Memphis Grizzlies: Ivan Rabb is getting more minutes
By Tony East
The Memphis Grizzlies recently bought out Brandan Wright and had minutes available for a big man. Ivan Rabb is filling in those minutes nicely.
Ivan Rabb was projected to be a lottery pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. He opted to return to the University of California for his sophomore season, and that really hurt his draft stock. When the 2017 NBA Draft rolled around, Rabb fell into the second round, and the Memphis Grizzlies were able to trade a future second-rounder to acquire Rabb with the 35th pick in the draft.
It seemed like a low-risk, high-reward move. Rabb had a fairly sizable draft stock just 12 months prior; it’s not like he forgot to play basketball while he was a sophomore. The Memphis front office snagged him with the hopes that they could get him to reach the potential everyone thought he had the summer before.
It may be happening sooner than you think.
Prior to Jan. 17, Rabb had gotten just four appearances and played just eight minutes. However, with the Grizzlies shifting to tank mode and Brandan Wright being bought out, Rabb has since gotten substantial playing time, averaging 14.1 minutes per game over the Memphis Grizzlies’ last 14 games.
What he is doing with those minutes has been nothing short of impressive for someone his age. He’s scoring 6.3 points, pulling down 4.3 rebounds, and dishing out 0.8 assists. In just 14 minutes! As a rookie big man!
Rabb’s emergence as a legitimate NBA player is huge for Memphis. With Wright’s departure, the Grizz needed a backup for Marc Gasol, and now they have one. What Rabb brings to the table, beyond a competent backup, is a player with tons of promise.
Draft Express described Rabb as “a mobile big man measured at 6’10” with a 7’2″ wingspan who moves around the offensive side of the floor easily.” That description could not have been more perfect. Rabb can move around like a guard with the size of a big man, and it allows him to get an advantage over his matchup on both ends of the floor.
Watch him here against the Indiana Pacers, as he uses his speed to fly by his matchup after a make, and his extra effort gets him an easy dunk:
It’s hard for opposing bigs to keep up with the young and spry Rabb, and he’s familiarizing himself with the nuances of cutting and timing. He slips a screen here, showing that he isn’t afraid to break the offensive set to make the right play, and he uses his speed to roast his opponents on the way to the rim:
Defensively, like with many rookies, Rabb is still figuring it out. As an individual defender, the rookie is actually solid. His individual defensive rating is the second-best of any Grizzly still on the team.
His problem is team defense, where he gets lost in the distinctions of switching and helping. Thankfully, he’s athletic and long, and that always bodes well for a player to be, at the bare minimum, and impactful shot-blocker. Rabb could definitely be that one day, as he is showing signs now:
That was a perfect example of Rabb’s individual defense, where he shows a ton of promise going forward.
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That isn’t the only place where he shows promise. It really is all over the court. Rabb showing promise over the last 14 games is huge for the Memphis Grizzlies. There’s a player in there, let’s hope he figures it all out sooner rather than later.