NBA Draft Scouting Report: UCF's Taylor Hendricks

Scouting Report: Taylor Hendricks

Contents

1. Prospect Profile 
2. Highlights
3. Draft Projection 
4. 2023 Big Board

Taylor Hendricks

Forward | UCF

Height: 6'9” | Weight: 210 lbs

2023 Draft Age: 19.58

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Prospect Profile 

Perhaps the biggest riser at the college level this season, Hendricks has drastically outperformed his freshman expectations. Standing at 6-foot-9, he’s a knockdown shooter from deep and also disruptive on defense.

The perimeter shooting is what we’ll need to keep an eye on. He started the college season out on fire from deep, did regress some as the season went on. Even then, he finished the season just under 40% from beyond the arc on high volume for a forward. Now that we know the shot is real, he has more of an opportunity to play what we’d traditionally consider a combo forward at the next level, which unlocks his ability to slot into NBA rotations. 

One small concern about Hendricks is his ability to self-create. He’s shown flashes of that, but hasn’t yet shown he could be a top scoring option at the next level without being created for. He’s also too passive at times, sometimes going long stretches without scoring the ball. Aggressiveness is something he’s indicated he’s working on, but we’ll need to see more of it in the pre-draft process.

On the defensive end, his versatility pops. Whether he’s guarding a quicker wing or a bigger center, Hendricks has proven to be effective. His lateral quickness and footwork still have room to improve, but he’s got the early makings of a really disruptive defender. In fact, there's a case to be made he has some of the highest defensive upside of any forward in this class.

In the modern NBA, playing multiple positions generally results in more time on the court. Hendricks having the ability to play three could result in him getting on the court quite a bit as a rookie.

A four-star recruit, the 6-foot-9 forward had offers from larger schools across most major conferences, but ultimately chose UCF due to the proximity to his home in South Florida and the family feel of the organization. It was a great choice for him, as he went from a prospect that likely would need multiple seasons at the college level to a clear one-and-one lottery pick.

Hendricks was one of the best freshman in the country and has the perfect build of a modern combo forward. He plays alongside his twin brother, Tyler Hendricks, who plays guard for UCF.

Many players that aren’t at the bigger schools are critiqued for the level of competition they go up against, but the Knights played a solid non-conference schedule this season. The range for Hendricks feels wide, with his upside being as high as sixth or seventh, but also a chance to fall just outside the lottery depending on how things shake up.

Hendricks’ pre-draft process will be huge for where he lands. All it takes is one team to value his skillset to go much earlier than even expected at the end of the season.

Highlights

Draft Projection 

Mid to Late Lottery Pick in 2023 NBA Draft.

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2023 Big Board

Want to know more about other potential 2023 NBA Draft prospects and where they might get selected? Check out our Draft Digest Pro Big Board.

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