Future Watch: Josh Hart Rookie Basketball Cards, Lakers – The 2017 NBA draft was a big night for the Los Angeles Lakers. Without any picks in the 2018 draft, the team needed to add a number of essential pieces to their 2017 roster. It was a foregone conclusion that they’d select UCLA point guard Lonzo Ball with the second overall pick. Ball and his boisterous father soaked up all the media attention during the draft, but the Lakers weren’t finished adding to their roster. They would end up trading their 28th pick, Tony Bradley, to Utah for the 30th pick: Villanova guard Josh Hart. With all eyes focused on the Ball family, Los Angeles’ other rookies have flown under the radar, especially outside Southern California. Along with second-rounder Kyle Kuzma, the Lakers have greatly improved their core of players moving forward.
Josh Hart earned a reputation as a high-energy player at an early age. He attended Sidwell Friends School outside Washington D.C. In his junior season (2012), he averaged 20.6 points and 11.6 rebounds per game. There was a moment where he was nearly kicked out of school due to poor grades, but he was able to rebound and earned a second chance from the school. In his senior year, he averaged 24.3 points, 13.4 rebounds and 2.8 steals per game. The Washington Post and Rivals.com would rank Hart as the number 82 prospect in the 2013 recruiting class. He would commit to play for the University of Villanova for the 2013-14 season.
In four seasons for the Wildcats, Hart improved each year. He began his college career as a 2013-14 Big East All Rookie Team selection, averaging 7.8 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. As a sophomore, Hart was named the Big East’s sixth man of the year. Coach Jay Wright praised Hart’s ability to come off the bench and play any position aside from point guard. Hart would improve his season averages to 10.1 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. He was also named the most outstanding player of the 2015 Big East Tournament.
Hart’s junior season would be one for the ages as he led the Wildcats to their second national championship in school history. He once again improved his season averages with 15.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. After the season, he mulled declaring for the 2016 Draft before withdrawing at the deadline to help Villanova earn back-to-back national titles.
The Wildcats’ 2016-17 season would not end with back-to-back championships, but Hart continued to improve. He was named Big East Preseason Player of the Year and would once again improve on his per-game stats. Throughout the season, Hart broke multiple personal scoring highs, and averaged 18.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. He would graduate from Villanova and declare himself eligible for the 2017 NBA Draft.
Before attending college, Hart was awarded the Boy Scouts of America’s highest rank: Eagle Scout. He is one of only three known Eagle Scouts to play in the NCAA Final Four. More impressive, he is the only Eagle Scout to ever start on an NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship team. Check out this ESPN profile on Hart’s journey to be an Eagle Scout.
Josh Hart at his Eagle Scout Ceremony
In 52 games for the Lakers this season, Hart is averaging 21.0 minutes per contest. He’s having a great month of February, averaging 32.9 minutes per game with 12.3 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.1 assists. Most impressive, he’s shooting .533 from behind the arc this month on 4.3 attempts per game. With all eyes on Lonzo Ball, along with a few glancing at Kyle Kuzma, Hart has flown under the radar.
With the Lakers looking toward the future, Hart will get plenty of opportunities to grow as an NBA player. Lakers fans and collectors are cleaning up on group breaks this year. Even if you miss out on a Lonzo Ball or Kyle Kuzma rookie card, Josh Hart is a fantastic consolation prize. He won’t be flying under the radar for much longer.
Josh Hart already has some great autographed rookie cards in the market. They can be found in 2017 Panini Contenders Collegiate Draft Picks Basketball. As a first-round draft pick, collectors can be assured to find NBA licensed rookie cards of Hart in the complete portfolio of 2017-18 Panini NBA basketball card products during the 2017-18 NBA season.
Future Watch: Josh Hart Rookie Basketball Cards, Lakers – Other Resources
- NBA.com Player Profile – Josh Hart
- Josh Hart – Secondary Market Pricing
- Future Watch: 2017 NBA Draft Recap, Most NBA-Ready Players
- Future Watch: 2017 NBA Summer League Top Rookie Players
- NBA.Com
Future Watch: Josh Hart Rookie Basketball Cards, Lakers – Image Gallery
Here’s a look at cards featuring Josh Hart in his Los Angeles Lakers uniform.
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