Chicago Bulls wing Denzel Valentine saw his share of highs and lows in the 2017-18 NBA season, but in the end he used his opportunity to the fullest.
In a sense, Denzel Valentine had a tale of two seasons.
On one hand, he grew and at times flourished. On the other, he didn’t get enough consistent minutes to figure out his own NBA identity.
While that may sound like a spotty outlook, he made his case as a quality pro, justifying his 27.2 minutes per game. While a steady and healthy Zach LaVine ahead of him in the depth charts next season might not help his chances of improving his exposure, he could still prove himself worthy in a more consistent role, which, of course, depends on who the Chicago Bulls select with the seventh overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.
The most exciting part about Denzel’s game right now is his efficiency and his defense, both of which took a nice leap this season. In this his sophomore season, Valentine’s effective field goal percentage improved from 48.1 percent to 51.7 percent, which includes an encouraging 38.6 percent conversion rate from 3-point land.
His assists went from 1.1 to 3.2 per game, and his rebounding even bounced up from 2.6 to 5.1 per game. While these stats — coupled with his doubled scoring output of 10.2 points per game — aren’t anything to go nuts about, this is the type of exponential jump that many quality stars have taken in their young age, including Kawhi Leonard and Draymond Green.
While that kind of upside may not be in the cards for Valentine, if the Bulls go for a center in the draft, look for a healthy dose (and subsequent improvement) of Denzel Valentine next season. But first, here’s a look back on his 2017-18 campaign.