Former St. Joe's standout DeAndre' Bembry drafted No. 21 by Hawks

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No longer on City Line Avenue, DeAndre' Bembry is still a Hawk.

Bembry, a standout forward at Saint Joseph's, was selected No. 21 overall by the Atlanta Hawks in Thursday's 2016 NBA draft.

Bembry tweeted about going to Atlanta after getting drafted:

https://twitter.com/fearthefro95/status/746177395196071936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Bembry became the first St. Joe's player to be taken in the first round since Jameer Nelson and Delonte West in 2004. He was also the 33rd Hawks player ever selected in the draft.

"I am delighted for DeAndre' and his mother Essence," St. Joe's head coach Phil Martelli said in a statement released by the school. "This has been an extraordinary night! What a great moment for the program and the Saint Joseph's community."

The versatile Bembry had a stellar career for St. Joe's, which he capped off as a junior in 2015-16 by winning Atlantic 10 Player of the Year. Bembry averaged 17.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game to lead the Hawks to an A-10 Tournament title and their first NCAA Tournament win since the memorable 2004 squad. The 21-year-old shot a career-best 48.3 percent from the field, but struggled from three-point range at 27.2 percent.

The Hawks certainly can use help on the wing. They never truly replaced the defensive void left by DeMarre Carroll, who bolted last offseason for the Toronto Raptors in free agency. With veteran Kyle Korver limited to mostly long-range shooting and the emerging Kent Bazemore heading into free agency, Bembry's do-it-all skill set could be a boost for the Hawks.

"We think he has the potential to be a playmaker," Hawks general manager Wes Wilcox said. "... In our system, he has a chance to play a lot of spots."

Bembry wasn't in attendance at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn for the draft as his family is still dealing with the shooting death of his brother Adrian Potts earlier this month.

The Hawks added another player earlier in the first round in former Baylor forward Taurean Prince, who the Utah Jazz took at No. 12. He will join Atlanta once the Hawks' three-team trade that sent point guard Jeff Teague to the Indiana Pacers and point guard George Hill to the Jazz becomes official.

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