Case Closed: Justin Hall is the best player in Ultimate Hoops Atlanta

Through 27 career games, the 6’6” Hall is a dominant force

The break in league action since March due to COVID-19 has provided time to reflect on the 2020 Winter Season. I spent time over the 4th-of-July weekend digging into the leagues website to catch-up on player and team performances across UH Nation.

I started with Ultimate Hoops Atlanta, a region which is poised to relaunch on time for Fall Season starting the week of October 5th.

Hall’s Player Profile Page.

There are a number of talented players competing in ATL: Curt Diamond, William Belton, Sari Papazian, Spencer Little, Griffin Markwith, and Shon Redding. Any of these players could be considered the 🐐of ATL.

But I’m an efficiency guy, most likely because there are so few efficient players in basketball. The proxy variable of playing alongside efficient players is they provide positive energy. You’ll never see their teammates groan, pout or shake their heads at their performance.

This runs counter to high-volume, high-scoring players who shoot below 35%. Is there a bigger energy suck than playing alongside someone who misses more than he makes but keeps on firing away?

Justin Hall is the epitome of an efficient player. Just look at his Winter Season numbers: 24.7 ppg. 6.7 rpg and 3.9 ast. However, the number which separates the 6’6” Hall from his superstar contemporaries is his field-goal percentage.

70%!

In players averaging over 20 points-per-game, Hall’s field-goal percentage is seven points higher than Luke Kennedy, who ranked second for Winter Season.

Hall competing at the NYC Ultimate Tournament in 2019.

What makes Hall’s shooting prowess more impressive is he’s not an exclusive low-post player. Hall averaged 4.4 three-point attempts per game with a 3PM% of 48%., good for 12th in the league.

Hall was playing the best basketball of his UH career before COVID cut Atlanta’s Winter Season short. In his last 10 games, Hall’s PPV rose to $16.6 M, $4 million higher than his career player performance value.

I was able to watch Hall compete in person at the 2019 NYC Ultimate Tournament at Life Time Sky. In four games, Hall’s LA KIXX squad finished 3-1, losing to tournament champion 85-71 FMB in the Final Four. Against UH’s top competition that weekend, Hall averaged 13.8 ppg and 8.3 rpg for the tournament.

With just 27 career UH games, is it too soon to declare Hall the best player in UH Atlanta? Not when you consider his efficiency. In Hall’s 27 games, his numbers have improved every season and he performed at a high-level in a national tournament.

Will Hall be able to continue his high-efficiency output after being away from the UH court for six months? That will be one of the many key storylines going into Fall Season in Atlanta.