The next splash brother: Blake Hinson torched the G-League in his rookie season

Reminiscent of his time at Pitt, former Panther Blake Hinson has already broken records and made lifelong fans in his rookie year in the NBA. It won’t come as a surprise for those familiar with Hinson that he led the G-League with 126 made threes and tied the Santa Cruz Warriors’ record for threes in a single game with 10.

And like his time in the NCAA, nothing’s come easy for Hinson. He’s already thriving amid the adversity.

Hinson participated in the G-League combine last spring and went undrafted but earned a summer league spot with the Lakers. He showed potential, dropping 25 on the Bulls in the Lakers’ final game of the summer league. Despite some bright spots, the Lakers ultimately waived Hinson — making him a free agent.

When one door closed, a better one opened for Hinson, as a few days later he signed a contract with the Santa Cruz Warriors, the Warriors’ G-League affiliate. 

With the Warrior’s commitment to Hinson’s development, he’s matured professionally, found a new home and shown off his vibrant personality.

“They’ll sacrifice a little bit of winning to get your player development correct — but they’re not gonna do it for long,” Hinson said.” I appreciate this program for being lenient with me early, and I’m reaping the benefits of it now.”

In his first three games with the Warriors, Hinson struggled mightily, going 6-of-24 from behind the arc. Only on an Exhibit 10 contract, some organizations might bench or even cut a player for similar performances. Yet the Warriors remained confident in Hinson, allowing him to keep shooting, an opportunity Hinson refused to waste.

“What comes with the green light is the responsibility,” Hinson said. “And you have to think out and seek good shots, and that’s how you get the green light. Of course, as a good shooter, you will mistakenly take some iffy ones, and that’s fine. You know, it’s basketball — everybody makes mistakes. But you want to seek out good shots. And I’ve learned that toward the end of the season.”

In every month he played as a Warrior, Hinson’s statistics improved. Hinson’s peak was March and featured a lights-out 42.1 three-point percentage, 50.2 field goal percentage and 5.4 rebounds a game.

Hinson’s development includes far more than his shooting, though. Santa Cruz Warriors’ head coach, Nick Kerr, focused on his game physically and mentally — needed improvements for the ultimate goal of the NBA.

“Nick is hands-on with somebody like me who’s not even on a contract, and that means a lot to me,” Hinson said. “That’s the biggest jump from college to now. Offensively and defensively, it’s just thinking, “I’m a professional athlete.” But where you can go wrong is if you don’t think properly, you’ll still lose.”

As he gained confidence, Hinson unleashed a litany of jaw-dropping performances. Hinson scored 40-plus twice, hit six or more 3-pointers in a game six times, and notched three double-doubles.

In by far Hinson’s best game in the G-League, he scored a whopping 44 in 25 minutes — ending the game as a plus-33. His 10 3-pointers tied the franchise record and clinched a playoff spot.

Despite getting pulled from the game while one point away from the franchise record, Hinson remained unapologetically himself — focusing on dunks and cookies post-game.

“When I dunk, that’s my favorite thing,” Hinson said. “I celebrate dunks. Probably gonna go home and eat a cookie or something. Every time I dunk, that’s a big deal to me. I’ve done it like four times tonight. That’s a big deal.”

Keep your eyes open for Hinson in the NBA, whose play more than deserves a second contract or even a two-way deal. Even if Hinson starts next season in the G-League, his time in the NBA will come. And who knows, with his undeniable charm and elite sharpshooting, Hinson makes the perfect “Splash Bro” to partner with Steph.