Defense
Nwaba’s ability to lock-down opponents separated him last year. Watch these plays here. There are two major components when you watch his defense.
First off, he is excellent at sliding his feet. Notice how he is able to stay in front of Lou Williams, preventing him from driving to the basket.
Secondly, he is efficient at not fouling with body contact. This is also evident in his defense against Williams, who is one of the best in the league at drawing contact. When Williams and other opponents are in the air, Nwaba’s feet are on the ground, using his 7 ft. wingspan to contest their shots.
Who knew that sliding your feet and putting your hands up could earn you $1.3 million? Magic knew. And, according to Tania Ganguli, Luke Walton did as well.
"“It doesn’t seem like he cares about anything but winning and defense really,” Walton said of Nwaba. He’s so committed to what he’s doing on the defensive end for us. It’s really clear to see what the game is like when he’s out there and when he’s not.”"
Nwaba, a nominee for D-League Defensive Player of the Year, confirmed Walton’s comments with his play for the Lakers. When he was on the court, the D-Fenders outscored their opponents by 10.1 points per 100 possessions. For Nwaba, his defense has to be his bread-and-butter.
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In the past, we witnessed players such as Tony Allen, who made the all NBA defensive team six times make an entire career off of his defense. However, before David Nwaba can create a living for his defense, before the classic sports underdog storyline screens at a theater near you, Nwaba must first get on the court.