Tag: NBA Rookies

March Madness: How members of the Warriors performed in the NCAA Tournament

With no basketball on the schedule, take a look at how members of the Golden State Warriors fared in the NCAA Tournament.

For many basketball fans, March is considered the best month on the calendar. Selection Sunday marks the start of a four-week, drama-filled sensation known as March Madness. However, in 2020, things are a bit different.

There will be no “Cinderella story” or “bracket busters” in the 2020 edition of the NCAA Tournament due to the coronavirus pandemic. The NCAA has canceled its 68-team championship tournament in precaution to COVID-19.

With no games on the NBA or college basketball schedule, Warriors Wire looked back at how members of the 2019-20 edition of the Golden State Warriors fared in March Madness.

Before they were with Golden State, three different Dubs made trips to the final game, with others stamping spots in the Elite Eight. At the same time, one newly acquired Warrior was a victim of an upset in the opening weekend.

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Rookie Eric Paschall reacts on social media to the NBA suspending the season due to coronavirus

With 17 games left on the Warriors schedule, the NBA has officially suspended the season due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Following a positive coronavirus test from Utah Jazz All-Star center Rudy Gobert, the NBA suspended the 2019-20 season until further notice. In a statement from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, the league will be without play for at least 30-days due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Members across the NBA have taken to social media to react to the news of the league going on hiatus due to the coronavirus. The Golden State Warriors first-year forward Eric Paschall responded to his hectic rookie season being put on hold.

Via @epaschall:

After taking trips to five consecutive NBA Finals appearances, The Warriors selected Paschall out of Villanova in the second round of the 2019 NBA draft. Since being drafted, Paschall’s new team has gone through a transition period that led the Warriors to the bottom of the NBA’s standings.

In Paschall’s rookie season, six of his teammates have been traded, two-time Most Valuable Player Stephen Curry has only played five games and now the status of his final 17 games are up in the air.

Following the league coming to a halt due to COVID-19, Paschall shared a post on his Twitter for everyone to “be safe.”

The Golden State Warriors were slated to host the Brooklyn Nets in San Francisco on Thursday evening with no fans in attendance at Chase Center in San Francisco. However, the next time the Warriors will take the court now comes with a question mark.

Injury Report: Ky Bowman (ankle) will get MRI, won’t travel on trip to Phoenix

Warriors rookie Ky Bowman will get an MRI after injuring his ankle against the Los Angeles Lakers.

On the outside, it may look like the Golden State Warriors injury issues are coming to an end with the return of Stephen Curry nearing. However, a bevy of new injuries are piling up in Golden State.

Andrew Wiggins was a late scratch against the Los Angeles Lakers with upper back spasms, nixing one starter from Steve Kerr’s rotation before the game began.

Late into the Warriors 116-86 loss to the Lakers, Ky Bowman left the game with an apparent injury. Bowman’s Golden State teammates had to assist him off the court and into the locker room.

After the game, Kerr spoke to reporters about the severity of Bowman’s injury.

Via Warriors SoundCloud:

Ky rolled his ankle pretty well. It’s not going to be a day-to-day thing. He’s going to be out a little bit. He won’t go on the trip. I think he’ll get an MRI tomorrow.

Bowman has been a pleasant surprise for the Warriors, evolving from a two-way contract into a full-time player that has command of Kerr’s offense. In his rookie season, Bowman is averaging 7.3 points on 40.5 % shooting from the field while dishing 3.0 assists in 22.3 minutes per game.

Kerr confirmed the Boston College product would be out for at least Golden State’s road game against the Phoenix Suns. Without Bowman, the Warriors will feature a backcourt of Jordan Poole, Damion Lee and Mychal Mulder until Curry returns from his broken hand injury.

Watch: Eric Paschall does Splash Brothers impression in Rising Stars Challenge

Watch Eric Paschall knock down a three-pointer during the 2020 NBA Rising Stars Challenge.

The 2020 edition of NBA All-Star weekend is a little different for the Golden State Warriors. Injuries to Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson have slowed down the Warriors’ normal schedule when it comes to All-Star weekend.

Instead of sending a bevy of players to partake in All-Star festivities, the Warriors only had one member in Chicago. Rookie Eric Paschall was invited to the NBA’s Rising Stars Challenge to compete against other rookies and second-year players from across the league.

Paschall checked into the game in the first quarter and got on the board quickly, scoring his first bucket on a drive through the lane.

The Villanova product followed up his layup with a long-distance 3-pointer, shades of his Splash Brothers teammates.

Paschall knocking down a wing 3-pointer is a bit uncharacteristic for the rookie. Although Paschall can score the basketball at a proficient rate, most of his buckets come inside the arc.

