NBA Player Power Rankings: Kevin Durant Surpassing LeBron?
18. DeMar DeRozan, Toronto Raptors
Last Rank: No. 20
Position: Shooting Guard
Age: 26
Slash Line: .446/.312/.841
Season Averages: 36.2 MPG, 23.2 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 4.1 APG, 1.0 SPG
Entering the 2015-16 regular season, NBA analysts often spoke cautiously about DeMar DeRozan’s, “Stardom.” He scored at a volume which suggested he’d reached the next tier, but his inefficiency and lack of versatility hurt him.
49 games into the 2015-16 regular season, it’d be unjust to credit DeRozan as anything less than one of the Top 20 players in the NBA.
DeRozan’s new reputation is that of a player who can lead his team to victory. After personally excelling during Toronto’s first-round exit from the 2015 NBA Playoffs, DeRozan has come back as more of a leader in 2016.
Most importantly, he’s addressed his most significant of flaws and become a better player because of it.
DeRozan is No. 1 in the NBA in both drives and points off of drives per game—a sign that he’s not settling for as many long 2s. He’s also shooting a career-best 31.2 percent from 3-point range, which is a significant improvement from his career mark of .276.
Coupled with the fact that he’s posting his highest field goal percentage since 2010-11, it’s fair to say that the 26-year-old is finally figuring it all out.
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