Charlotte Hornets: Roy Hibbert Just Needs To Be Himself

As the Charlotte Hornets started the regular season with a win on Wednesday, Roy Hibbert set out the template for him to have a successful season.

After a season out in the NBA wilderness with the Los Angeles Lakers, Roy Hibbert must have left the court in Milwaukee on Wednesday night feeling as if he was back at home with the Charlotte Hornets.

Once the defensive lynchpin at the peak of Frank Vogel’s Indiana success, there could be little doubt that the experience of signing a one-year deal worth only $5 million this summer, against the backdrop of the biggest cap spike in league history, must have been a humbling experience for the former Georgetown Hoya.

It could yet turn out to be an incredibly wise move for the two-time All-Star though, as if the opening game of the Hornets’ season is anything to go by, Hibbert may have have found a team that will cater to his greatest strengths.

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You could be forgiven for feeling a sense of familiarity when watching Hibbert in action at the Bradley Center on Wednesday night, as playing under an outstanding defensive coach, with teammates who were more than competent on that end of the floor in their own right, it was if the clock had been turned back two or three seasons for the New York native.

As the Hornets came away with an 11-point victory, Hibbert finished the action with 15 points, nine rebounds and five blocks on 6-9 shooting from the field.

There was nothing extravagant, nothing out of his comfort zone, and by just doing the basics right, Hibbert looked a threat again and he made the Hornets better.

On offense, Hibbert served his role as the Hornets’ clean-up man with considerable aplomb. Four offensive rebounds offered a steady return for the big man, but he wasn’t just aimlessly grabbing boards either.

There was an aggression and purpose in the way Hibbert was rebounding. Dare I say a newfound purpose?

While many of the league’s best offensive rebounders can still be guilty of taking just a little too long to reset and compose themselves after corralling the ball, on Wednesday Hibbert was showing a fluidity of movement that the Bucks simply couldn’t contain.

Once the ball was in his hands, the desire was to put it back in.

Then, of course, there was even one occasion when he decided to cut out the middle man in that process and put it straight back.

The impressive action from Hibbert, naturally, stretched beyond the offensive end and into his domain on defense. Although he had an impressive night with five rejections overall, there was no question over what Hibbert’s standout defensive play of the game was.

As a defender of any size, there won’t be many more terrifying sights this season than seeing Giannis Antetokounmpo bounding down through the open court towards you with his long strides.

In the second quarter, that’s exactly the prospect that Hibbert faced. From a long way out you can see the 29-year-old set himself, and keep his eyes on the ball, ultimately allowing him to get his hands up to tie the Greek Freak up for a jump ball.

That’s not something you see very often against Giannis. Judging by not just Nicolas Batum‘s quick high five, but also the reactions of Kemba Walker and Marco Belinelli, Hibbert’s teammates certainly appreciated their big man’s efforts too.

As Hibbert looks to get his career back on track after a disappointing couple of seasons, he’d be well served to follow the template he laid out for himself in his opening game of the season.

The Hornets don’t need Hibbert to do much on offense, and they’re already a good defensive team without him. What the center is capable of is bolstering his team on both ends of the floor, just by doing the simple things right.

Hibbert’s job is to stay in position and trouble shooters defensively, work with his guards in the pick and roll and to crash the boards. If asked to do no more than that, he has the tools to be very effective once again.

Next: Charlotte Hornets: Will Their Defense Be Even Better?

It’s early days, but the path to one more big contract is there for Hibbert, if he can just be himself this season.