 33 games for the Red Raiders, Atwell's 130 made 3-pointers set a new program record.
Trailing Iowa State's Milan Momcilovic, Atwell's 130 makes ranked second in the nation, while his incredible shooting clip ranked third.
In his top shooting display of the season, Atwell knocked down 7-of-10 attempts from distance against Baylor, leading Texas Tech to a 91-73 victory.
In the following game, Atwell scored 18 points on five long balls to help knock off No. 6-ranked Houston in a pivotal Big 12 matchup.
Low-Risk, High-Reward
Outside of Atwell's 3-point shooting, he plays smart basketball, limiting turnovers and fouls.
Defensively, Atwell averaged a career-best 1.2 steals per game this past season, while showing growth as a perimeter defender.
If Atwell can continue to develop on that end, his shooting ability will make it difficult to keep him off the floor.
Areas For Improvement
Atwell did a majority of his damage from beyond the arc last season, taking limited free-throw attempts and making just 16 2-pointers.
At the next level, Atwell will need to develop a go-to move inside of the arc for when he is run off the 3-point line.
Getting to the free-throw line should be a priority for the 89.6-percent career shooter from the foul stripe.
Draft Projection
Teams needing shooting could take a flier on Atwell late in the second round, but most mocks point towards the senior sharpshooter being signed as an UDFA.
On ESPN's big board, Atwell is ranked as the No. 94 overall prospect.
Are Kings a Fit?
Atwell's knockdown perimeter shooting would be a huge boost to Sacramento's offensive attack, as the Kings ranked dead last in 3-pointers made per game last season, averaging just ten makes.
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