Miami’s Dewan Hernandez, after losing year to suspension, heads to Raptors in NBA draft
Dewan Hernandez was certain he had added enough to his game before his junior year to become an NBA player. He added a reliable jump shot and improved his defense, and the former McDonald’s All-American was excited to show it all off as the centerpiece for the Miami Hurricanes last season.
It was all taken away when he was caught up in the FBI investigation and suspended for the entire year.
It still couldn’t keep him from getting drafted, though. The Miami center was taken with the 29th pick of the second round of the 2019 NBA draft — No. 58 overall, the penultimate selection — by the Toronto Raptors. Hernandez will be joining the defending champions.
Hernandez, who starred at Norland in Miami Gardens before spending three years with the Hurricanes, was one of the standouts of the G League Elite Camp in May, which landed him an invitation to the NBA Draft Combine.
“This week has been very important,” Hernandez said last month in Chicago. “These scouts haven’t seen me play in over a year, so I’m trying to go out here and showcase my best game.”
Hernandez, who changed his name from Dewan Huell last year, had already taken a massive leap forward from his freshman to sophomore year, and became one of three players to average double-digit points for Miami in his second season. The Hurricanes reached the NCAA Tournament, and Hernandez averaged 11.4 points and 6.7 rebounds per game while shooting 57.6 percent from the field.
The 6-foot-10, 233-pound forward only attempted three three-pointers all year, though, and missed all three. He played one exhibition game before his lost junior season and hit a three in his lone appearance in Coral Gables last season.
After a frustrating year, it managed to all work out for Hernandez, who gives the Hurricanes a draft pick in each of the last three years.
“This year has been hard,” Hernandez said. “It started off hard, but I’m good now. I’m just over with the past. My goal going into the season was to get an invite to the Combine. I’m here now, so all of that is behind me.”
This story was originally published June 21, 2019 at 12:59 AM.