NBA's Sophomore Class in Position to Redeem Itself Entering 2014-15 NBA Season
We knew it wouldn't be pretty. The 2013 draft class had a fairly uninspiring first year, as expected, relative to previous classes.
But it's a little harsh to write off players one-year deep into their careers.
With a brand-new batch of rookies to beat up and break down, the 2014-15 NBA sophomores will be able to operate a bit more under the radar and hopefully closer to their comfort zones.
And it starts with Anthony Bennett, who was pretty bad last year. He actually stunk and stunk often. You could just see his confidence crumbling with every brick he threw up.
The attention it drew probably didn't help. Bennett was, of course, the No. 1 pick. And anytime the No. 1 pick struggles putting the ball in the bucket, it's going to generate some buzz.
But the good news for Bennett entering year No. 2 is that the bar has officially been lowered. Nobody expects No. 1-overall results anymore from Bennett—we'll save that for his new teammate Andrew Wiggins in Minnesota.
The fact that he'll be playing alongside mostly young guys for a team headed to the lottery should help take off some of the pressure.
Bennett looked a little more comfortable during this year's summer league (he missed it last year), having averaged 13.3 points and 7.8 boards prior to being dealt to Minnesota.
Wolves coach Flip Saunders spoke on Bennett's untapped talent and promising NBA potential (via Sid Hartman of the Star Tribune):
"You look at him and he was drafted, had shoulder surgery, did not practice at all during the summertime, missed training camp, came in during the year and was diagnosed with sleep apnea and other things. He has lost 25 pounds, he’s working hard to get in shape. He’s an NBA player. He’s a guy that’s going to be a rotation-type player.
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While Bennett caught most of the flack last season, the No. 3 pick in the draft last year wasn't much better.
It's been easy to forget about Otto Porter. He accomplished very little as a rookie after a late start following a preseason injury.
He returned to a Washington Wizards team that was making a real push, and with fellow small forward Trevor Ariza playing some of the best ball of his career, the opportunity for Porter to establish any rhythm was never really there.
Fast-forward a year and Ariza has been replaced by the 36-year-old Paul Pierce, who managed just 28 minutes per game last year.
There will be playing time up for grabs this season, and with Porter looking sharp and healthy—he averaged 19 points on 48.4 percent shooting and 38.9 percent from downtown in five summer league games—this could be his chance to make a name for himself in Washington.
And remember Alex Len? He went No. 5 in last year's draft but ended up with twice as many personal fouls as made field goals.
The writing was on the wall after Len missed summer league following ankle surgery. Soreness then kept him out of 40 games and limited him the other 42.
You won't find many highlights from Len's first year in Phoenix. His season-high nine-point effort didn't quite make the rounds.
But Len didn't shrink—he still has that 7'1", 255-pound frame. And though it might take a few years to nail down, he does have an offensive repertoire in the post reminiscent of Toronto Raptors center Jonas Valanciunas.
Plus, only Miles Plumlee stands ahead of Len on the Suns' depth chart this season.
Len told Dave King of SB Nation's Bright Side of the Sun he'd added 10 pounds since last year. As long as he can hold up physically, particularly his feet and ankles, he'll have a nice shot to bounce back from what was a silent season in Phoenix.
Nerlens Noel was pretty quiet, too, though his excuse is a bit more valid. He missed all of last year recovering from a torn ACL, an injury that likely cost him the chance of going No. 1 overall.
And though he'll be considered a rookie this upcoming season, something tells me Noel will help bring some credibility to the 2013 draft class.
He sure looked like a top pick in this year's summer league, where his spring and bounce appeared to be completely rejuvenated.
Noel was blocking shots left and right, getting out on the break, soaring above the rim and even creating his own looks in the paint.
His world-class athleticism and instincts should translate to easy buckets and rim protection right off the bat—regardless of how far his skill set has come.
Don't sleep on Noel as a Rookie of the Year candidate behind Wiggins and Jabari Parker in 2015.
Ben McLemore is another guy I wouldn't sleep on—he's coming off an awfully disappointing year having shot just 32 percent from downtown.
It was somewhat bizarre, given his 42 percent three-point stroke at Kansas and textbook shooting mechanics.
But for whatever reason, his shot just didn't fall last season. Now a sophomore, you'd expect McLemore's comfort level to rise, and with the Kings selecting fellow 2-guard Nik Stauskas in this year's first round, he'll have some added motivation to take that next step.
McLemore is one heck of an athlete, and he's a serious defensive upgrade over Stauskas. Only his offensive game is fueled by confidence—and when it's low, McLemore's game can stall.
But when it's pumping, he's capable of finding the zone and putting up points from outside in a hurry.
I'm buying low in year No. 2. Expect a more confident McLemore as a sophomore and, in turn, a more consistent scorer.
The No. 8 pick in the 2013 draft, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, experienced similar problems as McLemore did his rookie year in Detroit.
Despite owning the reputation as a sharpshooter, he hit just 31.9 percent of his threes.
Caldwell-Pope ultimately struggled adjusting to a reduced role from the one he saw at Georgia, where he was the clear-cut top option in the offense. And though the full adjustment won't happen overnight, Caldwell-Pope should have a much better idea of how to operate as the fourth of fifth guy in the pecking order.
His confidence was at a whole other level during summer league this year—he averaged 24 points a game, having showcased the entire offensive package, from step-back jumpers and pull-ups to hard drives and floaters.
Caldwell-Pope certainly looks the part at 6'6" with smooth athleticism for a 2-guard.
He's not going to shoot worse than he did a year ago. Jodie Meeks is the only guy stopping Caldwell-Pope from averaging over 20 minutes a game this season, which is around how many minutes he got as a rookie.
I'm willing to bet he does a little more with his playing time in 2014-15.
C.J. McCollum is another guy who missed time last season with an injury, and it ultimately hurt his chances to earn consistent minutes.
He's healthy now, as made evident by his 20.2 point-per-game scoring average in summer league this year.
From a fundamentals standpoint, McCollom is awfully polished. He can go get a bucket from every angle on the floor, whether he's taking it to the basket, generating offense in the mid-range or making it rain from outside.
And with an exceptionally tight and crafty handle, he offers the versatility to slide to the point if his team is looking for some additional firepower in the lineup.
Will Barton has had his moments, but I don't think he holds off a healthy McCollum off the bench, whose ability to put the ball in the hole holds too much value in that rotation.
I'd argue Gorgui Dieng, the No. 21 pick from the 2013 draft, will be the breakout sophomore from the class. It's hard to ignore what he's currently doing in the FIBA Basketball World Cup, where he's averaging 18 points and 11.4 boards through five games.
He even went for 27 in a terrific win against Croatia.
Mid-range jumpers, step-backs, post-ups, pick-and-roll finishes—we've seen it all from Dieng this summer, including moves and shots we never saw him execute as a prospect at Louisville. NBA.com's John Schuhmann also noted his underrated passing ability from the elbows.
Nikola Pekovic is clearly Minnesota's starting center, but it's going to be hard to keep Dieng buried on the bench next season, given his two-way services and improved offensive skills.
You'd have to think he'll see more than the 13.6 minutes a game he got last year, even if it's in a backup role.
While the 2013 draft class should have its fair share of bounce-back candidates, don't forget about the guys who actually put up strong rookie campaigns.
Michael Carter-Williams, Victor Oladipo, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Mason Plumlee and Tim Hardaway Jr. should each have significant roles as expected impact players.
No, this class didn't produce any superstar talent or franchise centerpieces. But we're not exactly talking about a bunch of scrubs.
Look for many of the 2015 sophomores to finally break out for their respective teams.
