This is the sixth in a series of posts looking at the performance of individual MSU basketball players this past season. Because the end goal is to discuss improvements and/or adjustments that appear to be in order for next season, the series is limited to returning players. Previous entries: Kalin Lucas, Korie Lucious, Chris Allen, Durrell Summers, Raymar Morgan. Next up: Draymond Green.
Qualitative review of Draymond Green's freshman season:
- Offseason: Redshirt candidate.
- Nonconference season: Single-digit-minute reserve, for the most part.
- Conference season: Double-digit-minute reserve, for the most part.
- Postseason: Key reserve, playing starter-level minutes in the three games leading up to MSU's appearance at Ford Field.
Quantitative review of Draymond Green's freshman season after the jump:
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(Notes: "Conference Regular Season" includes the Kansas game. 2PM/G = 2-pointers made per game, etc.)
I think the concise description of Green's freshman season would be "unqualified success." And, really, the numbers above don't do justice to how effective Green was when he was on the court, given that he only played much more than 10 minutes/game late in the season. Here's an update to my previous review of his tempo-free rankings among his Spartan colleagues:
- 2nd in offensive rating
- 3rd in two-point shooting percentage
- 4th in offensive rebounding percentage
- 2nd in defensive rebounding percentage
- 4th in assist rate
- 3rd in block percentage
- 2nd in steal percentage
Not bad for a guy listed (generously) at 6'6", 235 pounds.
Going forward, the only real concerns about Green relate to those dimensions. First, will his conditioning be good enough to play "sixth starter" minutes next year? Based on how hard he worked last offseason to get his weight down, I don't think that's a major concern.
Second, to what extent does his lack of height limit his upside as an interior presence? There were certainly times this past season when an opponent would grab a rebound over Green's head or turn and shoot over Green's outstretched arms. But those instances were relatively rare. Meanwhile, Green showed a knack for using savvy and positioning to overcome his relative lack of length and he posted very good rebounding numbers playing for the best rebounding team in the country.
Offensively, he showed no fear in going to the basket when presented with the chance. Note that his 2-point shooting percentage increased significantly as the season progressed and the opponents got tougher.
The old basketball maxim is that you can't teach height. But I don't think you can teach teach what Green has, either. I've said it before: Draymond Green is a basketball player. He makes plays.
And he's a Tom Izzo-type basketball player. Here's to three more years of watching the Dancing Bear dance.