Hawks Pre-Draft Workout: Player Profiles, No Cason Wallace

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The Hawks will host another round of workouts today. Cason Wallace was initially on the scheduled list of players, but he will no longer be attending. Wallace is projected to fall out of the lottery in ESPN’s mock draft, potentially leaving the door open for the Hawks to draft him. Hopefully, they can get him in the building before June 22nd.

All of the players below will be in attendance.

Toumani Camara, Dayton

Season Averages: 13.9 PTS (54.6 FG%), 8.6 REB, 1.7 AST, 1.2 STL, 0.8 BLK

Height: 6’8″    Weight: 220lbs

Originally from Brussels, Germany, Camara played his first two years of basketball at Georgia before transferring to Dayton. Camara was an All-Atlantic 10 first-team selection and, more intriguing to Hawks fans, was selected to the All-Defensive team.

He can be described best as a good all-around forward with exceptional defense. He was great working out of the pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop at Dayton. I wouldn’t describe him as a shooter, but he shot the three at a 36.3 percent clip on 2.4 attempts per game. This garnered enough attention from the defense to make his pick-and-pop threat solid. He was highly efficient from the field and showed good touch working with either hand in the post. He had no problem getting his teammates involved and often made some impressive passes out of the post for a player of his size. Though he is already 23 years old, it wouldn’t be unheard of for a team to take a chance on him late.

ESPN Projection: Undrafted

Sincere Carry, Kent State

Season Averages: 17.5 PTS (40.8 FG%), 3.7 REB, 4.8 AST, 1.7 STL, 2.6 TO

Height: 6’1″    Weight: 185 lbs

Sincere Carry spent his first three years playing for Duquesne. He then quit the game of basketball for a few months before deciding to continue at Kent State for his last two years of eligibility. Last season, he was named the MAC Player of the Year and earned himself a spot on the All-MAC Defensive Team.

Sincere Carry is a talented player, but his regression from his fourth to fifth year is concerning. He shot only 40.8 percent from the field (down 2.3 percent) on 15 attempts per game and 30.5 percent from three (down 4.8 percent) on six attempts per game. He participated in workouts for multiple NBA teams last year before withdrawing his name from the draft, learning what he needed to improve upon to be ready this year. Carry is good on the defensive end, but his size likely limits him in the league. After a relatively inefficient season, it’s unlikely he’ll be drafted this year.

ESPN Projection: Undrafted

Armaan Franklin, Virginia

Season Averages: 12.4 PTS (42.4 FG%), 4.1 REB, 1.4 AST, 0.9 STL, 1.0 TO

Height: 6’4″    Weight: 200lbs

Franklin played two seasons at Indiana before transferring to Virginia, where he played another two, eventually earning ACC All-Tournament team honors.

Franklin showed promise as a three-level scorer with impressive ability on the defensive end, like most who play under Tony Bennett. Franklin looked NBA-ready in multiple games, including a 26-point and 10-rebound performance against Baylor, a 23-point performance against Duke, and a 21-point performance against NCCU, where he knocked down 4four triples.

In an interview after his workout with the Indiana Pacers, he said he’s looking to become a “three and D player who can also be a secondary ball-handler…” He also emphasized his ability as a playmaker. Most scouts praise his ability to play well both on and off the ball, which will be crucial for him at the next level. He shot 37.3 percent from three-point range this season on five attempts per game.

ESPN Projection: Undrafted

Seneca Knight, Illinois State

Season Averages: 12.3 PTS (47.4 FG%), 5.9 REB, 1.4 AST, 0.7 STL, 0.4 BLK

Height: 6’6″    Weight: 225lbs

Seneca Knight spent his first three seasons playing for San Jose State, his fourth season at BYU, and his final season at Illinois State. He was named only to the All-Mountain West third team, but he certainly has NBA size and physicality.

Offensively, Knight shows promise as a good scorer at all three levels. He was very efficient in the paint and also from mid-range. He shot 39.6 percent from three on three attempts per game, occasionally showing off NBA range. He brings good physicality and combines it with good touch at the rim. He has a decent handle but will likely need to improve to create shots for himself at the next level. While he passes the eye test, you’d like to see more production from an NBA prospect in his conference. However, it’s interesting to note he averaged 17.1 points per game (on 13 attempts, 40.3 FG%) during his 2019-2020 season at SJSU.

ESPN Projection: Undrafted

Xavier Castaneda, Akron

Season Averages: 21.7 PTS (41.5 FG%), 4.3 REB, 2.9 AST, 1.0 STL, 2.2 TO

Height: 6’1″    Weight: 188lbs

Castaneda is a five-year guy who spent his first three years at Southern Florida and his last two at Akron. He finished the season in the top-15 in the NCAA in points per game but on a relatively low shooting percentage. 

9.1 of his 13.7 attempts per game came from three, putting his shooting percentage in a better perspective. He shot 39 percent on these 9.1 attempts per game, which is very impressive for such a high volume. He logged 17 games with 20 or more points this season, including eight games with over 30 or more points. After withdrawing his name from the 2022 draft, he significantly improved from his previous season (13.6 PTS, 3.6 REB, 2.3 AST). He was able to get to the free throw line frequently, with 7.9 attempts per game. It’s unlikely he’ll hear his name on draft night due to his age, size, and limitations.

ESPN Projection: Undrafted

Vincent Valerio-Bodon

Season Averages: 8.2 PTS (63.4 2FG%, 41), 4.1 REB, 1.8 AST, 0.9 STL, 0.8 BLK

Height: 6’10″    Weight: 202lbs

Valerio-Bodon was a starter for Sopron KC in his fourth season in the Hungarian NBIA. He has piqued interest overseas as a player with NBA potential. Valerio-Bodon would be just the second-ever player born in Hungary to play in the NBA.

While his stats appear underwhelming, he did log 12 games in double-digit scoring with two 20-plus point games. Valerio-Bodon shot 41.2 percent from three on 3.4 attempts per game, which may be the stem of interest for the 6-foot-10 prospect. The future for him will rely heavily on his individual workouts with each NBA team, as he was not a participant in the NBA combine.

ESPN Projection: Undrafted

No players in today’s workout are expected to be drafted, unlike the last couple of days. ESPN currently projects the Hawks to take Baylor’s Keyonte George with the 15th pick.

Photographer: Bryan Lynn/Icon Sportswire

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