How good a passer is Spencer Hawes?

[.GR]

Sactown Royalty

As we all noticed (as it was just about the only highlight), Spencer Hawes registered nine assists against Philadelphia on Sunday night. It set a career high.

How many other 20-year-old centers have ever dropped nine assists? Since 1986-87 (the furthest Basketball-Reference.com's search database goes back): zero.

In fact, among centers younger than 21 years old, Hawes has five of the top 10 single-game assist totals (the 9er from Sunday, two 6s and two 5s). Brook Lopez (who had eight in a game against the Knicks last week) is the only other 20-year-old center in the past two decades to break six.

As a 21-year-old rookie, Brad Daughtery went over 10 assists three times. (Daughtery actually isn't a bad comp for Hawes -- Spencer has shown more shot blocking and a bit better rebounding; Daughtery shot well more consistently. Daughtery also retired young due to injury, so I'll just shut up now.)

 

[Mexi]

more and more centers these days are becoming better passers, nothing out of the ordinary
look at Pau and Yao for instance.

 

[.GR]

Thing is, he's barely 20. He could become one of the best passing big men in the game.

 

[Mexi]

ok thats nice
he's a solid player, I dont like him at all, but he's gonna be a good NBA player

 

[Yankees2772]

Maybe he learned a bit from Brad Miller, who many consider to be one of the best passing big men a few years back.

 

[.GR]

Yeah that would be my guess.

 

[bestkeptsecret13]

Maybe he learned a bit from Brad Miller, who many consider to be one of the best passing big men a few years back.

That's exactly what I was gonna say. Miller is an excellent passer, Hawes benefited greatly from playing with him.

 

[.GR]

I was looking at some old scouting reports before he was drafted and his passing was actually an upside of his game. I never realized that.

 

[VC15]

Hawes could be good, but Lopez will be better.

 

[CP3_Melo]

So? The guy hit 9.. big whoop. Something like 20 would make me actually give a damn

 

[Mexi]

9 for a Center is a lot
even the best passing bigs dont hit 9 that often
thats like Chris Paul or DWill hitting 22

 

[CP3_Melo]

9 for a Center is a lot
even the best passing bigs dont hit 9 that often
thats like Chris Paul or DWill hitting 22

CP3 hit 21 like last month

 

[Yankees2772]

Stop trolling...

 

[DC4]

It's like this, it's not that often you see a big man have that many assist...especially a center

 

[Mexi]

CP3 hit 21 like last month

i never said it was impossible
neither is a center getting 9
it just doesnt happen as often as CP gets 10-13 assists and a center gets 4-6