In terms of incoming NBA rookies, many of the consideration is concentrated on Victor Wembanyama, the 7-foot-3 wunderkind from France who is taken into account one of many best prospects in basketball historical past and maybe within the historical past of all staff sports activities.
However he’s overshadowing a particularly good prospect in his personal proper — guard Scoot Henderson of the Portland Path Blazers.
Henderson was the No. 3 choose in June’s draft, and with Damian Lillard seemingly on his means out, he seems to be set to interchange him as Portland’s ground common and maybe their franchise participant.
He mentioned that he has an enormous purpose for his rookie season — win the Rookie of the 12 months award, through League Alerts on Twitter.
Scoot Henderson goals for the rookie of the yr 😤
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Per: @playmaker pic.twitter.com/3hO2QPw4kx— League Alerts (@LeagueAlerts) August 7, 2023
Henderson can not solely rating and distribute the basketball, however he has an amazing quantity of athleticism and explosiveness.
Actually, he has been in comparison with Derrick Rose and Russell Westbrook, who might have been the 2 most athletic factors guards in league historical past.
He spent the final two seasons with the G League Ignite in lieu of attending school, and he averaged 17.6 factors, 6.4 assists, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.2 steals a sport this previous season.
In an exhibition sport versus Wembanyama’s Metropolitans 92 in October 2022, Henderson put up 28 factors and 9 assists.
In Portland, he’ll be part of rising standout Anfernee Simons and ahead Jerami Grant to present the staff a pleasant younger core to construct round.
Regardless of the presence and excellent play of Lillard during the last 11 seasons, the Blazers have reached the Western Convention Finals simply as soon as and have missed the playoffs in each of the final two years.
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