When watching the playoffs in recent years, something has stood out to me. Many rookies have made meaningful contributions deep into May and even for championship teams in June. Dereck Lively, Christian Braun, Herb Jones… the list goes on. This had me wondering, how did those guys get there? What does it take for aContinue reading “The Winning Forumla: How Rookies Are Making an Imapct in the NBA Playoffs”
Category Archives: Deep Dives
An Ode to Victor Wembanyama’s Passing
Calling Victor Wembanyama’s dominance as a rookie historic would be a massive understatement. The Frenchman led the league in blocks at 3.6 a game, becoming just the second rookie to accomplish that feat. He blocked more shots per game than an entire team (the Miami Heat). He recorded a 5×5 game, joining an exclusive listContinue reading “An Ode to Victor Wembanyama’s Passing”
Dalano Banton Is Moving Like a Star
Dalano Banton’s basketball journey has been a quiet one. Not a highly touted high school prospect, the Toronto native began his collegiate career in 2018 at Western Kentucky where he averaged three points in 15 minutes per game. He then transferred to Nebraska where he posted almost 10 points along with six boards and fourContinue reading “Dalano Banton Is Moving Like a Star”
A.J. Green Is Shooting His Way to a NBA Future
(All stats accurate as of 2/27/24) The struggles of the Milwaukee Bucks have been a prominent topic of discussion in NBA media throughout the season. With so many issues to choose from, including Damian Lillard’s concerning performance, coaching drama, and a lackluster bench, it’s been easy for people to pile on Milwaukee and relentlessly criticizeContinue reading “A.J. Green Is Shooting His Way to a NBA Future”
2023-24 Breakout Candidate: Quentin Grimes
The past three seasons have been a roller coaster for the New York Knicks. The excitement after a surprise playoff appearance in 2020-21 faded quickly due to a painfully mediocre 2021-22 regular season. One thing became clear after that year: they needed to embrace the youth movement. Talent and juice were lacking and Ws didContinue reading “2023-24 Breakout Candidate: Quentin Grimes”
Malaki Branham Is Finding His Stride (1/28/23)
The San Antonio Spurs are fully committed to the Wembanyama sweepstakes. Coach Popovich has given the reigns of the team to the young players and is prioritizing development over winning. So far, that approach is paying off. Core pieces Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell have both proven why they belong in that category, with theContinue reading “Malaki Branham Is Finding His Stride (1/28/23)”
Put Some Respect On D’Angelo Russell’s Name (12/4/22)
Once a well-loved player in the NBA community, opinions on D’Angelo Russell have changed for the worse. Russell made his first and only All-Star appearance in 2019 for the fan-favorite Brooklyn Nets squad known for their epic bench dance routines. Since then, the former second-overall pick made a quick pit stop in Golden State beforeContinue reading “Put Some Respect On D’Angelo Russell’s Name (12/4/22)”
Bennedict Mathurin Is Making It Look Easy (10/29/22)
The 2022 NBA rookie class has been beyond impressive through the 2022-23 season’s first week. First-overall pick Paolo Banchero is averaging over 20 points per game and is looking like an All-Star already. Jaden Ivey, Keegan Murray, Jalen Duren, Jeremy Sochan, and others are doing their thing as well. Among all those names, the playerContinue reading “Bennedict Mathurin Is Making It Look Easy (10/29/22)”
2022-23 Breakout Candidate: Onyeka Okongwu (8/10/22)
The East is better than ever, and the Atlanta Hawks are shaping up to be one of the top teams in the conference. A disappointing first-round exit in 2022 after their 2021 Conference Finals run raised questions about the team’s ceiling, and they responded by adding All-Star guard Dejounte Murray to pair with offensive phenomContinue reading “2022-23 Breakout Candidate: Onyeka Okongwu (8/10/22)”
Thaddeus Young- Toronto’s Key to Success (4/24/22)
Thaddeus Young has been in the NBA for a long time. Drafted in 2007, he has shared the court with many all-time greats. LeBron, Kobe, Shaq, Duncan, Wade, Durant, Dirk, Giannis, the list goes on. He’s had some solid seasons himself, as he averaged 14 points per game across seven years with the Philadelphia 76ers.Continue reading “Thaddeus Young- Toronto’s Key to Success (4/24/22)”
The Bench Mob Blog 