Most of the conversation surrounding Scoot Henderson as the potential number two pick has been his fit with LaMelo Ball. Both are seen as primary ballhandlers and while LaMelo’s prolific shooting certainly makes him a catch-and-shoot threat (over half of his 10.6 three-point attempts a game last season came off the pass), taking the ball out of the hands of one of the league’s best passers seems like hustling backward.
But whether the Hornets should draft Henderson is about more than his fit alongside Ball. It’s about what his future will look like in teal, how much better he gets, and how he will make his team better. Because ultimately, the goal is to win. And despite the comparisons he’ll draw for the rest of his career to Brandon Miller, the other potential target at number two in the NBA draft, the more interesting comparison is who Henderson will be in the upcoming years.
Who will Scoot Henderson develop into in the league?
What player will he most closely resemble when he does develop? The 6’2 guard with an abundance of athleticism and limited shooting range could be the next De’Aaron Fox. Fox is coming off his first All-star selection. And while he once shot 37% from behind the arc (his second year in the league), most of Fox’s work is done from the two-point distance. In fact, he shot a career-high 58.4% inside the arc and was one of the best scorers in the paint amongst all guards.
The other comparison for the springy guard could be Ja Morant. Morant shot roughly 30% from three in his first year at Weber State. Henderson shot 27% in his season with G League Ignite. Just because Henderson struggles with his outside shot now, doesn’t mean he can’t improve in that regard. Morant could serve as a precedent from a shooting perspective. And while his 3-point shooting dipped from 34.4% in the 2021-22 season to 30.7% this season, he is coming off his second straight All-star appearance.
Ultimately, comparisons are ways people can feel better about projecting into the future. There have been other guards that didn’t shoot the three-ball particularly well and still had extremely productive careers.
Russell Westbrook, John Wall, and Derrick Rose come to mind as lead guards that used their explosive athleticism to cover up their shooting deficiencies. But can that player still dominate in a league obsessed with space and shooting? Despite the fact those players are still hooping, they were most dominant in a different era. That’s how much things have changed in the NBA. And how quickly the game has evolved.