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Serge Ibaka’s Offensive Transformation

By Austin Denean

Jan 13, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Serge Ibaka (9) shoots the ball over Dallas Mavericks guard Justin Anderson (1) during the fourth quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 13, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Serge Ibaka (9) shoots the ball over Dallas Mavericks guard Justin Anderson (1) during the fourth quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /
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Serge Ibaka has developed into one of the best shooting power forwards in the NBA since being drafted by the OKC Thunder in 2008. How has his game improved since then?

Serge Ibaka has come a long way since entering the NBA as a teenager whose potential was based on his raw athletic ability and physical tools he possessed.

Since being the 24th pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, Ibaka has morphed into a reliable weapon on offense and an elite shot blocker for the Oklahoma City Thunder. DraftExpress predicted his best-case scenario as Tyrus Thomas, which meant he would be a serviceable big with athleticism.

Thomas never met his potential, and is currently playing in the D-League in hopes of catching on with an NBA club. He hasn’t appeared in an NBA game in two years, while Ibaka has improved his skill set every year. His impact on the offensive end has grown each year while maintaining a high level of efficiency.

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Ibaka has also considerably bulked up since draft night, adding 25 pounds to his frame, which has helped him become a better post defender.

Where Ibaka has really blossomed is with the range on his jump shot. During his first few seasons, he rarely ventured to the three-point line and did most of his damage near the basket. With each year, he added some range, working his way to becoming a lethal three-point shooter.

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However, with his improved jump shot, it has led to fewer post-ups and shots in the paint from Ibaka. During his first four seasons, Serge excelled at finishing at the rim, shooting at least 69 percent every year. Since then, he has peaked at 64.6 percent while cutting his attempts in half.

Generally, explosive athletes wait to rely on their jump shot until later in their careers, but Ibaka has done the opposite. At 26, he is in the peak of his athletic prime, yet is allowing his athleticism go to waste by drifting to the three-point line.

Last season, Ibaka started to drift away from his patented mid-range jump shot. After shooting nearly 500 shots between the key and three-point line in 2013-14, he only attempted 307 shots from the same area during the following season.

Many of these shots turned into three-point attempts from the top of the arc. Even though he made these shots at a respectable 36.5 percent clip, he was a much more efficient scorer from inside the arc. Head coach Billy Donovan will need to find a way to get Ibaka involved from the areas he is most effective in, and Ibaka will need to improve his shot selection.

This season, Ibaka has been on fire from the long-line, converting his attempts at a 41.5 percent rate. With opposing defenses having to focus all their attention to slow down Durant and Westbrook, Ibaka is the beneficiary of a lot of open looks all over the court.

More hoops habit: 25 Greatest Shooters In NBA History

Ibaka’s offensive transformation exceeded the most generous of expectations, but he still has potential to do more. The key for him to unlock his full ability will be to find a balance between shooting from the outside and dominating the paint. He is too talented to allow his athleticism to go to waste standing beyond the arc waiting for an open shot.

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