Just like Sidy Cissoko and Scoot Henderson, Leonard Miller (2m08, 19 years old) is the third former Team Ignite player to make his NBA debut this year.
Fallen in the second round of the last Draft (33rd choice), the strong winger who is part of the large Canadian contingent (26 players, new record!) will have to work hard to make his mark in Minnesota. Last night, against the Heat, he entered “garbage time” for two minutes, but some observers see him as a player of the future, even capable of triggering a transfer of Karl-Anthony Towns…
“He has a sense of rebound and he goes for it! »
In any case, on the starting line, the Wolves do not have many minutes to distribute to the rookie behind Rudy Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns and Naz Reid, three big salaries. Without forgetting Kyle Anderson, the neo-Chinese who always helps with his versatility.
“We try to assign him a role and a style of play,” explains Chris Finch. “He never really had to do it before, he was just going to play his game. That’s what allowed him to develop his sense of the game. We want him to run, and to be more active on the roll [après l’écran], that he finds the right positions near the circle. This is what will allow him to show himself before we give him more opportunities with the ball. »
Used in homeopathic doses during the preseason, Leonard Miller was nevertheless able to let loose against the Israeli team Maccabi Ra’anana, with 22 points, 15 rebounds (including 8 offensive), 2 assists and 2 interceptions coming off the bench ( 27 minutes), all at 10/14 on shots including 1/3 at 3-points.
“The first thing you need to be good at offensive rebounding is you have to go for it all the time. And there he goes! “, likes Chris Finch. “ He has a sense of rebound and he always goes for it. He recovers a lot of indecisive balls lying around him. We desperately need this. »
Compared to Jarred Vanderbilt
In truth, Chris Finch is thinking of one of his former players in particular, whose departure he still clearly regrets until today: Jarred Vanderbilt, the blue-collar player traded to the Jazz for Rudy Gobert (and traded again to the Lakers by the following).
“You can see he has a feel for the game when he has the ball in his hands. He’s not afraid, we like that. He reminds us a little of Vando in this respect. A guy who will scratch balls, better dribbler than we imagine… He shoots well and he has good fundamentals in place to improve his shooting. There’s still a lot of work to do but he’s a young player full of potential, and a good kid. »
Still raw offensively, Leonard Miller can compensate with his physical freshness and his constant energy, to try to get minutes (just like Luka Garza), and rebounds, in a very dense interior sector in Minneapolis. He’ll need at least that…
“I just play every shot. Either you want [vraiment le rebond] and you go, or you don’t want to and you don’t go. In front, the guys are all competitors and they go for it. I try to show off on rebounds because that’s what I know how to do. For me, it’s innate. »
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