Paschall is only shooting 28.2 % from 3-point land and has only made three long-range shots in his last 11 games before the All-Star break.

However, this is the Rising Stars Challenge, and for a chance at winning Most Valuable Player, Paschall was going to have to let it fly.

Does Eric Paschall have a chance at winning the 2020 Rising Stars Challenge MVP?

Can Warriors’ rookie Eric Paschall bring the Rising Stars Challenge MVP hardware back to the Bay Area?

With Golden State’s record sitting at the bottom of the Western Conference, there hasn’t been much to be proud of during the 2019-20 season for Warriors fans.

Stephen Curry’s return from injury, and how newly-acquired Andrew Wiggins fits in with the Warriors are exciting things to watch in the second half of the season, but leading up to the All-Star break, it’s been bleak.

However, one of the pleasant surprises in a down season filled with injury has been the opportunities opened up for players on the backend of the rotation.

Eric Paschall, the Warriors second-round pick in 2019, has evolved into one of Steve Kerr’s leading scorers. The Villanova product is averaging 13.2 points per game on 48.2 % from the field.

The rookie has thrived with opportunity, earning a spot in the 2020 NBA Rising Stars Challenge in Chicago.

Paschall’s numbers may have dipped from his Rookie of the Year caliber start, but he’s been surprising people all season long —  so why count him out as a contender for the game’s Most Valuable Player award?

Here’s a look at how Paschall can bring an MVP trophy from Chicago back to the Bay Area.

Veteran mindset

The Rising Stars Challenge is a display of the NBA’s youth, and while Paschall is still very young, he’ll be one of the oldest players on the floor Friday night in Chicago.

Paschall, 23, is only behind Miami Heat guard Kendrick Nunn and Charlotte Hornets’ guard Devonte’ Graham, who are both 24 from the original roster. Nicolo Melli, 29 from the New Orleans Pelicans, was added as a replacement for Phoenix center Deandre Ayton.

The Rising Stars Challenge is one game where Paschall will have an edge when it comes to experience. What Paschall learned during his junior and senior years at Villanova could benefit him while playing against 19 and 20-year-olds.

Bully ball

One thing Golden State’s fanbase has learned about Paschall is his strength. The New York native is already big in size that carries into a sense of physicality every time he touches the ball.

Paschall has registered high scoring totals throughout his rookie season, including two 30-point games. Yet, he hasn’t shot the ball well from deep. In Paschall’s top five scoring contests, he’s only made 10 shots from beyond the arc total.

In an All-Star game where other players may be camping around the three-point line to show off their long-distance shooting, Paschall could be in line to clean up points in the lane.

Posterization

Pairing with off his physicality is Paschall’s eye for the aggressive dunk. Paschall athleticism is an underrated part of his game. Throughout his rookie year, Paschall has had multiple rim rocking dunks.

If Paschall can stuff the stat sheet using a veteran mindset and add one highlight-reel dunk, the Warriors rookie could be in line for some hardware.

Alen Smailagic could get increased role post-Willie Cauley-Stein trade

Serbian rookie Alen Smailagic, currently in the G League, could be up for more NBA games after the Warriors dealt Willie Cauley-Stein to Dallas.

With the 2020 NBA trade deadline on the horizon, the first Golden State Warriors’ domino dropped when the Dallas Mavericks finalized a move to acquire Willie Cauley-Stein.

Along with Cauley-Stein, Golden State has other players that could be dealt before the trade deadline on February 6, but in the present, who will step up in the Warriors rotation while the roster is being tinkered?

With Cauley-Stein’s departure to Dallas, and Kevon Looney’s battle with injuries, the Golden State frontcourt has thinned quickly. Draymond Green, Omari Spellman and two-way contract player, Marquese Chriss will eat a lion share of the center minutes without Cauley-Stein.

However, is 19-year-old second-round draft pick, Alen Smailagic in line to see an increased opportunity in Golden State’s frontcourt?

After Golden State’s loss to the Indiana Pacers, Steve Kerr was asked if Smailagic will get the call up from the G League with Cauley-Stein traded to Dallas.

Possibly, I still think it’s more valuable for him to play big minutes in Santa Cruz other than playing shorter minutes here — For sure he’ll be up here for more games at some point during the rest of the season

Since returning from an injury that hampered the start of his basketball career, Smailagic has played nine games in the NBA, averaging 4.7 points and 2.4 rebounds in 10.2 minutes per game.

What Smailagic’s numbers don’t show is the spark that he brings to Golden State’s rotation when he takes the floor. Whether it’s a dunk, a banked-in three-pointer, or a hustle play — the Warriors’ crowd responds to the Serbian rookie’s energy.

