CAMDEN, N.J. — For players to really take the next step in the league, the third season in the league is a critical one.
Philadelphia 76ers guard Isaiah Joe was expected to make an impact in his second season after a terrific preseason during which he knocked down 3-pointers like layups.
However, Joe wasn’t able to take that into the regular season. He was given a chance to be in the rotation, but he couldn’t take advantage.
For the season, Joe shot 33.3% from deep, which is down from the 36.8% he shot as a rookie. By failing to take the next step in his second season, the third season will be critical for Joe to show the Sixers he has a future. He wants to work on two specific areas of his game over the summer.
“One of my biggest focuses is mainly focusing on my body,” said Joe. “Getting my body right. This year, whenever I got the opportunity to go out there, I tried to show more of my defensive paralysis out there, showing that I’m not a liability on defense.”
Being stronger out on the floor will certainly help Joe on both ends of the floor. If he is able to take that next step and grow an NBA body, that will certainly help.
Another area Joe wants to work on is his overall offense. Everybody knows he can shoot, but he wants to be able to create.
“This upcoming summer will be really big,” Joe added. “Growing my body, increasing my skill, whether that’s shooting, being able to put the ball on the floor, and being able to create is something I really lacked this year. Being able to put the ball on the floor and create for myself and others. So that’ll be two really main focuses going into this summer.”
Joe will most likely compete in the summer league in July. That will be an important showcase for him to build momentum for the 2022-23 season.
This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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