Sacramento Kings: The Adjusting Ben McLemore
Nov 2, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings shooting guard Ben McLemore (16) controls the ball against Golden State Warriors shooting guard Kent Bazemore (20) during the second quarter at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
The Kings number seven pick in the 2013 draft , Ben McLemore, has had a slow but promising transition from college to NBA. Ben McLemores game of athleticism and the ability to be a consistent scorer, has shown he has a ton of potential, which could translate well for his future in the NBA. For the time being his skills are still very raw, and there are many things he needs to improve on before he will be able to truly succeed on the court.
The main thing that McLemore needs to improve on is his ball handling.
Ben does not have the ability to create is own shot off the dribble which makes it very difficult for him to attack the basket and get the easy shots at the rim. While he might have been the number one scoring option for Kansas just a year ago, and can be remembered on many SportsCenter top ten highlights with his dunking skills; but his ability to dribble and create for himself has always been an issue. What relieves McLemore from this flaw is his quickness, and how great he is able to move without the ball, but for his game to really go to the next step, he will need to develop a handle to have a more all around game and not become just a spot up shooter. Ben has already has shown major improvements from summer league to now, so the sky is the limit for him if he can continue to improve.
What is offense without defense? Ben McLemore has the length and quickness to be a good defender in this league, but at times this season he has shown that, the defensive end is still an area that needs major improvement. Through four games of the season, McLemore has had to defend some really good shooting guards, like Jamal Crawford, Klay Thompson, and Kyle Korver. Each one plays a bit differently and Mclemore will have to learn how to adjust to who he is defending, while still playing aggressive. Having a coach like Michael Malone, who has earned the reputation as being a defensive guru, can really help evolve Mclemores game into something special.
I’m expecting quite a bit of inconsistency coming from the rookie, not because he won’t be a hard worker and not because he won’t get minutes. I expect the inconsistency because McLemore is on the Kings, a team with no one (as a player) that can really guide him through the ruff times he will face in the rebuilding situation Sacramento is going through. Lets also not forget, that McLemore has never even been to a NBA game until he stepped on the court during preseason, and now he will be asked to be a scoring threat off the bench for a NBA team during a long 82 game season. Each game will bring a different challenge that McLemore has never seen before, and he is going to have to learn to adapt offensively and defensively.
Ben, as well as others, have compared his game to the great Ray Allen and for the most part that comparison is quite fair. Both Allen and McLemore show the skills of a fundamental jump shot with great form and quick release. Some may even forget how athletic Ray Allen once was early in his career. Since Ben is on this young Kings roster, it would be a smart idea for him, to find a player in the NBA to really idolize, and take notes of their game. If Ben wanted to find someone to immulate and possibly even learn from, Ray Allen would great choice.
Ben McLemore has all the tools to become a great player in this league. It will be up to him, the coaching staff, and the fans of Sacramento, to be patient and let his game fully develop. If all three can do so, this 20 year old rookie, could become something special and a potential allstar in years to come.