Who are some of the more interesting NBADL rookies heading into the 2016-17 season?
Not everyone starts their career as a first round pick, or even a young player, strapped to the end of a team’s bench. As the NBA D-League continues to grow and evolve, teams around the league are using it more and more to help groom players and in turn, the league is churning out more talent than ever.
This past offseason, former D-League center Hassan Whiteside turned premium shot-blocking and rebounding into a max contract. Jonathon Simmons had a magical opening night for San Antonio, and guys like Danny Green, Cory Joseph, and Sean Kilpatrick are continuing their NBA careers after cutting their teeth in the NBA’s developmental league.
The NBA D-League season starts up at the end of the month, and I’m excited. As someone who began to develop a larger interest in the development side of basketball, I’m curious about the next class of players entering the league. Here are five players that I’m curious about as they start their professional careers.
Elgin Cook – Santa Cruz Warriors
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAVlakIpyg4&w=627&h=353] My list starts with a 2016 undrafted pick. Elgin Cook caught my eye as an intriguing D-League talent when he had a solid run in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament. Cook is a good 3-and-D prospect – his 6-10 wingspan allows him to cover a few positions, but he’s still developing as a shooter. In a league where the wing positions are more and more valuable, Cook has good size and could develop into a decent defender.The shooting will have to improve, however. Cook shot 33 percent on 63 attempts from three in his final year in college, and he’s just a career 29 percent shooter from beyond the arc. At 23 years old, Cook is a bit older than most prospects. Still, with his value as a perimeter defender, he could develop as a shooter this upcoming NBADL season and then find himself on an NBA team fighting for a spot.
Alex Poythress – Ft. Wayne Mad Ants
A former five-star prospect, Poythress saw his career come to a screeching halt when he tore his ACL as a junior at Kentucky. Poythress returned for his senior season and played well, finishing with 60 percent shooting while averaging 10.2 points per game. Signed and waived by Indiana, Poythress would join the team’s affiliate, the Ft. Wayne Mad Ants, if he were to sign with the NBADL.
Another defensive guy–at 6-8 with a 6-11 wingspan–Poythress has the size to play at small forward and power forward. Returning for his senior season after the injury, Poythress didn’t show any effects from the injury, maintaining the same athletic ability that made him a tantalizing prospect. Defensively, he could be a fine combo forward. The offense, again, is an issue. Not only is he a questionable shooter (96 total attempts, 29 percent from 3), but also a bad creator (51 assists to 149 turnovers). A corner three would be a good addition to Poythress’ game.
Thomas Walkup – Windy City Bulls
One of the more interesting players to watch as he starts his pro career, Walkup finished his college career as a two-time Southland Player of The Year for Stephen F. Austin, leading the Lumberjacks to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Walkup finished the season with averages of 18.1 points ,8.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.1 steals per game.
What position does he play at the next level? In college, he was a small forward. In the pro game? He’s more of a guard in size, measuring in at 6-5. Because of that, his defensive ability has been questioned, namely, defending players on the perimeter. Could he be a combo guard? He had the ability to create (754 career assists to just 215 turnovers) at the college level. You always want that creation element on your roster.
Another question is: can he shoot the ball? Walkup made only 131 career threes, and at a 30 percent clip. Considering his great efficiency numbers (58 percent shooting as a senior, 62 percent true shooting for his college career), the fact that he couldn’t shoot was amazing. Walkup is going to be an interesting watch as someone who could continue his development and eventually make his rise to the NBA despite some tools missing. If Walkup could emerge as a better shooter and a better defender, he could make this season fun to watch.
Stephen Zimmerman – Erie Bayhawks
Drafted 41st overall by the Orlando Magic, Zimmerman seemed like an ideal addition to Orlando’s roster as a long-term piece. However, the addition of Serge Ibaka and Bismack Biyombo to the roster means Zimmerman is destined to spend more time in Orlando’s D-League affiliate, the Erie Bayhawks, rather than spending time in Orlando.
[protected-iframe id=”aacb9cc5bde554d0a0ee97bf9f7b6f04-114320562-56121583″ info=”https://streamable.com/e/twgx?autoplay=1″ width=”560″ height=”315″ frameborder=”0″ scrolling=”no” webkitallowfullscreen=”” mozallowfullscreen=”” allowfullscreen=””]At 7-0, Zimmerman shows advanced feel. He’s a reliable rebounder, can score at the basket and away from it, and he’s a good passer, averaging 1.3 assists per 40 minutes at UNLV. He also blocked 1.9 shots per game and showed that he could handle defending the pick and roll defense in spurts. Entering his age-20 season, Zimmerman could play a lot of games in Erie, and that time for refinement could help him evolve into a decent NBA player in time.
Demetrius Jackson – Maine Red Claws
Heading into last year’s college basketball season, Demetrius Jackson was viewed as a first-round pick. However, even with a solid junior season at Notre Dame, Jackson couldn’t hold off the likes of Wade Baldwin and Dejounte Murray, falling back in the point guard race and landing with the point guard loaded Boston Celtics in the second round.
With Isaiah Thomas, Marcus Smart and Terry Rozier all in place for the foreseeable future, Jackson is bound to start his career in Maine instead of Boston.
Jackson is a perfectly fine guard. He was a solid pick and roll player and created for one of the best offenses in college basketball last season. He flashed talent as a shooter too, knocking down 40 percent of his threes as a freshman and sophomore before tailing off as a junior. He doesn’t have good size – only a 6-5 wingspan while standing at 6-2 – but Jackson is a fine defender who at least tries on defense.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
