Report: Potential first-round pick Kevin Huerter undergoes hand surgery, to miss two months
Former Maryland guard and potential first-round pick Kevin Huerter underwent surgery to repair torn ligaments in his right hand and will miss about two months, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Huerter is a projected first-round pick in the 2018 NBA draft
Huerter, 19, played two seasons at Maryland before declaring for the NBA draft along with fellow Terrapin Justin Jackson.
Huerter had a good showing at the NBA Combine in mid-May and also impressed in team workouts, making his decision to declare a bit easier. At 6-foot-7, Huerter offers excellent length on the wing, and he is a terrific three-point shooter: He shot 41.7 from deep and over 50 percent from the field in his second and final year as a Terrapin. Huerter was also a remarkably consistent scorer last season, scoring double-digits in every Big Ten contest and averaging 15.3 points per game in-conference.
In Jordan Schultz’s most recent mock draft, Huerter goes No. 17 overall to the Milwaukee Bucks:
This may seem too early for Huerter, but it’s not. Huerter is a fantastic shooter (42 percent from deep), but he’s not just a shooter either. The 6-7 forward can pass and defend as well, and has the necessary bounce to finish at the rim, which will help him blend in alongside Khris Middleton. Huerter benefited from a top-notch performance in Chicago.
Huerter is, in general, viewed as a mid- to late-first-round pick.
The NBA draft is June 21
Huerter is a well-regarded prospect whose stock has risen as the draft process has unfolded. If and how much this surgery impacts his draft position remains to be seen. He’ll find out just how much he’s helped his cause — and just how much this injury has hurt it — on June 21. The draft is in Brooklyn and begins at 7 p.m. ET.
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