When a player as valuable as Wesley Matthews goes down with a season-ending injury, it is vital for the supporting cast to step up. And not just the depth at his position; the likes of wing players Nicolas Batum and Arron Afflalo, in addition to backup guards Steve Blake and CJ McCollum … everyone. That means when Matthews tore his Achilles tendon, backup center Meyers Leonard would be another player Terry Stotts would look to for increased production. All Leonard has done since is answer the call, giving the Blazers more than just a glimpse of what he is capable of as the team tries to right the ship without its heart and soul in a tight-knit Western Conference.
Leonard wasn’t exactly an exciting selection in the 2012 NBA Draft when Portland chose the 7’1″ center out of the University of Illinois with the 11th overall pick. The team badly needed size, and despite providing this, he was viewed by some as a project who had to bulk up and work on his offensive game. DraftExpress.com‘s Walker Beeken analyzed Leonard’s strengths and weaknesses in March of 2012, ahead of June’s Draft:
“On the offensive end, over 40% of Leonard’s possessions came with his back to the basket, where he showed flashes of potential but also displayed that that he’s still a work-in-progress. Not the most naturally self-confident player around, he lacks assertiveness establishing deep position and calling for the ball at times, but adding strength as a sophomore seemed to help, and he looked to be fighting harder and embracing more contact during points in the season, which are positive signs for his development.
Once he catches the ball on the block, Leonard can be a bit mechanical with his moves, and he lacks great footwork, but his size and length enable him to just go over the top of most defenders at the college level. His go-to move at this stage is a jump hook turning to his left shoulder, which he executes well, but he’ll need to continue adding polish to his post game to establish himself as more of a scoring threat, specifically developing more comfort with weak hand and adding counter moves.”
Leonard’s unpolished game was magnified at the NBA level, as he struggled with tentative play on both offense and defense. Despite being seen by some as a potential project entering the league, expectations were all in all high for the center, which was something he had difficulty handling, let alone matching.
Little playing time came his way his first two seasons. He simply wasn’t ready, but he has undoubtedly evolved since. In an interview with The Oregonian‘s Jason Quick in November 2014, coming a game against Brooklyn in which he had seven points and a career-high 12 rebounds, Leonard retrospectively looked for some patience:
“There are a lot of things I feel like that have gone against me,” Leonard said. “And people are like, ‘What the heck? We took him early (11th pick in 2012), we’re expecting a lot’ … and I think it’s just taking a little bit of time.”
Leonard was admittedly overwhelmed by the big stage, but worked as hard as any Blazer to develop. Just because someone is tall doesn’t mean immediate success. They have to have footwork, touch around the basket, timing, versatility and an aggressive attitude on both ends of the floor, as well as the ability to box out well and rebound, among other attributes. And that means a maturation process is to be expected. Few come into the league like LeBron James did and immediately dominate.
Leonard is reaping the benefits of his hard work. Head coach Terry Stotts has used him regularly this season as part of a much-improved bench unit, and has seen the center make significant strides in every aspect. He looks comfortable out there, far from the timid Meyers Leonard of a year ago. And among his many improvements, he has clearly been studying veteran teammate LaMarcus Aldridge by working on polishing a mid-range jumper that can extend into three-point land.
In November, Leonard attributed his improvement to placing more emphasis on practice, telling Quick, “I really feel like I’m coming into my own a little bit. Just learning to never take a play off.” And that’s the kind of player Portland has seen since. Leonard is making a name for himself as a tireless worker, active as can be, with the versatility to excel in the pick-and-roll, in the post and from outside. He has transformed into a player who clearly places trust into the revamped arsenal he now brings to the table.
His playing time has fluctuated over the months, largely due to who Portland is matching up against. But with Matthews out, it will be all hands on deck to replace the star guard’s contributions and help the Blazers maintain standing among the elite in the Western Conference. In the two games Leonard has appeared in since Matthews’s injury, he has seamlessly risen to the challenge, making 9 of 11 field goal attempts, including 4 of 6 three-pointers. In a 118-99 victory over Detroit on Friday, Leonard scored a season-high 15 points to compliment 7 rebounds in 20 minutes.
Overall this season, he is averaging 6 points and 4 rebounds per game in an average of 14 minutes per. Not exactly exciting statistics, but his importance goes beyond how many points he scores and rebounds he collects. He is efficient, shooting 51 percent from the field, 46 percent from the three-point line and an equally impressive 91 percent from the free-throw line. He is a selective shooter, but that doesn’t mean he is tentative. On the contrary, Leonard is confident in his jumper and inside game, knows how to space the floor, and senses what is a good shot in the offensive set and what is ill-advised. Additionally, he has made strides defensively, rotating with more success and using his energetic mindset to his advantage. Put simply, he fits in the system, making the bench unit that much more formidable.
This team is exponentially better with Matthews in the lineup. His importance can’t be exaggerated, and it is hard not to miss a beat when a player of his caliber goes down. And yet, as the play of an ease and assertive Leonard embodies, the next-level performance of the Blazers in his stead proves their focus hasn’t wavered. Eyes, pierced and hungry, are still confidently centered on the ultimate prize. Leonard is far from the key to Portland’s championship aspirations, but his blossoming in correspondence with spring into the first-round talent they once drafted only helps the cause.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
