Aleksej Pokusevski has been working in silence this summer time. He performed briefly for Oklahoma City’s summer time league squad, and has been comparatively quiet since. The Thunder opted to maintain Poku away from taking part in for the Serbian nationwide crew to proceed his intensive coaching program.
He’s not one high be noticed at any excessive profile Pro-Am video games or offseason runs plagued by NBA expertise. But the few movies from Pokusevski’s offseason which have surfaced are undoubtedly spectacular.
What he’s doing in that video is precisely what he must do subsequent season to safe a long run spot in Oklahoma City. Yes, Pokusevski’s potential is in his guard-like abilities at 7-foot, however his flooring turns into a lot increased if he’s an above common 3-point shooter within the NBA.
The Serbian hasn’t seen a lot enchancment from his long-range jumper over his younger two-year profession. He hovered round 28% in each his rookie and sophomore seasons, however clearly understood his position higher final season. He took extra excessive proportion pictures, he simply struggled to search out consistency.
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While it’s essential to remember how younger Pokusevski is, Oklahoma City can be headed for an unlucky roster crunch quickly. Before Chet Holmgren’s harm, it was unclear if Pokusevski would even crack the rotation. Now, the Thunder will need assistance from totally different locations, and Poku will probably get one other shot at prolonged court docket time.
There’s no silver lining to Holmgren’s devastating harm, however Pokusevski’s his one other 12 months to try to show himself to the group. He’s proven flashes, none brighter than his end-of-the-year stretch final season. Pokusevski averaged 12.3 factors, 7.5 rebounds, 4.6 assists in 29 minutes over the course of his final 17 video games. It’s a small pattern dimension, however purpose sufficient to be enthusiastic about his additional minutes on the court docket.
If he can solidify himself as a mean 3-point shooter this season, Oklahoma City would probably be inclined to proceed to Poku-project. His consistency from lengthy vary may decide not solely his fast future, however the course of his NBA profession. If a participant like Pokusevski turns into a dependable exterior shooter, he can have a spot within the league for a few years.
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story by The Texas Tribune Source link