At first glance, Danny Ferry's first draft picks as Hawks general manager don't seem to fit his vision for revamping the roster with young talent to develop for the future.
There were younger, more raw and more talented prospects available when the Hawks selected Vanderbilt sharpshooter John Jenkins with the No. 23 overall pick Thursday night. Their second-round pick, Mike Scott, turns 24 next month, making him an old rookie by today's standards.
The selection of Jenkins in particular suggests that the Hawks' need to fill their roster with relatively cheap players who can play now trumps Ferry's desire to build long-term. But Ferry believes Jenkins fits what he has described as the "value-based identity" the Hawks hope to develop.
"You want guys with fiber," Ferry said at the conclusion of the draft late Thursday. "Clearly with Jenkins, he has that. He will come in and compete every game. He's going to the gym tonight and shoot around just to celebrate.
"A guy that likes to hoop is always good to have on your team. We want to have a team that defends, plays unselfishly and can shoot the ball. I think adding Jenkins in particular really helps us with that."
Jenkins confirmed that he planned to head to the gym for a workout late Thursday. First he was waiting on Vanderbilt teammates Festus Ezeli and Jeffery Taylor to learn their draft fates. (Golden State selected Ezeli at No. 30, and Taylor went to Charlotte with the next pick.)
"Anybody that knows me knows I'm kind of a maniac when it comes to working out," he said. "I'm always in the gym and trying to get better at my game."
Most experts predicted Jenkins would be selected early in the second round. The Hawks had a higher opinion of Jenkins: They thought he would be off the board before they picked at 23.
"When Boston made the No. 22 selection, there was a lot of happiness in the room that John would be there," Hawks coach Larry Drew said.
It shouldn't take long for the Hawks to figure out if Jenkins can make an impact. With only six players under contract for next season, Jenkins is the second shooting guard behind Joe Johnson and one of three guards on the roster, including Jeff Teague.
Guards Jannero Pargo and Willie Green are set to become free agents Sunday. Each had career-best shooting years with the Hawks, who hope Jenkins can help fill that void.
Jenkins shot 43.9 percent on 3-pointers last season while making nearly four per game. He led all Division I perimeter players in effective field-goal percentage, which accounts for the increased value of 3-pointers.
"I like people that can shoot, and he can definitely do that," Ferry said. "When he's on the court he will make shots and almost make it four-on-five games because you can't leave him."
At Vanderbilt, Jenkins wasn't much of a passer and didn't get to the free-throw line or collect many rebounds. All of those things will be much more difficult to do in the NBA.
Ferry said Jenkins can be a good defender despite questions about his quickness.
"He cares, and if we have a good system where he can play five-man defense, I think he will do a good job," Ferry said.
Scott was named first-team all-ACC last season. He played five seasons for Virginia after being granted a medical hardship following an ankle injury during his junior season.
Scott was a pretty good rebounder at Virginia and increased his scoring efficiency as he developed a jump shot. Ferry said Scott will play power forward for the Hawks.
"He's got the strength," Ferry said. "He's a good 16-foot pick-and-pop player that can also finish around the basket and rebound. I think he's got a chance to be a good player."
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