Overview
Hinson spent time with three programs in his college career but only saw the court with two. He spent the first two years of his career with Ole Miss and was a regular starter for the Rebels across his 60 appearances (58 starts) as a freshman and sophomore. However, he sat out the 2020-21 and 2021-22 campaigns, both with Iowa State, after redshirting due to medical reasons. He spent the final two years of his college career with Pittsburgh, where he was a regular starter once again, including starting each of his 33 appearances in the 2023-24 campaign. The 2023-24 campaign was also the best of his career, as he averaged 18.5 points, 4.4 rebounds and 0.5 steals per game. Hinson also shot a respectable 42.1% from 3-point range as a senior. He was named to the 2022-23 All-ACC Second Team and the 2023-24 All-ACC First Team, as he established himself as one of the best power forwards in the ACC during his tenure with the Panthers.
Analysis
Hinson’s game and potential lie in his ability to be a prolific scorer at all three levels, though his improvements as a shooter won’t go unnoticed, as he can be a very effective stretch-four due to his shooting range. His 6-foot-8 frame suggests he might be a bit undersized to play power forward at the next level but that length and frame suggest he shouldn’t have problems guarding NBA wings and perimeter players. He’s a better ball-handler than he’s given credit for, however, his game doesn’t come without flaws. He’s not the best passer, and while his ball-handling skills are decent, he uses them to create for himself rather than for others. He also has room to improve on defense, especially in terms of effort.
Projection
Hinson can play as a three or four at the next level. He might be better suited to play as a stretch-four, perhaps coming off the bench due to his shooting touch and shortcomings on defense.
— Profile by RotoWire