D-League Watch: Greg Whittington

Greg Whittington, Sioux Falls Skyforce, Forward, 6’8, 210

(2015-16, 37.7 mpg, 10 games) 15.2 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 2.4 apg, 2.4 spg, 0.9 bpg, 2.3 tpg

42.8 FG%, 78.9 FT%, 32.2 3FG%, 51.9 TS%, 49.6 eFG%

19.8 USG%, 4.9 OREB%, 22.5 DREB%, 13.9 REB%, 10.2 AST%

DOB: 2/17/1993 (22) School: Georgetown

Before the D-League

Whittington played one-and-a-half seasons with Georgetown, 46 games, before missing the second half of his sophomore year due to academic issues. He tore his ACL before the start of his junior season, but ended up being dismissed from the team in November, 2013. In 46 games at Georgetown, Whittington averaged 6.5 points, 4 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game, while shooting 42.4 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from three-point range. Whittington then committed to play for Rutgers, but never enrolled in the school. He spent the 2014-15 season working out and practicing with the Westchester Knicks, though wasn’t ready to play. Whittington entered the 2015 NBA Draft not having played in a game since January, 2013. Though he went undrafted, Whittington seemed to impress during pre-draft workouts, and earned a spot with the Miami Heat for both the Orlando and Las Vegas Summer Leagues. Whittington averaged 9.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game during both summer leagues. After being waived from the Heat’s training camp, he signed with Sioux Falls as an affiliate player.

What has he shown so far?

Whittington has gotten off to a good start this season, showing a lot of the skills and traits that impressed during Summer League. Whittington has good size at 6’8, with a solid build and long arms, and he already looks to be much stronger than he was during his time at Georgetown. While he spent two seasons with the Hoyas, you can see a lot of their philosophies, especially on offense, have carried over to how he plays the game now. Whittington’s strength is his ability to be effective in many different spots on the floor. He is an average ballhandler, able to attack the basket in either direction, and able to finish around the rim with either hand. Whittington shows good body control and some bounce as he makes his way to the basket, with the ability to pull up for short or mid-range jumper if his path to the rim is blocked. Whittington isn’t a great finisher around the rim, and he is hesitant to draw contact, relying instead on trying to be creative around rim protectors and longer defenders. Whittington’s perimeter shooting, especially from long-range, is still a work in progress, but he has a solid foundation from which to build. He has shown an affinity for the corner three, knocking down 43 percent so far, but above the break, he is shooting consistently lower. Whittington has a quick, stead shooting motion when he has time to get set, but if he feels rushed, he has a tendency to release the ball low, causing most of his misses to come up short. From his time at Georgetown, Whittington understands the value of court spacing, and he is very good at making sharp cuts into open space, or seeing the floor and finding teammates making cuts to the basket. He is also very effective as a high post passer, finding cutters behind him or hitting open teammates behind the arc, as well as a smart post-entry passer. Whittington’s length helps on the offensive boards, and he has a nice knack for getting to the right spots once he sees a shot go up. Even if he doesn’t get a rebound on the first shot, he keeps working, trying to keep the ball alive for him or a teammate. Whittington runs the floor well, filling the outer lanes usually, and making a strong line to the rim looking for the pass. As his perimeter shooting continues to develop, the option should also be there for him to set up for the three in transition.

More from Hoops Habit

Defensively, Whittington has been one of the best I’ve seen in the D-League this season, using his length well to disrupt passing lanes and shots, as well as defending three or more different positions in a game. On the ball, Whittington has good lateral movement and foot speed, though he can have a tendency to give a little too much room in his positioning, and he has some trouble in reacting to changes in direction. Off the ball, Whittington has great instincts and awareness, with the ability to deny and jump passing lanes, as well as being a solid help defender. Whittington uses his length well to close on shooters, and he does a good job looking to alter or block shots around the rim, helping from the weak side. Whittington has done an excellent job on the defensive boards so far for Sioux Falls, boxing out consistently and being aggressive about going to get the rebound instead of waiting for it to fall.

What does he need to show next?

As has been mentioned, Whittington’s perimeter shooting needs to become more consistent, both in the mid-range and long-range areas. His ballhandling can be tightened up, as is usual for many guys his size who aren’t used to handling the ball often. With his size, frame, and increased strength, Whittington should look to attack the basket more in the halfcourt, and not be afraid to take some contact. He’s averaging less than two free throws per game, while playing over 37 minutes. Defensively, all of the tools are there for Whittington to continue to make an impact, and it’s hard to argue with what he has shown so far. If there’s one area he should continue to develop, it’s in defending pick-and-rolls, with some emphasis on using angles better to cut off the ballhandler. Also, as mentioned earlier, he can have some problems reacting to changes in direction off the dribble, so working on reacting and then cutting off the lane should be next for him.

Where does he go from here?

Whittington has built off his impressive summer league performances with a great start to his season in Sioux Falls. His physical traits, versatility, and skill set on both ends of the floor, have all been on display, and in each game, he seems to show one more thing he can do. Sioux Falls has been playing him as a small 4, a role in which he has thrived, but I think he has the ability to eventually play the 3 at the NBA level. Becoming a more consistent perimeter shooter will be important, but he has shown streaks where he can knock it down from 24-25 feet with no problem, so the potential is certainly there. Whittington’s ability to defend multiple positions, as well as rebound well on both ends of the floor, make him more valuable, and while I think he should get a full year, or maybe a little more, in the D-League under his belt, I have no doubt he can eventually be a solid role player in the NBA.

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