Inside The Panthers

Lakers Pick Pitt's Blake Hinson in Mock Draft

Pitt Panthers superstar Blake Hinson has skyrocketed into NBA Draft conversations.

Stephen Thompson

Lakers Pick Pitt's Blake Hinson in Mock Draft
Lakers Pick Pitt's Blake Hinson in Mock Draft /
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PITTSBURGH -- After a stellar week that's seen him earn multiple national and conference awards, Pitt Panthers superstar Blake Hinson is becoming a more serious consideration in NBA Draft circles. 

The Athletic's Sam Vecenie has Hinson as the lone player drafted out of Pitt in his latest 2024 NBA Mock Draft. Vecenie has Hinson being selected by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 55th overall pick, which would make him the first Panther drafted since Cameron Johnson, who was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the 11th overall pick of the 2019 Draft. 

Hinson averaged 34 points and 4.5 rebounds per game while knocking down 53.8% of his 3-pointers, 64.7% from 2-point range and 80% from the free throw line over two wins against Virginia and Louisville. He dropped 27 points in an upset win over the Cavaliers, which also snapped Division I's longest home winning streak, before scoring an astounding 41 points - tied for the third-most in a game in school history and the most by a Panther at the Petersen Events Center - against the Cardinals. 

Hinson struggled mightily against Wake Forest, scoring just 10 points on 2-7 shooting from the field and 1-5 from deep while grabbing seven rebounds as well. But he's still averaging a career-high in points at 18.8 per game while shooting north of 42% from 3-point range on more than eight attempts from long-range per contest. 

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Stephen Thompson
STEPHEN THOMPSON

Stephen Thompson graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications and political science from Pitt in April 2022 after spending four years as a sports writer and editor at The Pitt News, the University of Pittsburgh's independent, student-run newspaper.  He primarily worked the Pitt men's basketball beat, and filled in on coverage of football, volleyball, softball, gymnastics and lacrosse, in addition to other sports as needed. His work at The Pitt News has won awards from the Pennsylvania News Media Association and Associated College Press.  During the spring and summer of 2021, Stephen interned for Pittsburgh Sports Now, covering baseball in western Pennsylvania. Hailing from Washington D.C., family ties have cultivated a love of Boston's professional teams and Pitt athletics, and a fascination with sports in general.  You can reach Stephen by email at stephenethompson00@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter. Read his latest work:

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