Hoops Habit
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NBA: 5 Players Experiencing A Mid-Career Renaissance

By Gerald Bourguet

Nov 23, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love (0) makes a three point basket in the first quarter against the Portland Trail Blazers at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 23, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love (0) makes a three point basket in the first quarter against the Portland Trail Blazers at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports /
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November 25, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Louis Williams (23) shoots against the defense of Golden State Warriors guard Shaun Livingston (34) during the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /

4. Lou Williams

Would anyone have predicted that Louis Williams would be the Los Angeles Lakers‘ best player 18 games into the 2016-17 NBA season? Maybe under a head coach who catered to his veterans like Byron Scott, but not under new head coach Luke Walton.

However, unlike Scott, Walton’s management of his veterans hasn’t come at the expense of the obvious youth movement that’s underway in Hollywood.

With D’Angelo Russell being sidelined by a knee injury, however, former Sixth Man of the Year Lou Williams has been able to live up to his lofty, Drake-enhanced reputation. He’s averaging a team-high/career-high 16.6 points and 3.3 assists per game off the bench.

Even better, Williams has bucked the typical Jamal Crawford Sixth Man stigma, shooting an efficient 46.3 percent from the field and 40.5 percent from three-point range — both career-highs.

The Lakers’ future revolves around Russell, Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson, Brandon Ingram and Larry Nance Jr., but veterans are necessary to provide a positive example for these moldable balls of clay. Lou Will is certainly doing his part in providing Clarkson an image of what an effective sixth man looks like.

At 9-9, the Lakers are vastly exceeding expectations. After averaging 15.3 points per game on far less efficient .408/.344/.830 shooting splits last year in his first season in Los Angeles, Lou Will is enjoying a career year at an optimal time.