![\"Ben_McLemore_Ray_McCallum\"](\"http:\/\/cowbellkingdom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Ben_McLemore_Ray_McCallum.jpg\")
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For the second time in as many seasons, Ray McCallum is slated to finish the schedule as the Sacramento Kings\u2019 starting point guard. While the 23-year-old isn\u2019t superstitious, he\u2019s warming up to the idea of d\u00e9j\u00e0 vu.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s crazy, right?\u201d McCallum told Cowbell Kingdom <\/em>before the Kings began their road trip. \u201cThat just shows you how the league is. Just got to be patient and always be ready because you never know when your chance might be, just like last year towards the end.\u201d<\/p>\n In his rookie season, the 37th pick of the 2013 draft started 10 of the last 12 games in place of a hobbled Isaiah Thomas, averaging 13.5 points, 6.8 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.9 turnovers in 42.2 minutes per game. This year with Darren Collison out (core muscle injury), McCallum reentered the starting five on February 20 and has produced 11.4\u00a0points, 3.8\u00a0assists, one\u00a0steal and 1.8\u00a0turnovers in 27.7\u00a0minutes a contest.<\/p>\n The path to starter for McCallum has been anything but a cakewalk. As an NBA freshman, the 6-foot-3, 190-pounder began the year fourth on the depth chart and was assigned twice to the D-League Reno Bighorns. As a sophomore, despite his strong finish to year one and a monster summer league performance, McCallum sat on the bench once again in favor of Collison and ill-fitting veteran Ramon Sessions.<\/p>\n When Collison went down for the season on February 5, McCallum had already accrued 14 DNP\u2019s, and interim head coach Tyrone Corbin continued to play the struggling Sessions. It wasn\u2019t until Sessions was traded for backup point Andre Miller on February 19 when the youngster finally regained the reins.<\/p>\n “He don’t make a lot of mistakes,” Miller told a small group of reporters. \u00a0“He’s polished, he’s athletic and he’s taken advantage of the opportunity.”<\/p>\n Since his last stint as a starter, McCallum has vastly improved his weaknesses as a shooter, and has learned to create better looks for himself. The University of Detroit Mercy alum shot 37.7 percent from the floor his rookie year and 41 percent through the first three months of this season, but he\u2019s been making 46.3\u00a0percent of his field goals in his last eight games.<\/p>\n McCallum is driving more to the rim, taking 57.6\u00a0percent of his attempts within five foot of the hoop after doing so 52.2\u00a0percent of the time as a rookie. The hard worker is still finding the touch on his 3-pointer, hitting only 26.7\u00a0percent since the All-Star break, but it\u2019s clear that he\u2019s firing away with more confidence.<\/p>\n Defense on the other hand, which is McCallum\u2019s calling card, has been up-and-down since becoming a starter. Since stifling Chris Paul on February 21, the active, physical perimeter stopper has allowed monster offensive performances to Damian Lillard and Tony Parker. McCallum\u2019s inconsistencies could be a sign of fatigue, but he claims it\u2019s simply a matter of getting comfortable with teammates\u2019 tendancies.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s just all about all of us just getting on the same page and getting a rhythm,\u201d McCallum told the media last week. \u201cYou know, I haven\u2019t really played all that much with everyone this year, and now I\u2019m getting the opportunity to get a lot more, an increase of minutes with them. So I think they all know my game. But the more we\u2019re on the court, our chemistry will just continue to get better each and every game, and it\u2019s starting to move in that direction.\u201d<\/p>\n In the meantime, Collison and Miller have gone out of their way to help guide McCallum, which the second-year pro acknowledges.<\/p>\n “We just kind of dialogue off each other,” Miller said. \u00a0“If he sees something that he doesn’t understand, he’ll either ask me or ask one of the coaches.\u00a0 Just a little dialogue talking basic basketball.”<\/p>\n McCallum appreciates the tutelage. \u00a0He understands that for him to make it in the league, he has to have more than just physical tools. \u00a0He needs the knowledge that comes with years of experience.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery game, (Collison) he\u2019s out there helping me,\u201d McCallum noted. \u201cStanding in my ear, (telling me) things that he sees at half time and throughout the course of the game. Having guys like Darren and Andre just makes my job easier.\u201d<\/p>\n With support of his coaches and teammates, and belief in himself, McCallum resembles more and more a bonafide NBA contributor with each passing day. When Collison returns, the Kings may face another minutes dilemma, but there\u2019s no question the young ball hander can help his team, or 29 others.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Ray McCallum is back in the starting lineup.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[610259261],"tags":[641763,551457,37918469,994249,841041,4957930,76563,194210],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n