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kerwin roach jr. SG, Texas
Though it wasn’t the nets they hoped they’d be cutting down at the start of the season, the Texas Longhorns should be feeling pretty proud of their NIT championship run. Their success likely helped propel Jaxson Hayes to the No. 8 overall selection in the draft.
Unfortunately senior leader Kerwin Roach was not as lucky that night. Despite willing the Longhorns to the NIT title, many teams were likely uncertain about his potential upside in the league. Roach started for Texas for three years and had ample opportunity to display his skills, but yet it was not enough.
But what if they were wrong? It surely wouldn’t be the first time scouts underestimated a proven prospect. Although Roach has never displayed the intangibles to become a superstar in the league, he’s still very good player that knows how to win. He led Texas in points scored while increasing all of his averages in the NIT tournament, averaging 17 points, 5 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game.
Roach lives for the big stage. That’s why he won the NIT’s Most Outstanding Player Award. That’s why he always plays the toughest competition the hardest. That’s why he put up 32 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds and 4 steals against North Carolina in an upset victory over one of the best teams in the country.
His attitude and approach to the game would fit perfectly in Portland’s environment and culture they’ve built up. With both Seth Curry and Rodney Hood possibly leaving via free agency, Roach is a solid insurance plan that could be bought for next to nothing. Given a few years to develop, he could easily become the next Hood.