In a season where your record shows the results being two wins in 13 games, you have to look for any opportunity to find a bright spot. For the Golden State Warriors, that bright spot is rookie, Eric Paschall. Of late, the New York native has gleamed.
After carrying them through the start of the season, Paschall has blown away any expectation Golden State had for the 41st overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.
The Villanova product is averaging 16.7 points per game while shooting 51.9 percent from the field. Through 13 games, the rookie has led the team in scoring four times with his most recent being Sunday night versus the Pelicans.
The rookie dropped a game-high 30 points in a road loss in New Orleans and even after he put up a high scoring number, one veteran thinks he can be better.
“Right now, he’s just scoring off raw talent. He really don’t know how to play the NBA game.” Draymond Green told reporters after the 108-100 loss to the Pels. “As he figures out more and more the NBA game, how to get fouled, he’ll get better and better.”
Green knows what it’s like to be in Paschall’s shoes, as he was a second-round pick as well. Green went from the 35th overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, to three-time NBA All-Star, signing a $100-million contract. He also has three championship rings on his resume. Green’s laid a solid blueprint for the 23-year old rookie to follow, meaning when Green speaks, Paschall should listen.
“Sometimes, he can get a little lost out there, not knowing where to go,” Green said. “Just trying to help him find his spacing.”
After playing with some of the best shooters in his career, Green knows how important small things like spacing can be to the flow of a team. The fact a player of Green’s clout is taking interest in the Paschall’s game should inspire the 23-year old.
Even if this is just a way to motivate the rookie, it’s still high praise from the former Defensive Player of the Year.
With an injury-riddled roster and the 2019-20 season quickly turning into a development year, Green and Paschall have a lot of time to figure out how to improve the rookie’s game.