Now that a few weeks of the NBA season are in the books, I want to take a look at some of the rookies who have caught my eye, good or bad. Unfortunately, I have not seen every rookie play with my own eyes so I will only comment on the ones which I have been able to study so far.
Ricky Rubio- Season Stats- ESPN
Right now, he is a top 5 distributor in the NBA. He sees passing lanes that nobody else sees and executes his passes equally well with either hand or both. One of my favorite parts about watching him is the flash he uses mixed in with perfect fundamentals. While he may make his passes looks overly flashy, he really is in complete control of the ball. Also, he is extremely adept at utilizing bounce passes to fit an assist into the tightest of windows. While this skill is stressed at the youth level, the majority of NBA players use chest passes when a bounce would lead to a safer attempt.
Aside from his distribution, Rubio has been a pleasant surprise in all other facets of the game as well. He plays a decent on-ball defense for an un-athletic PG and plays very well off the ball. He gets his hand into passing lanes and is willing to do work on that side of the floor. Also, while his shot isn't the prettiest, he is still shooting 46% from the field and 47% from 3 point land. He doesn't seem to force any attempts due to his pure love affair with the passing aspect of the PG position. As long as he isn't depended on for his scoring prowess, he should continue to develop into a top-5 all around PG, rather than just distributor.
Iman Shumpert- Stats
His game against Memphis was downright ugly; there's no way around that. However, Shumpert has proven to provide a spark to a New York Knicks team that needed one on the defensive end. While sometimes over-aggressive, he provides some of the tightest man defense I've witnessed. This can lead to him getting beat off the dribble by quicker guards, which has happened, but also forces lesser ballhandlers into turnovers. He is one of the most athletic guards in the NBA and he certainly uses his 6'5" frame to his advantage on the defensive end.
On the offensive end, he has had an up and down showing so far. It is obvious that he struggles hitting his own shot off the dribble but certainly possesses the dribbling skills to create his own shot consistently. Not showing very much 3 point shooting ability, Iman has shown he can hit shots in the mid-range and finish at the rim. At times, he needs to work on getting the ball to the rack instead of settling for a questionable jumper. He is very strong coming off the pick and roll and driving into the lane. So far, he has been all over the place as a playmaker, but has shown a few flashes of brilliance. Right now, he is best suited at the 2 guard, but it is certainly not out of the question that he can develop the necessary vision and consistency hitting the open man.
Brandon Knight- Stats
Coming out of Kentucky, he was known to be an athletic specimen and a work in progress running the point. He is strong defending the pick and roll, usually getting over the pick before help is needed from a hedging big man. He has shown capable of getting to a spot for the shot he wants and finishing, but his selection could use work. He is very active on the boards and has a smooth handle on the ball. Would like to see him improve as a playmaker but otherwise a pretty well rounded athlete and player.
Derrick Williams- Stats
He has looked the part so far in his time off the bench. He is already a more efficient scorer than Michael Beasley and plays competent defense using his athleticism but can get bullied in the post. Smooth in transition and has shown explosiveness that scouts were drooling over before the draft. Also, his 3 point shot is very well real and alive at the NBA level. He's only shot 32% behind the arc so far but shows good form and confidence in the shot that you know more will start to fall. Definitely a player to be excited about.
Josh Harrellson- Stats
Obviously a homer pick here but I've spent too much time watching Knicks' games to not mention him along with his fellow rookies. From the moment he stepped on the court for New York, he has provided interior toughness and help on the glass. He has an NBA body, built for anchoring in the post and maintaining position in the paint on rebounding opportunities. He has shown the ability to alter a shot without fouling and get his hands in on the ballhandler to create loose balls. On offense, he is limited to put backs, when he even makes those, and a surprisingly polished shooting stroke. He has hit 10-30 from 3 so far. Much better than anything the Knicks could have been expecting. He is obviously not gifted athletically, often looking like he has cement shoes, but makes up for it with savvy. He is not a player that will be a starter, but he looks to have a productive career off the bench as a glue guy for someone's frontcourt.
No comments:
Post a Comment