NBA Draft 2016: Hawks select DeAndre Bembry with 21st pick

The rise of former Saint Joseph’s star DeAndre' Bembry continued on Thursday when the Atlanta Hawks selected him with the 21st pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.

Out of high school, Bembry was not regarded as a top prospect, despite playing two seasons at The Patrick School in New Jersey and on a successful AAU team. Bembry then decided to play his college basketball at St. Joe’s where he was named Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year and also landed on the All-Conference first team as a sophomore.

Bembry really shined during his junior year when he was named A-10 Player of the Year and led the Hawks to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. He averaged 17.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game as a junior and did whatever his team needed to be successful in all facets of the game.

The Hawks will love Bembry’s scoring ability, and his 1.4 steals per game as a junior indicates how solid he is defensively as well. Bembry's passing has also been an attribute that can help him shine in games, even when he is not scoring. Scouts have been impressed with his ball handling, especially this season. During his time in college, Bembry improved vastly every season, and if that continues, he could be a first-round steal.

Like many NBA prospects, Bembry needs to work on his jump shot and to be fair, he is getting there with his stroke. However, as a junior, Bembry shot just 26.6 percent from behind the arc. That was a college career low by almost six percent. His overall field goal percentage was solid once again as the forward shot 47.9 percent from the floor last season.

Bembry would be best suited in a situation where the team culture is solid and the organization can develop him so he can reach his full potential in the NBA.