In the lead-up to the NBA Draft, JohnnyJungle.com continues to look at the graduating St. John’s seniors and how they could fare at the professional level. Today, Dwight Hardy and Sean Evans.
Dwight Hardy
Hardy was the national face of the revitalized and reenergized program in 2010-2011. Beginning with his dominant performance against Georgetown to kick off Big East play, the ball kept rolling from there. The Bronx native ended up averaging just over 18 points per game and was named to the All-Big East First Team.
Now post-graduation, the next phase of his basketball career begins.
Hardy recently returned from Europe, where he worked out for teams in France. Also, Adam Zagoria of SNY is reporting that Hardy will be working out for the New Jersey Nets on Monday.
During his college career, Hardy was a pure scorer, both during his time at Indian Hills and at St. John’s. The key to his game, especially during his senior season with the Red Storm, was his ability to score in any number of ways. His dribble penetration was his biggest strength, getting to the rim, especially in the clutch.
Head coach Steve Lavin compared Hardy to Miami Heat guard Eddie House at the beginning of the season, and that is the role he could play in the NBA. Off the bench, he could be a 3pt shooting sparkplug that can put up points in a hurry. Questions still remain about his capacity to be a true, distributing point guard, which is why he may need a few seasons to develop his game overseas before making his way to the NBA.
Sean Evans
If there was one thing Sean Evans did relentlessly in his time with the Red Storm, it was offensive rebound.
Much like fellow St. John’s graduate Justin Burrell, Evans 6’8, 259 lb. frame is something NBA teams would covet.
He was inconsistent on the offensive end in his time at St. John’s, but had flashes of strong work in the post. He is also working to harness the physical gifts that he already has. This past season showed another part of Evans: his hard work.
Early in the year, he was seeing very little time on the floor, playing less than 5 minutes in six of the first eleven games. Lavin stressed that each practice was a chance for players to fight for time, and Evans did just that. Down the stretch, he was an integral part of the Red Storm rotation and chalked up a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds in the Big East Tournament.
Recently, he has been working out independently on the West Coast, including workouts with fellow Philadelphia natives Marcus and Markieff Morris.
Projections show Evans, too, will not get drafted, but his size could be an asset to him as he looks for pro teams in perhaps Europe, or elsewhere. As he continues to work on finishing around the rim, he could be a contributing big man at the professional level.
Belinda Evans says
YOU GO BOY