Smailagic’s age and experience limit him from even being considered a refined NBA prospect at this point. However, with minutes opening up and the Golden State record dwindling, the 19-year-old has a chance to further his development at the NBA level.

At only 19 years old, rookie Alen Smailagic impressing fellow Warriors

Damion Lee had nothing but praise for the Warriors Serbian rookie, Alen Smailagic four-games into his NBA career.

Where were you when you were 19-years old? A tough question to answer that was asked to Golden State Warriors teammates after their 99-84 loss in Minnesota.

One Warrior won’t have to remember that far back, as he’s living out his final year as a teenager in the NBA with Golden State. A week ago, Alen Smailagic made his not-so-long awaited NBA debut when he entered the game against the Phoenix Suns.

Now, after four games, the rookie is living up to the magnified hype he’s played under since being drafted No. 39 overall in the 2019 NBA Draft.

Since being recalled from the Warriors’ G League affiliate in Santa Cruz, the Serbian ranks as the third-youngest player in the NBA— a change of pace for a team with a heavy veteran presence over the past five seasons.

Injuries initially put Smailagic’s debut on hold, but now they’ve opened the door for his arrival. In each performance, he’s impressed not only the Warriors’ fanbase but his fellow teammates.

After the Warriors loss to the Timberwolves, G League-to-NBA veteran, Damion Lee praised the Warriors rookie to reporters, saying there’s a bright future ahead for Smailagic.

At the end of the day, this is only his fourth NBA game, him just learning still growing— obviously, there’s a pace difference between the G League and the NBA — him coming into his own — I mean, at the end of the day, he’s 19, he has a lot of basketball ahead, there’s definitely a bright future for him.

Lee said it’s crazy to think that Smailagic should’ve been graduating from only high school last summer. However, it’s valuable for him to get this type of experience while he’s still developing.

It’s crazy, you can see it in his frame— he has the frame to put on weight — it’s just learning the NBA game, continue to learn, continue to develop — he’ll come into his own, it’s good for him to get this experience at such a young age.

Fellow rookie Eric Paschall told reporters he believes Smailagic is playing well despite his young age for the speed of the NBA game.

Smailagic has scored four or more points in every game he’s entered for Golden State this season. In each game, he’s shown a new skill; whether that be rebounding, banking home three-pointers, or dishing out dimes, the rookie is quickly becoming a fan favorite.

Smailagic’s play even got the attention of two-time NBA MVP, Stephen Curry. Against the Phoenix Suns, Smailagic put a smile on Curry’s face after fighting for a rebound and cashing-in the putback layup.

Smailagic’s minutes might be tapered back once D’Angelo Russell, Willie Cauley-Stein and Kevon Looney return. Still, for now, the rookie is seizing every opportunity he has while he’s up with Golden State’s big club.

It wouldn’t be a surprise if the Warriors decide to reassign Smailagic back to Santa Cruz at some point, as his development still has ways to go, but if he can continue to impress at this pace, Golden State has to consider making the Serbian a significant part of their future.

Rookie first-round pick Jordan Poole heading to G League Santa Cruz

The Warriors have made the decision to send first-round draft pick Jordan Poole down to their G League affiliate, the Santa Cruz Warriors.

When the Warriors selected Jordan Poole out of Michigan with the No. 28 overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft, it was a bit of a surprise. By most draft experts, Poole was seen as a project, and so far through 2019, but the first quarter returns on the rookie have failed.

Poole’s best asset traits when drafted, were his confidence and shooting ability. Yet, in his rookie season, he’s struggled to see his shot fall, and his confidence has suffered because of it.

A month ago, Poole tied his season-high when he scored 20 points against the Miami Heat. The rookie was 5-of-6 from three-point range and was looking like he found his rhythm for the first time as a professional— since then, it’s hasn’t been as pleasant.

In 12-games since scoring 20 against the Heat, the 2019 first-rounder has combined to score 18 points total on 4-38 shooting from the field. Through the first two weeks of December, Poole was 0-16 from the field and 0-10 from beyond the arc.

To help restore Poole’s confidence, the Golden State Warriors have decided to send the rookie down to their G League affiliate in Santa Cruz. Steve Kerr said this was part of the team’s plan for Poole all along.

“Just a part of his development,” Kerr told reporters before the team tipped off against the Phoenix Suns. “We thought that would be part of it all along—When we drafted him, when we had him this summer, we figured there would be times we put him in the G League, and this seems like a good time to do so.”

Kerr said there’s no timetable for how long Poole will stick in the G League, but with the Warriors healthy at guard for one of the first times all season, it could be awhile.

