Outside the Draft Box: Zach LaVine; Capital V for Vertical
By Mike Garcia
There are several things he needs to work on. While he has excellent physical tools and ball-handling ability, he struggles to get to the basket. Some, may consider that he was a 3rd option, at best, at UCLA. Kyle Anderson and Jordan Adams were the dominant perimeter scorers. Anderson did a great job setting things up in the halfcourt. Adams liked to score out in semi-transition. That left LaVine spotting up from the perimeter often.
Jan 18, 2014; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Zach LaVine (14) controls the ball during the first half against the Utah Utes at Jon M. Huntsman Center. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports
LaVine’s ability to attack the basket was limited. Anderson didn’t always go for a layup when he attacked, but he had the length to get good shots within 10′ of the hoop. The traffic in the painted area is just too dense. Jordan Adams is considerably stronger and has a near 7′ wingspan. LaVine needs the space to utilize his speed and verticality to finish at the rim.
Playmaking wasn’t LaVine’s strength. He’s average at best. His assist-to-turnover ratio is above average for a shooting guard. It is 1.6:1. However, it is concerning that, out of high school, he averaged no higher than 2.8 assists per game. Even Marcus Smart, who plays like a converted shooting guard, averaged well over five assists per game in the allotted playing time. Kyle Anderson and Bryce Alford handled point-guard duties for the entire game. Considering LaVine was a 3rd option at best, he did a solid job creating plays.
Defense is different altogether. Focus is a big issue for LaVine. Despite having great athletic abilities, size, and good basketball IQ, he did not force turnovers as effectively. If there is a red flag about Lavine, this would be it. Anderson is not known for being a great athlete, but his excellent basketball IQ and power forward-like length allowed him to force turnovers despite playing multiple positions defensively. Jordan Adams isn’t near the athlete that Lavine is, yet, he used his wingspan to cut into passing lanes and deflect passes to get into transition. He averaged over 2.6 steals per game. Lavine, who has above average length and is the best athlete of the three players, averaged 0.9 steals per game in over 24 minutes of play. Having a good assist-to-turnover ratio is a great indicator of ball-handling and execution of basketball IQ. Forcing turnovers is also an indication of basketball IQ as well. It’s very clear that Lavine is an offensive minded player, but doesn’t exert the same focus defensively.
His game greatly resembles Gerald Green or Jamal Crawford. Green prefers to opt for the jumpshot or finish at the rim. Jamal Crawford uses his ball-handling ability to create shots from midrange. All three of them have similar frames, athleticism, and defensive issues. LaVine is still young, so a lot can change.