Shocked and humbled, Pitt's Blake Hinson adds another highlight by signing with Lakers

Blake Hinson didn’t want to say signing a free-agent contract with the Los Angeles Lakers represented the greatest moment of his 24 years. But the record-setting Pitt forward said it was about as memorable as another important event in his life.

“Getting (born) is right up there with this one,” he said Thursday night from his home in Deltona, Fla.

Hinson was not selected in the two-round, 58-pick NBA Draft that concluded Thursday, but shortly after it ended, he signed a two-way contract with the Lakers. The deal is labeled two-way because he likely will split time between the Lakers and their G League (developmental) team.

Hinson, who transferred twice before finding a home, a team and teammates he could embrace at Pitt, was one of the best players in the ACC the past two seasons. He set a school single-season record this year for 3-pointers made (110) and totaled 1,159 career points. He finished third in the conference in scoring this season (18.5 points per game).

Yet, more significant than any statistic was the mantle of leadership he carried with him, especially in his final season. He entered a program in 2022 that had been splintered by defeat and helped make it whole again.

“I’m a better person coming out of Pitt, on and off the floor,” he said.

Hinson said he was careful not to do any excessive celebrating after the Lakers made their offer and he accepted it.

“A lot of disbelief,” he said of the feeling he shared with family members when the call came. “I’ve been through a lot. It’s a blessing, for sure. It’s humbling because I’ve seen the worst of this path of basketball.

”It’s a mix of being in shock and just being humble. The path I’ve been through, I’ve learned not to get too high and not to get too low. Just stay even.”

Asked what the Lakers are getting in their rookie forward, Hinson said, “I believe I’m somebody who knows his role and likes to win. Those two things can make for a lot of good stuff.”

He said he watched the draft on TV but was unconcerned when he wasn’t selected.

“I wanted to get an opportunity, and I did. I’m thankful for the Lakers.”

Going undrafted offered Hinson the opportunity to pick his landing spot. He said his agent told him other teams were interested.

“There are pros and cons to both of them,” he said. “You get an opportunity to play with one of the best players ever on a team that is in win-now mode. It’s extremely exciting.”

He now becomes teammates with LeBron James and his son, Bronny, who was drafted by the Lakers in the second round Thursday. Plus, a friendly rival from high school, former Florida center Colin Castleton, is on the Lakers roster.

“At the end of the day, the Lakers were the right place,” he said.

Hinson will join former Pitt teammate Bub Carrington in the NBA. Carrington was a first-round draft choice of the Washington Wizards on Wednesday, but Hinson outscored him by an average of nearly five points per game last season.

Hinson’s ability and willingness to shoot from almost anywhere on the court was his ticket to the next level. He made 207 3-pointers in two seasons at Pitt, none more important than a late-game laser from near the logo at UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio, that helped Pitt nail down a victory against Mississippi State in the 2023 NCAA Tournament.

“He is in range when he hits any logo on the floor,” ESPN basketball analyst Jay Bilas said.

Hinson was coached by his father, Denny, at Deltona High School, and coach Hinson was prescient when talking to TribLive in February about his son.

“If they bring him into camp and he gets a legitimate shot, I would not count him out. He will compete,” Denny Hinson said. “Whatever they ask him to do, he will do it, and I think he can do a lot of different things.”

Hinson, who was listed at 6-foot-8, 230 pounds at Pitt, was ranked the No. 71 prospect in the draft by The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie. That turned out to be a problematic distinction in a two-round draft, even though it was higher than James (No. 72).

Aside from his marksmanship, Hinson’s size and physicality are his best attributes. He can play the wing and move to power forward, if necessary. At times last season, he put the ball on the floor and his head down and used his size to get to the rim.

“He is a large human who understands how to use that size to his advantage on offense,” Vecenie wrote.

But his shooting eye draws the most attention.

A shooter is judged to be accurate if his 3-point percentage gets into the mid-to-high 30s. Hinson shot 40.1% over two seasons at Pitt (207 of 516). He also knows how to use screens and is quick — and accurate — off the catch (43.8%). He made more 3s off screens than all but eight high-major players in the country, according to The Athletic.

“Pitt used him to attack mismatches on the block regularly,” Vecenie wrote, “and he was effective doing that. He also was good with mismatches at driving through the chest of smaller players.“