Detroit Pistons: Can Brandon Jennings Be A Steadying Influence?

Brandon Jennings is undoubtedly one of the most frustrating players in the NBA. Not many players have the ability to take over a game in one minute, and throw it away in the next, but then Jennings doesn’t adhere to what people consider normal. He’s a showman and an individual, and it’s hard to imagine him falling in line with many other people’s philosophies.

In 2008, Jennings became the first American player to break the convention of attending college and subsequently being drafted into the NBA. Instead, Jennings chose to go to Italy and play professionally in Europe, getting a taste for a different culture, while honing his skills and improving his conditioning in a professional environment.

When Jennings did declare for the draft a year later, he was drafted 10th overall by the Milwaukee Bucks, and his decision looked to have paid off. Although he struggled with his shooting, Jennings was able to make an immediate impact as a starter, both scoring and assisting on a nightly basis.

Now having played for five seasons in the NBA, the real question is how much has Jennings really developed since his rookie season though?

There’s no argument about Jennings skill level, not everybody can post 55 points in an NBA game, but can his attitude be fixed?

With Stan Van Gundy now the man in charge in Detroit, it’s unlikely that he will suffer fools. The upcoming season could well prove to be a crossroads in Jennings career, as if he can play high IQ, mature basketball, you’d expect him to thrive under SVG, but if his old habits remain to die hard, he’ll be looking for somewhere new to call home.

Let’s take a look at how Jennings game can develop this year.