Jeff Withey has not had a big chance to shine in the NBA, but when these few chances have arisen, shone he has.
As one of the league's top screen setters (90.91 Solid Screen%), Withey fits in perfectly with an explosive Pelicans offense.
Jeff Withey. You probably forgot about this guy since he averaged 14 points and 8.5 boards for the 2012-2013 Jayhawks that also sent Ben McLemore to the NBA. Why would you remember him? In his two years in the NBA, he has averaged only 3.2 points per game, grabbed 2.4 rebounds per game, and started in four more games than I have.
Now, on a Pelicans team loaded with young budding stars, Withey sits at the end of the bench waiting for his big break. He’ll have to wait his turn behind guys like Anthony Davis, Ryan Anderson, Omer Asik, and Alexis Ajinca. Out of all these players, Withey averages the fewest number of points and rebounds per game. What makes Withey special then?
Withey’s per-36 stats seem impressive – 14.5 ppg, 9.2 boards, 2.8 blocks, while turning the ball over just 1.3 times. But there’s a reason he’s not playing 36 minutes per game. Any guy who plays under 10 minutes per game can inflate his per-36 stats with a few garbage-time dunks and easy rebounds. Take Aaron Gray for example. He has made a living doing this, averaging 10 points, 11 rebounds, and 1 block per 36 minutes, until playing for four teams in the league, when GMs finally realized he just was not worth it.
But Withey is not headed in this direction. Sure, he might take advantage of his garbage time, but he also takes advantage of his valuable minutes as well. In 16 minutes against Denver, he put up 9 points and 6 rebounds while shooting 5-6 from the charity stripe. In a 6-point loss to the league’s best Warriors on December 14th, Withey had his most impressive game. Anthony Davis had to sit due to injury, and Withey took full advantage of his increased roll. In 15 minutes, he scored 10 points on 75 percent shooting, hit all 4 free throws, and grabbed 4 rebounds. The Pelicans lost the game by 6 points, but Withey ended the game with the highest +/- on the Pelicans (+6).
What makes Withey an easy call for NBA longevity is his ability to set screens. He ranks first in the NBA in Solid Screen% at an astounding 90.91 percent. He rolls on 64.29 percent of the screens he sets, which ranks second in the league. With guards who can score off the dribble, he has no problem sneaking behind the defense to get open.