Indiana Pacers: Why Damien Wilkins is succeeding in the preseason

The 37-year-old Damien Wilkins hasn’t played in the association in three seasons. How has he been able to be impactful for the Indiana Pacers so many years later?

In one of the odder signings of the summer, the rebuilding Indiana Pacers signed 37-year-old wing Damien Wilkins to a contract. Many people, including myself, were confused by this contract, as Wilkins did not fit the timeline of the team at all. It doesn’t make much sense for a rebuilding team to sign a nearly 40-year-old veteran.

To make things even more confusing, Wilkins hasn’t played an NBA regular season game since the 2012-13 season. The signing had many people wondering if he would have a coaching role in the future more so than any sort of on-court role. Everyone doubted he could contribute.

However, in the preseason, he has put many of those doubters to shame.

In four games, Wilkins has averaged eight points and two rebounds per game, and has been a key cog in the rotation. It doesn’t appear as if he has lost anything from his old NBA playing days, yet he hasn’t played in the league four years. How has he been able to do it? With a little bit of everything. Let’s look at some of the things he has done well.

Attacking the basket

Wilkins has been relentlessly attacking the rim off the ball. You wouldn’t expect it, but for his age he is surprisingly quick and athletic, allowing him to finish with ease around the basket. Watch him hcut to the rim and get two rebounds before scoring the tip in off of a Domantas Sabonis miss:

Though that isn’t exactly what you think of when you hear “attacking the basket,” it surely is one way to do it. When he attacks the rim with the ball, he has either been making his shots or getting fouled. Thankfully, both of those options are effective, as he is shooting 50 percent from the field and he did not miss a single free throw throughout preseason action.

3-point shooting

Wilkins has never been known as a 3-point shooter in his career. His shooting percentage from long range during his NBA career was only 33 percent.

However, it is clear that in his time in the G League he worked on this shot. He got his percentage up to 36 percent last season with the Greensboro Swarm, and that carried over to preseason action this year. Here, he spots up on the break before knocking one down from long range:

That stroke has led to him shooting 41.7 percent from deep during the preseason. If he can carry that over to the regular season, he will have no problem getting regular rotation minutes.

Defense

Damien Wilkins has never been known for is defense.

He has a career defensive rating of 111, and given that he played in the 2000s, which was a less efficient brand of basketball, that number is even worse.

Thankfully, his veteran experience has made him look like he has something left in the tank on the defensive end. He has been able to pull down almost two rebounds per game, which is just fine in his 19 minutes, as well as 0.3 steals per game. His athleticism allows him to block some shots, too:

I’m not sure how much Damien Wilkins has left in the tank. He might be doing well now, but age may catch up to him as the season goes on.

Next: Ranking all 30 starting NBA shooting guards for 2017-18

If he is able to be this productive during the regular season, he might get consistent minutes. If not, he may have a hard time staying on the court. For now, let’s enjoy the Damien Wilkins Pacers experience while he is still thriving on the court.