Just a few weeks until NBA training camp. portland trailblazers Nasir Little is sounding the alarm.
In the hustle and bustle of a sports weekend jam-packed with football and great finishes, you may have missed it — a simple one-sentence declaration Little posted to his Twitter account on Friday afternoon.
“See you [sic] For my respect,” Little ended the sentence with a decisive period.
Assuming the tweet wasn’t a reference to him fantasy soccer Whether it was the skill or the underground badminton league, Little had everyone on their guard.
he will come
Paying his dues on the bench and shining bright after three seasons plagued by injuries, Little should enter his senior year healthy and into the starting lineup. Today’s NBA’s versatile Velociraptor With his wing, his breakout years from Little, who fits prototype as a muscular Thunderbolt with a 6-5 inch, 7-2 inch wingspan, has long been considered a weakness in the rotation. It’s exactly what Portland needed in the position he was in.
No. 25 pick in 2019 NBA Draft After one season in North Carolina, Little was seen as a raw athletic talent that needed time to grow. The potential of his exercise equipment began to pay off.
Blazers guard Anphanie Simmons lit up the scoreboard in a scorching January and landed a $100 million contract. People may forget, but Little also enjoyed a notable coming out his party to kick off the new year, before collapsing with a season-ending shoulder injury after his 45 games.
In 12 games in January, Little averaged 13 points, 5.7 rebounds and a 40% long-range clip percentage. He played the role of Hustle Energy Bug. A hard his cutter that can knock down triples and attack closeouts with force. In transition, he was adept at leaking out for powerful slams. Gives downhill presence and aerial attacks.
A 12-game winning streak is a small sample size, but it was Little’s first extended run to establish rhythm and confidence. he is only 22 years old. In other words, you can expect better results than if the 12-year veteran were to increase the numbers slightly. His development curve is still climbing. 40% 3-Pointer His shooting is a lot to ask for, but it makes sense that Little could improve his strokes to 35% of his. That’s two ticks higher than his overall average last season.
That said, Little’s specialty is not attacking. His athletic prowess became a defense and earned him an NBA dining ticket. The impact lasted just longer than his 12 games. At Grass, Little’s 5.6 of his rebounds ranked him fifth among forwards under the age of seven from the age of six he has appeared in at least 40 games.On defense, he took on tough assignments and proved he was ready for a challenge. chicago bulls iso-superstar DeMar DeRozan late With a narrow victory in November (Foul or not, it’s fun and destructive).
Little’s defensive field goal percentage reached 41.3% (4.7 shots on 11.5 attempts). That’s the fourth-highest among forwards under the age of 6-7 who appeared in at least 40 games last season, and just behind defensive specialists Mattis Thybulle and Draymond Green. Alongside offensive defender Gary Payton II, Little will be a cornerstone of Portland’s new look and more aggressive defense under head coach Chauncey Billups. He is tasked with protecting LeBron and Tatum around the world.
Little’s tweet on Friday shows he’s a contract year this season and is lacking in his shoulders and confidence, but he’s not the only one. and has much more faith in his talent than former head coach Terry Stotts did when he was fighting for the job. First of all, he’s one of the best young trade chips in Portland, Little is still on the roster after the offseason trading carousel. On 1080 The Fan’s “Dirt and Sprague” in July Cronin was asked about the team’s position at small forward when he made a radio appearance. The first name that came out of his mouth was Nasir Little.
“It’s definitely our biggest unknown, but in light of that, I’d say we don’t particularly care,” said Cronin. “It has a lot to do with whether Nasir Little can get back to health.”
The Blazers have been the talk of the offseason. Can Little stay healthy? Can he be Portland’s X Factor? What’s his ceiling? Does Portland Need an Upgrade? discussed in podcast When article..When more When Other articlesAll-Star forwards don’t grow in trees and no one expects Little to be elite, but can he be an elite role player? can you fight?
Much of Portland’s hopes, much like Little’s future in the NBA, hinges on what he brings in the final year of his rookie contract.
I think he understands the stakes and feels overlooked.I think he’s heard all the curiosity, speculation, and suspicion in some corners. Overall rating of 76 in NBA 2K23I’m sure he’s ready to take to the court and put an end to all doubts and arguments.
It was a weekend of wild sports.of oregon state beaver Win with a goodbye touchdown.America’s Francis Tiafoe Thrills US Open Bringing tennis back into the mainstream. And NFL football started in earnest.
But before that wave of excitement, Little vented his talents through Rip City, which may prove prophetic in the coming months.
If he breaks out in a big way this season, you can’t say he wasn’t warned.
