Offensive Templates for Austin Rivers
Quote:
Any way you slice it, Austin Rivers’ rookie season has gotten off to a disappointing start. While many elements of his statistical profile seem perfectly reasonable for a rookie – 9.8 points per 36 minutes, 36.0% on three-pointers, 3.4 assists per 36 minutes, a turnover percentage of just 13.7% – one enormous shortcoming has been regularly on display. One of the NCAA’s top individual scorers last season has not been able to put the ball in the basket – he’s currently shooting just 34.6% on two-pointers. Rivers is shooting just 34.9% overall, which would be the second-lowest FG% posted by a rookie over the past decade.
While every rookie struggles, at some level, to transfer their skills to the NBA; Rivers’ problems are surprising. He is not an overwhelming athlete but many of the strengths of his game – footwork, skill-level, ball handling, basketball IQ, confidence – are the things that allow a rookie to make an immediate impact. Unfortunately, Rivers is applying those strengths unevenly, leading directly to his inconsistent performance.
http://hoopchalk.com/2012/12/28/offe...austin-rivers/
Offensive Templates for Austin Rivers
Those are some lofty templates. He really needs to excel at one thing an build on it. I was really counting on his changing of speeds and pull up jumper to be more advanced. He's got time though.
Offensive Templates for Austin Rivers
Loved the write up. Very well thought out and the observations are spot on.
Offensive Templates for Austin Rivers
He is simply to young to be getting the minutes he was getting early on. His shots were not falling cause he is simply thinking too much cause he is way over his head right now. When he gets this offseason to hit the gym hard to develop his game as well as his body. He has too good a work ethic to not get better IMO. Once the game slows down for him, he starts having fun on the court, and stops pressing; he will become the player that his potential showed for him to be the #10 pick.
He has only taken 9 or more shots in 9 games this season, has only taken a 3 more than twice in 6 games, and has only more than 2 TOs in 6 games. Not all that bad for a rookie. It seems that once he misses a shot or two, he just completely stops shooting. When you take a shot and praying that it goes in, instead of just shooting it unconsciously you are gonna miss way more than you make. It happens to the best players when they have no confidence in their shot!
He has ZERO confidence right now, coach has ZERO confidence in him as well for good reason, and it will come with time IMO. I still have faith in the kid and think he will turn into a pretty darn good NBA player.