“It’s just for an indefinite period,” said Kerr. “It could be for a couple games; it could be for a couple weeks. It just depends on how everything is going up here with us, and if we need him or not.”

Poole’s career started with a bang after being thrust into heavy minutes at only 20-years of age, a stretch in the G League to build his confidence back up could be the best choice for his development in the long-run.

Two Warriors named in NBA Math’s Rookie of the Year top-10 standings

NBA Math’s Rolling Player Rating system ranks two Warriors rookies in the top-10 of their Rookie of the Year Prediction.

A 5-22 record is a change of pace for the Golden State Warriors, instead of wins, the team has had to seek out bright spots where they can find them. Within the Warriors down season, rookies Eric Paschall and Ky Bowman have blossomed out of almost nowhere.

Paschall, a second-round pick, and Bowman, an undrafted free agent, have greatly exceeded expectations through the first quarter of the NBA season, and now they’re starting to receive some recognition.

According to NBA Math’s Rolling Player Rating, both rookies, Paschall and Bowman rank in the top-10 of their Rookie of the Year predictions. Paschall is currently second with a 2.836 rating, and Bowman is an honorable mention at eighth with a 0.961 score.

Memphis Grizzlies rookie phenom, Ja Morant tops the list with a 3.588 rating. Miami Heat rookie, Kendrick Nunn, joins Paschall and Bowman as the only non-first round picks to make NBA Math’s top-10.

NBA Math’s rolling player rating factors in box score statistics from the players past 10-games with higher values towards quality opponents. According to NBA Math, defense is undervalued in their ratings with box score statistics and on-court contributions taking precedence. NBA Math uses Rolling Player Rating to help project awards like Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year.

Via NBA Math:

NBA Math’s Rolling Player Ratings are by no means perfect, as is to be expected from a metric based on a schedule-adjusted version of Game Score. They undervalue defensive contributions, only give credit for work that shows up in the box score and can sometimes favor players who rack up meaningless numbers in garbage-time situations. Essentially, they’re a measure of who’s best at producing the most glamorous NBA statistics rather than a measure of pure on-court value.

It makes sense for Paschall and Bowman to rank highly in this metric as they’ve both been consistent contributors for the Warriors all season. Paschall ranks in the rookie top-three in points per game 16.1 (second), total points 403 (second), and field goals 149 (second).

Bowman, a two-way contract player currently on assignment in the G League with the Santa Cruz Warriors, is averaging 8.6 points, 2.7 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game in his rookie season with Golden State.

Regardless of advanced metrics, Paschall and Bowman’s play have been the bright spot in Golden State’s down season. If the rookie duo can continue to stack consistent play, they’ll give the Warriors two building blocks for the future.

Could G League stint be the answer for Warriors rookie Jordan Poole?

A trip down to Santa Cruz with the Warriors G League affiliate could benefit rookie, Jordan Poole in the long-run.

The Golden State Warriors 2019 first-round draft pick, Jordan Poole, has had an underwhelming start to his NBA career. Yet, late in November against the Miami Heat, the rookie looked like he to took a step forward.

Poole tied a career-high 20-points, knocking down five-three pointers on six shots from the distance— his best shooting night as a professional. Leading into Miami, Poole hit double-digit scoring numbers in four-of-five games. However, more important than the stats, the Michigan product looked comfortable on the floor. Poole seemed to find some rhythm for the first time in his NBA career.

Since Miami, it’s been a different story for Poole. The rookie has registered only one point in three games since his career shooting night in South Beach, and it hasn’t looked pretty. Poole is 0-16 from the field and 0-9 from beyond the arc, with his only basket coming from a trip to the free-throw line where he went one-for-two.

Poole’s start to his career hasn’t been typical for the 28th overall pick. The former Wolverine ranks in the top-10 in rookie minutes played, as he’s been thrust into Golden State’s lineup due to injuries. Not only has he been asked to play heavy minutes, but he’s also tasked with being a scorer for the struggling Warriors. Poole ranks in rookie field goal attempts, three points attempts and free-throw attempts.

Poole’s development is looking stunted in 2019, but luckily for the Warriors, the team is getting healthy for the first time this season. D’Angelo Russell returned against the Charlotte Hornets, while guards, Jacob Evans and Damion Lee, are nearing a return to the floor. With an influx in backcourt talent, Poole’s best bet could be in the G League.

A trip down to Santa Cruz with the Warriors G League affiliate could help build Poole’s game. Poole needs to see the ball go in the basketball hoop— he needs to build up his confidence with his shot. A mixture of some time on the bench and growth in the G League could be beneficial to Poole’s long term career.