Recent odd-numbered years have been kind to Georgia at the NBA draft.
Three players from the state heard their names called in 2011. Georgia’s Kentavious Caldwell-Pope went No. 8 to the Detroit Pistons in 2013.
Now in 2015, Georgia State junior R.J. Hunter projects as a first-round pick.
Two other draft-eligible players — Georgia State’s Ryan Harrow and Georgia’s Marcus Thornton — may be chosen near the end of the draft or sign with an NBA Summer League team as an undrafted free agent.
Harrow, 24, formed a lethal backcourt combo with Hunter in their last season. A refined 3-point marksman, Hunter shot his way to 19.7 points per game, and the 6-foot-2 Harrow, quick and crafty, toyed with defenses to the tune of 18.3 points and 3.6 assists per game.
A hamstring injury limited Harrow to 19 minutes during his team’s NCAA tournament run, but he’s healthy now and has worked out for the Jazz, Suns and Grizzlies, and he could work out for the Trail Blazers and Clippers soon.
Harrow’s happiest about his most recent performance in Memphis, saying everything was on point that day — shooting, passing, fighting through the fatigue.
“Memphis seemed like they liked me the most,” he said. “The way that the head coach (Dave Joerger) was talking to me afterwards and telling me how well I had done. … It might not mean anything, but like I said, you never know.”
Currently the Grizzlies have only the No. 25 pick and won’t draft Harrow that high. But, along with Harrow, Memphis worked out five other guards projected to go late in the second round or undrafted, indicating it might be looking for a guard to sign as an undrafted free agent.
Harrow has a chance to go to the Jazz at No. 54, but he said he wasn’t as conditioned as he thought he’d be for the high altitude in Utah.
The Jazz workout featured another surprise: a bizarre interview question.
If he could choose any three people to take to dinner, who would they be?
“Martin Luther King, Michael Jordan and Oprah,” Harrow remembered answering. “Jordan just because he … was the greatest basketball player … Oprah because she has a lot of money and I want to learn how to make money like her, and everybody wants to sit down with Martin Luther King Jr.”
No riddles for Thornton, just workout stops with the 76ers, Thunder, Spurs, Suns and most recently the Heat.
Thornton, 22, led the Bulldogs in scoring (12.3 points) and rebounding (7.3) in his senior season and took them to their first NCAA tournament appearance since 2011. He recorded a double-double in their opening-round loss to Michigan State.
Thornton is a 6-8, 235-pound forward with a “Get of my paint right now” style of play. His size translates to the power forward position in the NBA, which means he’ll have to craft a solid midrange jumper.
Thornton said teams gave him the most critique on his midrange jumper, but they also liked a lot about his game.
“For a guy like me, (teams) love my tangibles: toughness … defense, doing the small things,” he said.
Thornton said he’s happiest with his workout in Phoenix, which currently holds the No. 44 pick — too early for Thornton’s name to be called. San Antonio with the 55th pick or Philadelphia with pick Nos. 58 and 60 are more likely destinations.
Thornton said he might work out for up to six more teams in the coming weeks, including the Hawks, which would give him 11 workouts in the span of about a month.
“(This process has) been tough, but it’s been a really fun and unique experience,” he said. “You’ve just got to keep in mind that not many people are getting to do this, so take advantage of that opportunity.”
