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UNDERRATED PLAYERS #5: TERRY ROZIER


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Celtics

Celtics

+1 pick

+ 0  Wins

+ 0  MPG

+ 0  Off.

+ 0  Def.

Hornets

Hornets

+1 pick

+ 0  Wins

+ 0  MPG

+ 0  Off.

+ 0  Def.

The Hornets are a very interesting team to pick an underrated player. With Lamelo on the squad, it feels like the entire young core is becoming OVERRATED. Guys, please, Malik is still gonna be a bust, Miles Bridges’s defense is still more theory than actualized. If anything I should’ve done this on Lamelo for making all of these guys look really good. However that is not the point of this series. This series is to highlight guys not getting spotlight and put them into the conversation. That is why this entry into the most underrated players will focus on Terry Rozier

“Scary Terry” has transformed into a complete basketball player right before our eyes. It’s easy to remember the days where he was an inefficient shot chucking ball hogging defensive liability. Gone are the times where Terry is relegated to the sixth man role. First, we need to talk about his offense. It is obvious to see that Rozier was raised in the age of the “purists”. The MJs, the Kobes, the Iversons. The guys who you tell to get a bucket, no matter the cost. He has the same mindset as all of those guys. He is a legitimately elite three level scorer, shooting 60% in the paint, 60% in the short midrange, 41% on long twos, and 40% from threes. His development in isolation scoring is truly impressive, but even more impressive is his ability to develop playing within the offense. While Lamelo is taking all the spotlight, it’s been thrown under the rug how Terry is being assisted on more of his baskets than ever before. His tendency to hijack the offense was his worst quality, which is now gone.

His ball handling has also improved greatly. Feels like every day there is a new highlight of him breaking somebody down. For a more statistical look, his turnovers per 36 has gone down, even with a higher usage. His ability to use his athleticism and handle allows him to get to any spot on the court, primarily the paint and the three point line.

His defense has also become slightly overlooked. While he isn’t a stopper by any means, he is one of the peskiest defenders in the league. His feet and hands are always moving, and his long wingspan allows him to always be having an effect. His defense is Curry like; he is said to be bad due to his build and archtype, and while he can never be a lockdown, he is always playing hard on that end, which results in high steal numbers.

Finally, his best quality, his mentality. The Hornets have been one of the best clutch teams in the league, primarily due to Terry Rozier. In clutch periods, he is averaging 3.5 points, one of the top marks in the league, on 53% shooting. He becomes a better player, which is a huge reason for the Hornets 14-6 record in those “clutch time” games. With the win on the line, they turn to Terry, and he gets them buckets.

So, in conclusion, Terry Rozier, after being overshadowed by Lamelo, is having by far the best season of his career. His ball handling, scoring, and defense have all been improved, and at this trajectory and with his mentality, there’s no telling how high Rozier can rise.

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