Hassan Whiteside: Additional Inside Presence for Sacramento
Before the 2010 NBA Draft, the Sacramento Kings traded Andres Nocioni and Spencer Hawes for Samuel Dalembert to have an inside presence. And in this year's draft, the Kings proved that they are serious in improving their front line when they drafted Hassan Whiteside of Marshall University.
The seven-foot centre recorded 13.1 points and 8.9 rebounds per game in his college career. But the most glaring success of his game is his shot-blocking ability. He led NCAA Division One in shot blocks averaging 5.35 blocks per contest. This stat clearly shows that Whiteside's role for the Kings is to defend the paint alongside Dalembert, who is also an intimidating defender inside the paint.
The 21-year old centre dominated the defensive end of the floor during his college days. Whiteside, who has a 7-foot-6 wingspan, is also a good weak side defender. His size and height are the main reason why he is one of the best defenders in the NCAA last season.
He may be a raw player at the moment but looking at him carefully, Whiteside has a lot of potential. He is athletic and has a good lateral movement as compared to the other centres that entered the draft. Whiteside always sees to it that he will challenge every shot of their opponents inside. His defensive tenacity and great use of his athleticism will be an asset in the big league. He is also expected to make his mark in the rebounding department next season because this player never quits in battling for loose balls.
Whiteside, who was drafted third in the second round, is an effective scorer down low. Hook shots from close range and proper use of the glass are part of his offensive arsenal. He always strives for an offensive rebound, which gives him a lot of second chance points; and most of that comes from power dunks, which are expected from a big man like him.
Though big and agile, Whiteside has limited offensive plays outside the paint. He needs to develop his confidence with his mid-range jumpers to be an effective big man. He has to work on his release because he is having a hard time controlling the ball. He is also a liability in the free-throw department, shooting only 40% from the line during his college career. Passing is definitely not one of his strong points. He has been a poor passer throughout his career and it is still noticeable up to this point.
Experts consider Whiteside as a work in progress but the Sacramento Kings are willing to wait for him to maximize his potential. What the Kings need to deal with is the on and off- court habits of Whiteside. His work ethic and intensity was questioned during his college days. Experts even tagged him as an immature player, who needs long period of time to reach his potential. Whiteside is already 21 years old, making him two years older than a normal freshman in the league, so he definitely needs to work as soon as he can to reach his peak.
For most of next season, Whiteside is expected to spend the majority of the game on the bench; but if he can improve faster than expected, he will be the backup for Samuel Dalembert in the centre position. Whiteside will also learn a lot of things from the veteran centre. Tyreke Evans will also be a major contributor to Whiteside's maturity because they are the two youngest players in the Kings' roster.
Hassan Whiteside might not be very productive next season but if he will be given enough chance to show what he is made of, then he might reach his potential faster and play a major role for the Sacramento Kings next season.
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