Hornacek Wants More Than Athleticism From Prospects
Is this an indictment against picking LaVine?When Hornacek sees draft prospects whose games similarly rely on physical gifts, he keeps a sharp eye for tell-tale signs that their games will provide as much substance as style.
“For me it’s, ‘do they have knowledge of the game?’” Hornacek said. “Defensively, if they’re on the weak side, what their reads are. To me that gives a good sense of [whether] they understand the game. Same offensively. If they make an extra pass. If they cut.”
Those nuances are more easily discernible in pre-draft workout scrimmages and by watching game film. The athletic tests, after all, only form a tantalizingly imperfect picture.
“I’m sure I wouldn’t have tested well,” Hornacek laughed. “Would John Stockton have tested well? You’re just looking at guys and if they can play the game.”