Sophomore Report V1.03 : Is DeMar DeRozan for Real?

By Brendan McKay

DeMar DeRozan's play has been the sole bright spot in an otherwise abysmal season for the 2010-2011 Toronto Raptors. While it’s true that he’s one dimensional and there is some validity to the argument that his offensive numbers are largely the result of playing on a team that doesn't have another wing player worth giving the ball to. But despite this, the season he is putting together is absolutely shocking, and anyone who doesn't admit it is lying to you or to themselves. At the very least he has branched out quite nicely from his previous role as Lil Romeo's best friend.

So, what kind of season is the 2-time Sprite Slam Dunk Contest contender having? Through the All-Star break he has put up 15.9ppg and.......and what?  I told you he is one-dimensional. He has started every single game for the Raptors this year, playing 34 minutes in each contest. Like many young players, he has had some inconsistency from night to night, but he is showing signs that he can bring it every night. He has had only 5 single digit scoring nights since the beginning of December after racking up 7 in November alone.

Despite his success, a quick Google search will reveal plenty of critics. He doesn't play defense. He is only scoring more because he is shooting more. He doesn't rebound. And on and on and on. After the scathing review I gave Tyreke Evans in the last installment of The Sophomore Report, some readers might think I would have a similar attitude towards DeRozan. But I don't. Not even close. There are more than a few reasons why.DeRozan

First, DeMar DeRozan is ahead of his expected growth curve. Even the most favorable scouting reports out of college painted DeRozan with the “raw” label. Such a tag typically means “expect little to nothing for the majority of Player X's rookie contract”. He has put up 19 a game since the beginning of December and one viewing of a Raptor game (not something I wholeheartedly endorse anyone doing) makes it obvious to the viewer that there is still plenty of talent yet to be tapped. He is not a 3 point threat, but his mid range game and shooting form lead me to believe that can change.

Secondly, where Evans's numbers have gone down from year one to year two, DeMar's have sky rocketed. Yes, he is getting more minutes, but he has taken a 60% increase in minutes and doubled his numbers. Not only has he made significant improvements in between this year and last, but he's even getting better as the season progresses, as has been pointed out in multiple instances above.

Thirdly, and most importantly, he not the type of player that has to be an offense's focal point to be an effective offensive player. He is first and foremost a slasher, but he does not need to start with the ball in his hands to score. He moves well enough without the ball, and obviously has the freakish athleticism required to finish. It is unlikely he is ever going to dish out enough assists to be a triple-double threat, but he is not a ball stopper by any stretch of the imagination. He will never be the #1 option on a Championship Team, but his game does not require that designation to be a major contributor.

What is going to truly determine the level of success DeMar DeRozan achieves is going to be his ability to show value on the defensive end. Despite some inconsistency, I like his chances. Before I get too ahead of myself, let this be said. He leads the Toronto Raptors in minutes played, and they are a league contraction of the Cavs away from dead last in defensive efficiency. That being said, they also sport Andrea Bargnani in the middle. DeRozan is long enough (6-9 wingspan) and most definitely has the athletic ability to be a lock down defender. He has shown some sparks as of recently holding Ginobli, Wes Matthews and Randy Foye (stretching) to a combined 9 of 32 in a three game stretch.

Much of my review of DeMar DeRozan is with an eye towards the future. If he mirrors this season in year five, I'll be happy to bury him for resting on his laurels and never fully realizing his talent. But given the success he has had, the room he has to grow and the recent chip on the shoulder mentality he's displayed, I honestly don't see that happening.

Oh yea. And he did get robbed in the dunk contest. Javale McGee can awkwardly dunk as many basketballs in as many hoops as he wants, and it will never be as pretty as this:
 

1.Stephen Curry
It is going to take a bit more than tripping into the All-Star break to knock Curry off this pedestal. He was uncharacteristically plagued by foul trouble in his last 5, but did manage to put up a gem against OK City with 23 and 13 before heading to LA to win the Skills Competition in honor of Taco Bell.

2.Tyreke Evans
Evans is out the next three weeks, so he may slip from this spot in the future, but his play before the break demands the 2 spot........for now. 22 ppg over his last 4 before heading to the sideline, including a rebound away from a triple-double against the Mavs. Not bad. Not bad indeed.

3.Wesley Matthews
The 33 million dollar man had two subpar performances against the Bulls and the Raptors (both still victories) but bounced back with 26, 23 (on the tail end of a back to back) and 24 as he lead the Blazers to a 6 game win streak going into the break.

4.DeMar DeRozan
Since we last left you DeRozan has put in 20 a game over the last 4, including the 3 lock down performances previously mentioned. By year's end, I imagine this will be too high a spot for DeMar. Oh well. Such is life.

5.DeJuan Blair
Could I possibly justify this leap by Blair based on one play? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJcN_4-3J8Y . Yes. Yes, I could. But I'm not. Going into the break Blair put up double digit rebound games in 5 of 6 and held opposing centers to 11 per over the same 6 games. Blair has firmly cemented his starting C spot on the Spurs, something that makes Tim Duncan a very happy man. And honestly, who knew he could make a play like that?

6.Darren Collison
Collison has not completely responded to his increase in minutes the way I would have liked him to. As of late he has been struggling to find his shot on a regular basis putting up sub 30% nights in 4 of the last 7. His assists have stayed decent, but Larry Bird is looking for more out of Collison.

7.Serge Ibaka
He might not technically start, but he does play the majority of the minutes in the middle for the Thunder. Over the last 5 heading into the break, Ibaka played well averaging 8 boards and a little more than 2 blocks a game while holding opposing centers to only 10 points a night. A big man looking to do the dirty work down low is exactly the player the Thunder will need to grow into a championship contender, and more and more Ibaka is looking like the man for the job.

8.Brandon Jennings
Jennings has put up some of the scoring numbers we were used to seeing, but he has done it by jacking the ball up more than his fair share and putting it through the rim only 35% of the time. This includes a 1-11 night (0-6 from distance) in the last game before the break. I have little doubt Jennings will regain his form, but it is taking a little longer than the good people of Milwaukee have hoped.

9.Jrue Holiday
Jrue's play has been all over the map as of late. He has had some 2 and 3 point outings, to go with some 27 and 20 point outings. This spot admittedly feels low for Holiday, as he is far better than the 9th overall player in this class, but his play of late has done nothing to deserve a higher spot.

10.Rodrique Beaubois
This is certainly a bit premature, but let's call it a sign of things to come. The 2nd year man out of Guadeloupe figures to be a mainstay on the list, and has immediately gotten 20 minutes a game since returning to action after breaking his foot in the off-season. The rookie record holder of made 3's in a game (9), hasn't shown much rust putting in 11 a game off the bench for the deepest team in the league.

Thank you for reading the Sophomore Report. As always, I can be berated at @bmckay on Twitter