R.J. Hunter has a shot with Celtics

https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2015/10/01/onhoop/p1X90Jn4Es2XHg0IlVmxZP/story.html




R.J. Hunter has a shot with Celtics







Celtics 2015 draft pick R.J. Hunter.
AP PHOTO/STEPHAN SAVOIA

Celtics 2015 draft pick R.J. Hunter.

By Gary Washburn GLOBE STAFF  OCTOBER 01, 2015




His effortless release, ability to launch a jumper in a split second, and the confidence on his face when the ball swishes through the hoop are signs the Celtics acquired the pin-point shooter they desperately needed when they drafted R.J. Hunter from Georgia State in the first round in June.

Physically, it might take Hunter awhile to adjust to the NBA. His legs resemble pretzel sticks and he needs to get stronger to defend other shooting guards. He struggles to get around screens. He has to improve his footwork to become a better defender.


But those are issues that most rookies are encountering as the calendar moves into October and workouts intensify.

The lingering question about Hunter is what can he bring to the Celtics this season? The team carried high hopes this time last year with rookie James Young from Kentucky. But Young spent an oft-injured season mostly with NBADL Maine.

Hunter is expected to spend some time in Maine, but the Celtics have not possessed such a smooth-shooting guard since Ray Allen left for the Miami Heat in 2012. It will take time for Hunter to develop, especially physically, but unlike Young (who left after one year at Kentucky), Hunter played three years at Georgia State and was the primary focus of most opposing defenses.

He had range with the Panthers and permission from his father/coach to shoot. So his biggest adjustment from the college game is to the 23-feet-9-inch 3-point line in the NBA. The Celtics do not encourage long 2-pointers, so Hunter has spent the past six months mastering the 3-pointer.

“I’m probably as most comfortable as I have been with my shot in a while,” said Hunter, who shot 30.5 percent as a junior from the 3-point line. “I went from getting 20 shots a game to 4 [in triaing camp scrimmages] so every shot has to be locked in perfect, so I think I’ll be good.”

Hunter faced double- and triple-teams at Georgia State, and could launch 30-footers, such as the one he drained in the final minutes against higher-seeded Baylor to help pull off the second-round upset in the NCAA Tournament. NBA players not named Stephen Curry are not urged to take 30-footers, meaning most of Hunter’s 3-point attempts will be contested. NBA defenses are more sophisticated and during summer league, defenders chased Hunter from the 3-point line, daring him to drive to the basket.

Since Hunter is considered a pure outside shooter, he will be forced to find an alternative move.

“You have to have that [ability], as a shooter, if you are not going to make a play, you have to be that threat,” he said. “ If they know you’re not going to drive and shoot three, there is less space for you. You have to have something else.”

Hunter’s father, Ron Sr., is preparing for life after Junior at Georgia State. Ron Sr. told his son he was going to allow him to take the next journey without much intervention. Ron Sr.’s relationship with Celtics coach Brad Stevens makes the transition easier, and R.J. appreciates the freedom.

“He’s left me alone,” R.J. said. “I think he said it when I left, ‘Now you’re a man, you’ve got to figure this out on your own.’ And I’m fine with that. It’s better as a dad for him to have that support instead of always trying to give advice because you’re getting so much stuff from so many places.”

As for Hunter’s mother Amy, her concerns are different. Where is he going to live? How is he adapting to Boston? Is he eating right?

“As I’m sure every NBA mom goes through, she’s in the beginning stages of that,” Hunter said. “That’s probably tougher on her than my dad. She comes up and cooks some food for me and she knows I’m in good hands and she trusts me, so I’ll be all right.”

The adjustment on the Celtics has been smooth because Hunter is not the youngest player on the Celtics. He is older than Marcus Smart, Young, Terry Rozier and Jordan Mickey. Hunter has blended in well, and his assessment of the team’s younger core was encouraging for Celtics fans wondering whether this group is capable of leading the franchise to prosperity.

“The cooler thing about it is, all these guys like basketball,” Hunter said. “You get to the league and you find some guys who are talented and don’t want to be here. All these guys want to be here and I can relate with that and everything else just falls into place.

“You can’t be a championship team if all you do is see each other on the court. You have to have to some type of different bond and I think that’s what we have.”



bob



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Not sure how much this young man will play this year, but he certainly showed in the summer leagues that he can shoot the three point shot. This particular skill alone has made NBA players out of some other guys who may not have been first stringers, but at least had work in the league for a bunch of years.

How well he does other things will determine how much he gets to play. If nothing else, he looks to have more potential than James Young showed going into last season. Being a coach's son also bears well for him immediately and also in his future. Such kids almost always have an advantage, at least on the mental levels.