Last year, about forty players considered pivots tried their luck at 3-pointers at least once per game. Fifteen years ago, there were… four times fewer. If we look back to the 2008-09 season, Troy Murphy, Rasheed Wallace, Andrea Bargnani but also Spencer Hawes were among the rare exceptions.
Now converted to real estate, the latter remembers his beginnings in a Major League where the use of the 3-point shot was not yet so commonplace.
“ I came in as a traditional centre and quickly realised that it wasn't working, so I had to find another way to get on the pitch and help the team win. “, the former NBA player tells Hoopshype.
During his rookie season with the Kings, the 10th pick in the 2007 Draft only tried his luck behind the arc about twenty times. He shot five times more from long range in his second year, then this volume dropped when he arrived at the Sixers.
His partnership with Andrew Bynum will not take place
A starting pivot, Spencer Hawes then observed with curiosity the arrival during the summer of 2012 of Andrew Bynum, involved in a massive trade which saw Andre Iguodala leave Philadelphia for Denver.
” It was frustrating because they were exploding the core, the heart of the team. (But) At that point, we thought Bynum was going to change the dynamic of our team. Personally, I felt like I needed to focus more on my performance on the court, stretching the game and shooting more “, explains the 36-year-old man, imagining himself being moved to position 4.
To better prepare for his association, he then analyzed videos of Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum's former racket partner at the Lakers. However, the latter would ultimately never wear the Sixers jersey. Sometimes knees have another agenda. »
The following year, the arrival of Brett Brown at the helm in 2013-14 marked a turning point in the career of the Seattle native. The former Spurs assistant wanted to accelerate the team's pace and use his pivot differently.
” Brett really opened up my game and allowed me to fully utilize my abilities. Growing up, I was always shooting 3-pointers, carrying the ball, and passing—just like every center who wants to be a point guard, just like every basketball player who wants to be a rapper. “, compares Spencer Hawes.
“Only 3-point 'pick-and-pop'”
He recalls a preseason training session with David Lee. During one drill, he was doing a pick-and-pop to take a shot from six yards out. At that point, his counterpart interrupted him and said, ” Never again, just 3-point pick-and-pop. »
” That was a big moment for me, like, 'Oh, I can shoot 3-pointers now!' I had been practicing it all the time, but it was nice to finally have the reins loosened. After that, I didn't have to shoot mid-range anymore, I just had to shoot 3-pointers. “, continues the former player.
That season, he tried his luck four times per game, for a 41% success rate. It would be his best season in his career with an average of 13 points and 8 rebounds. The kind of performance that might have allowed him to hit the jackpot today.
” It's a kind of joke with my friends: I missed the maximum contract by a few years. The game wasn't there yet (like today) and mine neither “, relativizes the person concerned who, after the Sixers, will sign a contract worth 23 million over four years with the Clippers. After stints in Charlotte and Milwaukee, he will leave the NBA with a 35% career success rate at 3-point range.
| Spencer Hawes | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | LF | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2007-08 | BAG | 71 | 13 | 45.9 | 19.0 | 65.5 | 1.0 | 2.3 | 3.2 | 0.6 | 1.8 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 4.7 |
| 2008-09 | BAG | 77 | 29 | 46.6 | 34.8 | 66.2 | 1.9 | 5.2 | 7.1 | 1.9 | 3.2 | 0.6 | 2.1 | 1.2 | 11.4 |
| 2009-10 | BAG | 72 | 26 | 46.8 | 29.9 | 68.9 | 2.0 | 4.0 | 6.1 | 2.2 | 2.8 | 0.4 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 10.0 |
| 2010-11 | PHL | 81 | 21 | 46.5 | 24.3 | 53.4 | 1.6 | 4.2 | 5.7 | 1.5 | 2.5 | 0.4 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 7.2 |
| 2011-12 | PHL | 37 | 25 | 48.9 | 25.0 | 72.7 | 2.1 | 5.2 | 7.3 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 0.4 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 9.6 |
| 2012-13 | PHL | 82 | 27 | 46.4 | 35.6 | 77.7 | 2.1 | 5.1 | 7.2 | 2.2 | 2.8 | 0.3 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 11.0 |
| 2013-14 * | All Teams | 80 | 31 | 45.6 | 41.6 | 78.3 | 1.6 | 6.6 | 8.3 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 0.6 | 2.2 | 1.2 | 13.2 |
| 2013-14 * | PHL | 53 | 31 | 45.1 | 39.9 | 78.2 | 1.7 | 6.9 | 8.5 | 3.3 | 2.9 | 0.6 | 2.3 | 1.3 | 13.0 |
| 2013-14 * | KEY | 27 | 30 | 46.8 | 44.8 | 78.4 | 1.6 | 6.1 | 7.7 | 2.4 | 3.1 | 0.5 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 13.5 |
| 2014-15 | LAKE | 73 | 18 | 39.3 | 31.3 | 64.7 | 0.4 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 1.2 | 2.4 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 5.8 |
| 2015-16 | CHA | 57 | 18 | 40.5 | 37.3 | 83.1 | 0.9 | 3.4 | 4.3 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 6.0 |
| 2016-17 * | All Teams | 54 | 15 | 48.4 | 30.9 | 84.6 | 0.7 | 2.8 | 3.5 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 6.2 |
| 2016-17 * | CHA | 35 | 18 | 47.7 | 29.1 | 88.2 | 0.9 | 3.3 | 4.2 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 0.4 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 7.3 |
| 2016-17 * | MIL | 19 | 9 | 50.8 | 34.6 | 77.8 | 0.3 | 2.1 | 2.4 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 4.4 |
| Total | 684 | 23 | 45.7 | 35.0 | 71.6 | 1.5 | 4.2 | 5.7 | 1.9 | 2.5 | 0.4 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 8.7 | |
How to read the stats? GM = Games Played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots Made / Shots Attempted; 3pts = 3-pointers / 3-pointers Attempted; LF = Free Throws Made / Free Throws Attempted; Off = Offensive Rebound; Def = Defensive Rebound; Tot = Total Rebounds; Pd = Assists; Fte: Personal Fouls; Int = Steals; Bp = Loose Balls; Ct: Blocks; Pts = Points.
