Orlando Magic: Dewayne Dedmon Growing Into Team Leader

For many professional sports teams, often times it is the team’s best player who doubles as the leader of the team. Kobe Bryant was one such example, and nobody would argue that he leads the Los Angeles Lakers from the front when he’s on the court.

There is a different kind of leader though, one that not all teams have in their ranks. It’s no coincidence however, that if a team does have a player like this, they tend to be heading in the right direction.

This player usually becomes the emotional heartbeat of a team, and one of the most famous examples in recent history is Kevin Garnett during his time with the Boston Celtics.

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However, even that example is a little off when we try to describe who is growing into this important role for the Orlando Magic. The answer is backup center Dewayne Dedmon, who in the last few games (both wins) has looked more and more like that guy. This is great news for a young Magic team finding its way.

Like many revelations in pro sports, this was a happy accident as well. With starting center Nikola Vucevic out of the lineup due to a bone bruise to his right knee, Dedmon took over. Now, Dedmon does not have the polished offensive game of his teammate Vucevic, not even close. What he does possess, however, is a tireless motor and desire to make a difference on both ends of the court.

These are intangibles that he’s always had, but averaging 14.2 minutes a night during his career to date, it’s been hard to see them sometimes. Currently in his third season with the Magic, he’s struggled to find much consistency with the team, although he’s long been a part of the rotation (Dedmon played in 59 games last season, starting 15 of them, so this isn’t exactly new territory for him).

Nov 7, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Jahlil Okafor (8) dribbles the ball as Orlando Magic center Dewayne Dedmon (3) defends during the third quarter at the Wells Fargo Center. The Magic won 105-97. Mandatory Credit: John Geliebter-USA TODAY Sports

Since coming into the starting lineup this season though, he’s been vocal on the court, barking orders at teammates and getting in the faces of opponents. This was apparent in the win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night when, after blocking a Nerlens Noel attempt, he appeared to stare him down for a moment. Soon afterwards Noel lost his cool, and was ultimately ejected from the game.

These are the moments that don’t show up on the box score, but they are important. What does appear there, however, is the 12 points, nine rebounds and three blocks Dedmon chipped in with in that win, as well as going a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line. He did so in just under 30 minutes of action, the same amount of playing time he saw in the win over the Toronto Raptors a couple of days before that.

Now, playing similar minutes in two games back to back hardly qualifies as consistency, but there’s no doubt that Dedmon would have known he’d see starters minutes for this team. The results, although in a small sample size, seem to speak for themselves. Even better than that, he’s posted a defensive plus/minus of +4.7 for the season to date, with his previous career high being +0.4. Clearly he’s having a positive impact on that end of the court in a way Vucevic rarely does.

Where this situation is likely to become difficult is when Vucevic returns. He’s clearly the better player of the two, but he does not possess the bite and combative nature of Dedmon. When you’re not a starter, it’s harder to influence your teammates and the game in general. However, one player Dedmon can take inspiration from is Tony Allen of the Memphis Grizzles.

Allen isn’t his team’s best player, and he is not usually a guaranteed starter for his team, although he has started six of the seven games his team has played this year. Last year he started 41 of the 63 games he played in. There’s no denying however, that he encapsulates the “grit-n-grind” mentality that the Grizzlies live by better than anybody. The last two games have shown me that Dedmon can be that guy for this young Magic team if he really wants to.

Another example of how important this less than glamorous role is for a team with high aspirations can be found here. The English soccer team Arsenal were long considered a soft touch, filled with classy players who could do wonderful things with the ball but who lacked bite. That was until midfielder Francis Coquelin was recalled from loan to add steel to a team that has had a different feel to them ever since.

Again the theme remains the same. Allen, Coquelin, Dedmon, all three are not the team’s best players. But they take up an important and needed role for their respective teams. Dedmon’s averages this season of 6.3 points and six rebounds per game do not jump off the page. His Player Efficiency Rating of 15.8, while being a career high, is only just above the league average of 15.

But over the last two games, he’s provided the hard-nosed platform on which this team has won both contests. Head coach Scott Skiles will surely love the work ethic Dedmon provides as well, and in fact it could be that player and coach have come together at the perfect time for this team.

Next: NBA Power Rankings: Week 2

Early on in a season where this team is 3-4, and could possibly have been above .500 if small things had gone their way, Dedmon has been one of the success stories. If it continues, it’s likely this team will only continue to improve. Dewayne Dedmon is fast becoming my favorite player on this team.