Huestis hoping NBA calls on Draft Night
There’s an NBA Draft party tonight at the Sting Sports Bar in Great Falls.
Josh Huestis hopes to be celebrating there.
“It’s been a dream I’ve had since I’ve been a little kid,” said Huestis, the former C.M. Russell High and Stanford star. “To be picked by an NBA team would absolutely be a dream come true.”
Huestis, a 6-foot-8, 225-pound forward, led Stanford to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament this past season. He averaged 11 points and 8 rebounds and finished his career as the leading shot-blocker in school history (190).
Now he’s hoping for a chance in the big time.
“From everything I’m hearing, I’m pretty positive about it,” he said. “I think there’s a great chance I’ll hear my name called.”
The draft is two rounds, with 60 total picks. It begins tonight at 5 and will be televised by ESPN.
Huestis, who graduated with a 3.1 grade-point average in Pyschology, is back in his hometown and will be at the Sting tonight. He said the party is open to the public.
Huestis said he has NBA hopes regardless of what happens today.
“If I’m not drafted I’ll definitely take the free agent route,” he said. “I’ve already gotten multiple offers and calls from teams who said if that would happen I’d have spots at least on their summer league games. So I’d have options either way.”
No matter what, he plans to give pro basketball a shot.
“Absolutely, it’s been my dream,” he said. “I’m going to exhaust every option I can.”
Huestis said he had official pre-draft workouts for 18 NBA teams and that he’s in excellent condition.
And what do the NBA clubs like about Huestis’ game?
“I think they like that I’m a defense-first player and that I can cover multiple positions and rebound,” he said. “And I’ve gotten a lot of good feedback about the fact I’d be a good teammate.”
According to draftexpress.com and its latest mock draft that was updated Wednesday, Huestis is projected to go 47th overall to the Philadelphia 76ers.
However, sites such as nbadraft.net, nba.com and cbssports.com, which updated its mock draft Wednesday and consists of three different writers’ projections, have Huestis going undrafted.
“To have a chance to realize my dream is exciting,” Huestis said. “A lot of people dream about being in this position, and I’m really blessed to maybe have a chance to do it.”
Huestis doesn’t really have a favorite NBA franchise. That could well change soon, however.
“I will hopefully by (tonight),” he said with a laugh. “I hope a lot of people here will have a new favorite team.”