Patience Paying Off for Pistons’ Monroe

We’ve now entered the second phase of the N.B.A. season, and the late (or at least later) bloomers are starting to emerge. Leading the rookie pack in that regard is Detroit center Greg Monroe, the 20-year-old Georgetown product drafted No. 7 overall by the Pistons.

Monroe has seen his minutes fluctuate greatly from game to game all season, but not because Pistons head coach John Kuester has given him a raw deal. The opportunities have been there for Monroe, but he’s failed to earn consistent playing time. Monroe isn’t a particularly athletic big, and seemed out of his element during his first few months against bigger, more explosive competition.

Despite being 6-11, Monroe has had 16.4 percent of his shot attempts blocked this season, the 11th-worst mark in the league. He started off shooting just 35.4 percent from the field in November, a pitiful percentage for any player, much less a traditional big man looking to score around the rim. N.B.A. defenders gave Monroe fits, as he rushed through his moves in an attempt to avoid shot-blockers.

Things have changed for Monroe, but there was no single moment of epiphany. He boosted his shooting percentage to 51.5 percent in December, while still rebounding relatively well during the minutes he was allotted. He started getting to the free throw line more frequently, as he learned to use his size and a few shot fakes to his advantage. The pieces of Monroe’s game were slowly pieced together, and though his limitations are still considerable (Monroe’s post game seems oddly incomplete for a traditional pivot, and his lack of athleticism should impact his entire N.B.A. career), he’s found ways to be productive across the board.