In 2013, the then Charlotte Bobcats owned the fourth pick in the NBA draft. Hope of nabbing a franchise superstar to build around buzzed throughout Charlotte fan circles.
When Cody Zeller’s name was announced as being that fourth pick, fans cursed and ridiculed the organization for yet another unsuccessful draft pick that would be Charlotte-bound. Images of Adam Morrison resurfaced in the minds of fans, images they thought they had permanently forgotten. The organization defended their selection referencing the fact that Zeller was many experts’ preseason number one selection, and that he blew coaches and front-office staff away with a workout in Charlotte. Fans were still not convinced.
When the season finally came, and Zeller hit the floor, fans witnessed a clumsy and skinny number four pick that seemed to be lost on defense, and showed the instincts of a deer in headlights when the ball came his way on offense. Cody Zeller was a bust, no doubt about it. His speed, size, and athleticism were no match for his shortcomings on both sides of the ball, and we all wrote him off, and hoped for better luck in the following year.
Eventually, Zeller’s mid-range jump shot emerged as a useful floor spacer, and, though it was seldom used, it was something at least, something for Bobcats fans to hang their hats on in defense of their number four pick. Cody’s lack of understanding on defense was still evident, and his rebounding was underwhelming. He didn’t appear to be a good team defender, despite Steve Clifford’s masterful work on that end of the floor, and in one-on-one situations, his lack of ability to react often left him hitting the floor while his man got to the basket for an easy layup. That was the Cody Zeller everyone in the NBA knew. A mid-ranged shooter who would make up for his scoring on one end, by giving up an easy bucket on the other.
Fast-forward now to year two for the young power forward. The team is re-branded, the Hornets name once again lived in Charlotte, The team was on the upswing, things looked good in the Queen City. Meanwhile, a determined Cody Zeller quietly gained some strength and body mass to throw around with the NBA’s other big men, he worked on his footwork, hoping that it would transfer to better defense on the floor.
Zeller began the season in essentially the same role he played last season: backup power forward. Marvin Williams, one of the teams’ off-season acquisitions was starting, a useful 4-man, with a reliable three-point shot, and a tough defensive mindset. Eventually Williams’s three-point shot stopped falling and he was getting thrown around by bigger players in the post. Meanwhile, Zeller had been playing admirably; his defense was solid, he was no longer outmatched when it came to throwing bodies around, and his rebounding was much improved. Steve Clifford inserted him into the starting lineup, and he flourished. Zeller has become a legitimate starter in this league, and can hang with the best of them. His shot is more reliable, his shot-blocking has emerged as a useful tool, and he isn’t falling to the floor when his man gives him a crossover dribble. His drive and determination is evident, and you get the sense that this is a young man who will stop at nothing to succeed in the NBA.
Cody Zeller may very well be the 4-man in Charlotte for a long time, and if you ask most fans today; they’re just fine with that.
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