Golden State Warriors: Aaron Craft’s Future In The NBA
By Ben Woodward
When Aaron Craft put on his Ohio State Buckeyes jersey, he had a long-standing reputation of being one of the most committed, determined athletes on the floor. As he developed into a leader, year in and year out he would accept nothing less than a NCAA tournament run from his teammates. He will now be applying that same commitment and determination towards his pursuit of a job in the NBA.
Craft went undrafted in the 2014 NBA Draft back on Jun. 26. When a notable college basketball player doesn’t hear his name called, it’s always intriguing to then follow his path to the association. Craft would still go on to work his tail off in the NBA Summer League, appearing in games for the Philadelphia 76ers in Orlando, and then for the Golden State Warriors in Las Vegas.
His most impactful games this summer came with Golden State, playing 22 minutes per game over the course of five contests. Craft shot the ball at a respectable 45 percent, and averaged 7.4 points, 2.4 assists, and 2.6 steals per game while in Las Vegas. Those numbers don’t exactly jump off the box score, but the steals average was good enough for third best in Summer League action.
Craft obviously impressed someone in the Warriors camp, including new head coach Steve Kerr, because the former OSU guard received an invite to attend preseason training camp with the team. To Craft, this invitation is a second job interview, a chance for him to further prove he has the skills to compete at the highest level.
“We love Aaron’s competitiveness and his defense and his energy and his intelligence,” head coach Steve Kerr said on Thursday, speaking with Warriors beat writer Diamond Leung. “He sort of embodies what we want to be and what we’re becoming as a franchise.” Kerr went on to mention the possibility of sending Craft to the Santa Cruz Warriors, the D-League affiliate of Golden State. If sent there, he would join up and develop his game alongside Seth Curry, younger brother of current Warriors star point guard Stephen Curry.
“He sort of embodies what we want to be, and what we’re becoming as a franchise.” – Steve Kerr
At the moment, Aaron Craft’s best chance at making the Warriors roster is to hone his defensive skills and become somewhat of a specialist. The 23-year-old guard was a two-time Big Ten All-Defensive Player of the Year, and he made the conference’s All-Defensive team each year he played for the Buckeyes. Some seasoning at higher levels of play could turn him into the type of player who gets on the floor to put 100 percent of his energy into defending a hot-shooting guard, or to wear down an opponent with his smothering style of defense.
If Craft can develop his offensive game, he undoubtedly has a future in the NBA. The problem is, that’s a task easier said than done. The reason Craft had such a successful career at Ohio State is because he played lock-down defense, becoming the all-time leader in steals at OSU (208). Craft brought an insane level of intensity, and he played alongside Jared Sullinger, Deshaun Thomas and others who picked up the slack offensively. He also made a name for himself as an exceptional passer and is currently the all-time leader in assists for OSU (579). He makes good decisions on the court, rarely finding himself disappointed after making a risky pass.
Several names come to mind when you think about how his game compares to guys that have found a home in professional basketball with defense as their primary weapon. For right now, I’m going with Tony Allen.
For the last 10 years in the league, Tony Allen has a career 8.1 PPG average, and has never averaged more than 26.7 minutes per game. But there is a reason why his current contract is worth over $20 million. He brings top-flight defensive skills, and a burst of energy off the bench that teams scramble to add to their roster. In his rookie season as a second string combo guard, Allen finished the season with 2.9 steals per 48 minutes, good enough for third in the NBA. A guy who makes the All-Defensive First Team two years in a row off the bench is something I would imagine most NBA teams are interested in.
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When a household name in the college basketball world goes unmentioned at the NBA Draft, I’ll always pay attention to the steps he takes to overcome the disappointment. Whether it’s toiling in the NBA’s D-League or signing a contract to play in Europe, there are other paths to take that step to an NBA roster spot. For Ohio State’s Aaron Craft, my prediction is that he will play a season with the Santa Cruz affiliate so Steve Kerr can get a better grasp on what kind of potential the young guard has.
To Aaron Craft I would just say, see exhibit BB: Bruce Bowen. One of the best undrafted players of all time, Bowen never averaged double digits in any statistical category throughout his career. That same Bruce Bowen has his No. 12 retired, hanging from the rafters in San Antonio.
Because I admire his intensity and competitive fire, and I believe there’s always room for defensive specialists in the NBA, I hope Aaron Craft follows in the footsteps of Jeremy Lin, Udonis Haslem and Bruce Bowen to go from the undrafted list to playing important roles in the NBA for years to come.