Pitt's Blake Hinson Earns Comparison to NBA Superstars

Pitt Panthers forward Blake Hinson earned comparisons to NBA superstars after a legendary performance against Louisville.

PITTSBURGH -- Louisville head coach Kenny Payne was at a loss. Pitt Panthers forward Blake Hinson couldn't be contained, no matter what his defense threw at him.  

And as Pitt's superstar forward torched him for 41 points, 27 of which came on his nine 3-pointers, the only comparison Payne could make came from his time as an assistant coach with the New York Knicks, where he watched some of the best in the world dominate the biggest stages in the world. 

"It's been a while, a few years ago when I was in the NBA, I saw guys run off baskets like that," Payne said. "Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Devin Booker - players that get in a zone and even if you're an inch away, it's up. He is an elite shooter of the basketball and an elite scorer."

This isn't the first time someone has compared Hinson to an NBA star. When he made all nine of his 3-point attempts in a win over West Virginia, Mountaineers forward Quin Slazinski said Hinson "shot the ball better than Kevin Durant does."

Payne went on to say that Hinson was a complete game-wrecker. Despite finishing without an assist, he made extra passes and drives that created new opportunities for himself and others. 

"We face guarded some, he drove us. We trapped him some, he made good passes and other guys made shots," Payne said. "When you look at it, his 41, it doesn't say anything about the assists but the 'hockey assists.' We trapped, he made a pass, they made a pass - three or layup. So his impact on the game was immense, it was enormous for their team, because he controlled the game, which put us in scramble mode."

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