EWU’s Tyler Harvey will hopefully learn destination in tonight’s NBA draft
How high will Eastern Washington’s shooting star soar in tonight’s NBA draft?
It’s anyone’s guess, Tyler Harvey’s included.
“You just hope your name gets called,” said Harvey, who’s back home in Los Angeles after three months on the road. Tonight, he’ll settle in and watch the draft with family.
Most experts predict Harvey will be drafted late in the second round – or not at all, as his shooting talent is offset by a few flaws.
Since declaring himself eligible for the NBA draft on April 1, the former Eastern Washington University star has worked out for 14 teams, participated in the league combine and otherwise tried to boost his stock for tonight’s moment of reckoning.
Harvey said that most teams don’t offer much feedback during workouts. “They just kind of watch and observe, so you don’t really know what they’re thinking,” Harvey said.
“I’ve been pretty busy,” Harvey said Wednesday afternoon from L.A. “It’s good to be home.”
Harvey, the national college scoring leader last year, averaged 22.9 points to lead the Eagles to their first NCAA tournament appearance in 11 years. He’s also the only player from area schools projected to have a chance at being one of 60 players to be selected in the two-round draft.
The 6-foot-4, 185-pound Harvey is considered to be one of the top 3-point shooters and combo guards on the board, and is prized for his quick release and seemingly unlimited range; in fact, he attempted almost 10 long-range shots a game last year while taking only six per game from inside the arc.
He’s considered a strong shooter off the dribble who doesn’t need a lot of space to get open. His stepback shots have drawn comparisons with Stephen Curry, the league MVP who last week took Golden State to the NBA title.
“I remember one guy called me a poor man’s Steph Curry,” Harvey told the Washington Post last week. “Hopefully I can take the ‘poor’ out of that.”
Harvey added that he spent a lot of time watching the NBA Finals. “You can learn a lot from these guys,” he said.
On the debit side, Harvey has been downgraded for his ball control and lack of foot speed, especially on defense. The biggest question in the minds of some experts: Can he shoot effectively spotting up?
“I definitely work on that,” Harvey said.
Last week, Harvey worked out for the Washington Wizards, who are in the market for bench scoring. Several experts predict the Wizards will take Harvey with the 49th pick.