‘My confidence is really high:’ De’Andre Hunter showing improvement

“Glue guy” didn’t quite encapsulate De’Andre Hunter and what his role can be for the Hawks, so teammate John Collins came up with a new and improved term: super-glue guy.

Essentially, a player who excels at the little things on the court and uses that to make everyone better. That’s what Collins sees for Hunter as he shows signs of improvement heading into his second season.

“We already know what he can do on the defensive end,” Collins said. “I feel like a modern 3-4, 3-and-D guy who can potentially guard (centers) in some certain spots, which is very valuable, but offensively is where I feel like we all want to see him grow in being able to create his own shot, make open shots, playmake a little bit and just be that ‘super glue guy.’ I don’t know what to call it, (but) take that next step for him, sort of like do whatever he needs to. … Whenever you have Dre on the court, it just feels like all the edges of everything are that much more closed up. And I feel like that’s what he does, and he does well at it naturally, too.”

In the very small sample size of two exhibition games, Hunter, 23, has looked more aggressive than he did as a rookie. Although he seems more confident with the ball in his hands and when shooting or taking on defenders and driving, he also has made sound decisions and not overdone it.

Though Hunter will continue to have competition for the starting small forward job, particularly from fellow second-year player Cam Reddish, his strong start is a good sign for the Hawks, who are looking to make the playoffs and will need solid play from their two-way wings to achieve that. Hunter, who last season often was asked to guard opposing teams’ trickiest wings, has said his goal is to be the best defender on the team. He has started both exhibition games as the Hawks incorporate nine new players and try to quickly develop chemistry.

“My confidence is really high,” said Hunter, who can play power forward, but likely will spend much of his time at the 3 this season. “I put a lot of work in this offseason, whatever you call it, but I’m just really confident in my game, I’m really confident in my teammates, and I think we’re really confident in each other, and when you have a team like that, everyone’s confidence at a high level, you just play at your best.”

Both the Hawks’ exhibition games have come at home against the Magic so far. They have two more in Memphis before their regular season begins in Chicago on Dec. 23.

In a 116-112 loss Dec. 11, Hunter was 5-for-10 from the field, shot 2-for-5 from 3-point range and 6-for-8 from the line, adding 18 points, three rebounds and one block. In a 116-107 win Dec. 13, he was 5-for-7 from the field, shot 2-for-3 from 3-point range and 3-for-4 from the line, adding 15 points, seven rebounds and two assists.

“Definitely, I’m more comfortable with the ball,” Hunter said of what he’s improved on from Year 1 to Year 2. “Just making plays, whether that’s scoring or getting an assist or something like that. And I feel like being more vocal. Still not the most vocal dude on the team, I wouldn’t say that, but just being more vocal, saying things that need to be said, not being afraid to say it, things like that.”

As a rookie, Hunter averaged 12.3 points per game, shooting 41% from the field, 35.5% from 3-point range and 76.4% from the line (making 1.7 of 2.3 free-throw attempts per game).

In particular, Hunter’s improved ability to get to the line has stood out to Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce, who has said many times that Hunter may not have the flashiest game, but is a great system and team guy when he finds a rhythm.

“I think we all know by now and just his demeanor, his approach every game, De’Andre’s a pro, he’s a worker,” Pierce said. “His ability to get to the free-throw line thus far is evident of the work that he’s put in throughout this offseason. So I’m excited to see in addition to that, some of the other things that he’s worked on. His ability to play and work on his body and be able to play and have a physical presence, a stronger and more physical presence offensively and defensively.

“He’s got his hands full with some of the matchups this year. So I’m impressed with how he’s come back, and I’m excited to see what he’s going to be able to do on both sides of the ball.”

Hunter has looked strong on offense, and his continued development is key given the amount of responsibility he’ll shoulder on defense. The Hawks now have a healthy Clint Capela at center and hope to eventually have a healthy Kris Dunn they can deploy in the backcourt, but will need scrappy defensive play from Hunter and Reddish, as well, if the team is to succeed defensively.

Leading to the preseason, Pierce met with Hunter and told him he thought Hunter was the best defender on the team — and he wanted him to play like it. After all, Hunter was the ACC Defensive Player of the Year on Virginia’s 2019 national championship team.

Hunter will be called upon to guard elite players on a nightly basis, Pierce added.

“I said the starting job is a competition, and in my mind, he should be and is the best defender, but that’s still up to him,” Pierce said of the meeting. “Cam has been tremendous guarding some of those perimeter players, those elite ball-handlers, guys that are high volume. Dre’s got to defend some of those 3-4′s, 4-3 types. But it’s still up for grabs.

“I think De’Andre has to prove he can guard some of the smaller and quicker elite guards, in addition to the 3′s and the 4′s and Cam’s got to prove that he can defend some of the 3′s and the 4′s that have some girth and some size and some strength. So, I think for Dre, it’s a mindset. I want him believing that.”

In his second season, Hunter wants to be more consistent on offense (his shot ebbed and flowed last season) and make open shots. On a team like this, with Trae Young and other creators such as Rajon Rondo, Bogdan Bogdanovic and Kevin Huerter, he’s going to get them, it’s just a matter of knocking them down.

Through the first half of the preseason, though, he’s happy with his mentality.

“That’s the aggression I’m looking to show,” Hunter said of his performances in the first two exhibition games. “Whatever the game gives me, I’ll take it. I’m not necessarily saying I’ll be more aggressive, more attacking the rim, but whatever the defense gives me, just making the right reads.”