Chicago Bulls: 3 ways Zach LaVine is changing people’s opinion of him
By Luke Duffy
3. Zach LaVine now plays in a bigger market
It may seem like an unfair place to begin, especially for players who are similar to LaVine but in smaller markets, but the fact that he plays for the Bulls matters here. By association with this brand alone, he is viewed differently, and more favorably, than if he were continuing to hoist up tons of shots in Minnesota.
It’s not like fans expect him to be the next Michael Jordan offensively, but there is also no doubting that LaVine is an exciting offensive player. His 3-point attempts have also increased over time, and right now stand at 8.8 per game, the highest mark of his career. This compared to 2.2 in his rookie year, back in 2014-15.
Evolving his game to fit in with the more modern NBA is one thing, but doing it on the Bulls, who are going to get their fair share of national coverage and at the very least have a couple of nationally televised games and talking heads at least mentioning them, is another. So far this season, this has been to LaVine’s advantage.
What also helps here is the fact that while with the Timberwolves, LaVine was known mostly to casual fans as the guy from the Slam Dunk contest (much the way Aaron Gordon of the small market Orlando Magic is still known now). Moving into a bigger market, but with that reputation as an exciting guy, or at the very least, somebody who a lot of fans know, can help change a perception over time.
So far this season that has looked to be the case, with LaVine putting up big numbers on a team that League Pass users are going to check in on every so often. A quick look at the NBA Store and you can see that it is LaVine who greets you if you’re looking to buy Bulls gear, with his jersey on sale right next to, you guessed it, Jordan’s.