In The Tense Race For Nba Rookie Of The Year, Jaden Ivey Is Keeping Up

This 2022-23 rookie class has been unreal so far.

Paolo Banchero dominates opponents with his special blend of strength and dexterity. The leader in bench scoring is Bennedict Mathurin, who is slicing and swishing his way to the top. The Kings are quietly 2-1 in the early returns of Keegan Murray’s promotion; he has made nearly 40% of his three-point attempts and moved up to the starting lineup.

In the first two weeks of NBA action, those three standouts have led the 2022 class. Jaden Ivey has also emerged on the scene, though he hasn’t quite been in the same league. With the Detroit Pistons, the fifth overall pick is averaging a respectable 15.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.3 steals per game and has double-digit points in each of his seven games.

Ivey has sprinted to the basket with the same ferocity that propelled him to the top of the NBA Draft, despite the fact that Detroit (2-6) isn’t winning all that much and backcourt partner Cade Cunningham has understandably garnered more attention for his outstanding start to his second season.

Ivey scored 19 points on 8 of 17 shots in Monday’s tight loss to the unbeaten Milwaukee Bucks. In addition to Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is depicted above, he destroyed some of the league’s top big-man assisters and individual guard defenders.

Ivey’s pre-draft scouting report emphasized his absurd burst, long strides, and size, and those characteristics are transferring well. He also possesses the amazing talent of keeping the ball low and out of a defender’s reach until the very last second, when he can flip a shot up and finish. Along with the vertical explosion to get to these shots, that requires serious concentration and upper-body strength.

According to Second Spectrum, Ivey drives the ball 11 times per game, ranking second among rookies behind Banchero – a mark that has been attained by 39 NBA players this year. Ivey’s 14.3% assist rate and 54.8% shooting efficiency place him in the top 13 among the 65 high-volume attackers who make eight or more drives per game. RJ Barrett, Malcolm Brogdon, and Spencer Dinwiddie are the only other players in the top-20 for both categories, and Luka Doncic is the only other player in the top-15 for both rankings.

In the match against Milwaukee, he only had one assist, but it was a significant one that demonstrated he is not dependent on downhill speed to create opportunities.

Ivey is attempting to involve Brook Lopez as he probes this area with an empty-corner drive. He pins Jrue Holiday on his hip, moves in until he has Lopez’s attention, and then hits Isaiah Stewart for the simple dunk because he is aware of how cautiously the Bucks defend without the ball. It’s a straightforward play, but it demonstrates Ivey’s understanding of how to attack and misdirect an adversary’s set defense.

However, the contrast between these dishes and downhill drives is striking. Ivey gains momentum but maintains the awareness to see his players sliding and the defense shifting. This results in a few highlight-reel assists; furthermore, his 6.5% drive turnover rate is respectable, especially for a rookie.

The next step for Ivey to become a more all-around threat with the ball in his hands is to establish a mid-range rhythm, as Bryce Simon (@MotorCityHoops) notes. He has made just 5-of-22 attempts from the mid-range, and some of his misses are ugly. Ivey can decimate teams away from the ball because he is fortunately relieved of the primary creator load, which falls to his partner Cunningham (and occasionally Killian Hayes).

Ivey is currently 7-for-10 on shots on cuts in a very small sample size, according to Synergy. The efficiency is nice, but what’s more noteworthy at the moment is how he spots openings and attacks them. Ivey is aware of how a ball-handler will encircle the defense and open up opportunities. In this way, he is similar to point guard Bruce Brown, who transformed into a dynamic cutter by using his court vision.

Ivey is much more dangerous with the ball in his hands, so he probably won’t follow Bruce Brown’s lead. But while he’s getting his bearings as a starting NBA guard, cutting effectively gives him another way to play alongside Cunningham.

As a long-range shooter, the 20-year-old has had some ups and downs so far (though a 34.5% clip isn’t too bad), and he still has plenty of room to grow as a defender, as do most rookies. However, it’s encouraging to see that some of Ivey’s best qualities are already showing on the court and that he is capable of more than just charging into crowds and hucking shots. Cleaning the Glass estimates that 47% of Ivey’s overall shots have been made at the rim, placing him in the 94th percentile among combo guards. A respectable 68% of those shots are being completed by him.

Imagine what Ivey might look like at the end of the season if he continues to read the floor this well. He’s as much a front-runner in the race for Rookie of the Year as any other contender, and he already contributes to what makes the Pistons a young team to watch.

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Source: https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-detroit-pistons-jaden-ivey-is-keeping-up-in-the-high-octane-nba-rookie-of-the-year-race-cade-cunningham