Kessler Edwards, the “3&D” potential emerging at the Nets | NBA

Despite very low picks, we can say that the Nets had a good nose during the last Draft. With Cam Thomas in 27th place, they have recovered a full-back with great attacking potential. With Day’Ron Sharpe in 29th position, an interior that already shows its facilities under the circle. Then comes the 44th selected: Kessler Edwards.

The latter, like Day’Ron Sharpe, has seen his playing time increase considerably lately. He took advantage of the many absences linked to the resumption of the Covid epidemic to be called upon for three matches in mid-December, when he had only made two appearances before that. The winger had shot nearly 12 points and 7 rebounds on average on this first sequence.

For ten days, after a new period of inactivity, the rookie is again mobilized by Steve Nash. Against the Pelicans this weekend, he signed one of his best games of the year with 16 points and 6 rebounds.

” It’s just very nice, this long journey full of surprises. I didn’t really know what to expect. I’m finally starting to have a rhythm, knowing what to do and what’s going to happen“, described the 21-year-old, at the end of this meeting.

It must be said that by being selected so low, and by playing in already busy positions with the Nets (Kevin Durant, Joe Harris, etc.), the holder of one of the team’s two “two-way contracts” could not expect to recover many minutes in its first year.

Sleek shooting mechanics

But the former student of the Pepperdine Waves scores points thanks to two qualities: his long-distance address and his defense. “ We know that he was skilful at the university “, notes Steve Nash, referring to his 40% success rate in two years of studies. “I feel like he’s honed his mechanics. That’s what I see. He had quite a marked gesture and he now seems to have really refined it. The most important thing is that he looks confident.“

His rookie may not have the best mechanics in the league, but he has a very good 42% 3-point success rate after ten games played this season, with nearly three attempts per game.

Much more discreet offensively than his counterpart Cam Thomas, in the initiatives, he displays good dispositions on the other side of the field thanks to his long arms. Witness his defense of Brandon Ingram, limited to 22 points at 8/21 on shots during his time on the floor of the Nets.

Are we witnessing the emergence of a “3&D” that the league loves? The next few weeks should be able to tell because in the absence of Kevin Durant, Kessler Edwards has a good chance of keeping his place in the rotation.