Will R.J. Hunter's Star Shine as Brightly in the NBA?

And just like that, Georgia State junior R.J. Hunter is your first big star of the 2015 NCAA tournament.

It's almost a shame it took a March game-winner for him to gain some recognition. This was Hunter's third consecutive season averaging at least 17 points per game. 

	FG Pct	Points	Rebounds	Assists	3PTM	3PT Pct.
2014-15	.395	19.6	4.7	3.6	77	.303
2013-14	.444	18.3	4.6	1.7	100	.395
2012-13	.439	17	5.1	1.8	73	.365

He just repeated as the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year. 

Though fairly under the radar in terms of the national audience, Hunter has been attracting NBA scouts all season long, according to Yahoo Sports' Marc J. Spears:

Hunter would be sure to draw first-round interest if he chose to enter the draft this June. The question is how high should teams be willing to reach?

A pure 2-guard listed at 6'6", 190 pounds, Hunter has a skinny frame and spaghetti-like arms and legs. He'll already be 22 years old by next October, so chances are he won't add too much more weight or bulk. 

Height	Weight	Wingspan
6'6"	190 lbs	6'9.5"

The obvious concern regarding Hunter's outlook is his lack of strength for a guard likely to play mostly off the ball. He'll have to score against and cover players 15-20 pounds heavier on a routine basis.

Going down the NBA rosters, the only starting shooting guards under 200 pounds are Monta Ellis, Avery Bradley, Ben McLemore and J.J. Redick. 

And Hunter hasn't had much experience playing against NBA-level defenders or competition. 

In three seasons, he's faced power-conference opponents just six times. In those games, Hunter is 29-of-82 (35.4 percent) from the floor. Last year, he was shut down (held to 4-of-16 in a loss) by Clemson product and Houston Rockets rookie K.J. McDaniels in the first round of the NIT. 

However, Hunter has had a target on his head as the focal point of every opposing defensive game plan. 

In the Panthers' first game of this year's NCAA tournament, Baylor extended its zone in a direct attempt to make Hunter give up the ball. 

Only that won't happen in the pros, where to start, he'll be viewed as more of a third, fourth or fifth option.

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Perimeter Scoring

Just to paint a picture portraying Hunter's style of play and approach, only 16.7 percent of his total field-goal attempts come at the rim, per Hoop-Math.com. 

The appeal to Hunter as a prospect ultimately stems from his shot-making skills and ability to generate perimeter offense. 

He's not a scorer who needs isolation dribbles in order to get off a shot. Handoffs, curls, down screens, pindowns—Hunter finds way to free himself and knock down jumpers off movement. 

With the ball, he's flashed the footwork to create looks away from the basket, whether they're on pull-ups or step-backs. And though he's not the most explosive leaper when it comes to elevating and separating from defenders, just an inch of room is enough for Hunter to comfortably lock in with the rim.

And as we saw on that dagger against Baylor, Hunter has unlimited range. He wasn't as sharp this season, having made a career-low 30.3 percent of his threes. But not even that severe drop-off in accuracy is likely to wipe out his shooting credibility. 

Hunter ultimately has smooth mechanics and an effortless delivery. And he's still hit 77 triples after making 100 as a sophomore and 73 as a freshman. Plus, with teams keying in on him defensively, and not many table-setters in Georgia State's lineup (starting point guard Ryan Harrow averages 3.7 assists per game), the difficultly level of Hunter's shot attempts is higher than most. 

"

Tough part about scouting Shawn Long + RJ Hunter is most Sun Belt teams use a lot of gimmick defenses to slow them down.

— Jonathan Tjarks (@JonathanTjarks) February 22, 2015"

Hunter also has one of those short memory spans, which should bode well for him in the NBA. Slumps and cold streaks don't mess with his confidence or willingness to let it fly. 

He was 1-of-8 from the floor before erupting for 12 points in the final three minutes in Georgia State's epic win over Baylor on Thursday. 

Expanding His Game

Though he hasn't been as consistent from behind the arc, Hunter has showcased some added versatility this year as a junior. 

Only seven players in the country made more free throws than Hunter, who also doubled his assist rate from a season ago. He's been used more in pick-and-rolls, while he's been more aggressive attacking close-outs and initiating contact within 10 feet. 

He even averaged 2.2 steals per game, a reflection of his length and presence in passing lanes. 

Projected NBA Role, Draft Outlook

I'd push the breaks on the Klay Thompson comparisons. A scorer like Thompson has 25 pounds and an inch or two on Hunter. 

Given Hunter's perimeter-oriented attack and lack of strength, he reminds me more of a mix between J.J. Redick and Kevin Martin—lethal shot-makers you'd rather surround your stars with, as opposed to ones you'd feature or build around.

Hunter could potentially become a dangerous complementary scorer if he ends up landing on a team with playmakers and post men to play off. 

Questions regarding his body and mid-major production, along with a generally strong field of prospects, could make it tough for Hunter to crack the 2015 lottery. 

But the firepower he's capable of unleashing, as well as his overall basketball IQ and passing, hold obvious NBA value. I'd pencil him in to go anywhere in the mid-first-round range.