Young former Blue Devils are having breakout seasons with improved numbers all over the NBA.
Rodney Hood, Utah Jazz:
With Gordon Hayward out for a few weeks, Rodney Hood had a short audition period to show how he can carry the Jazz, and he definitely delivered. The third-year guard is averaging 17.6 points per game and shooting at an impressive 47.6 percent clip from downtown. In fact, Hood has made such an impression that head coach Quin Snyder has left him in the starting lineup despite the return of Gordon Hayward, instead electing to slide veteran guard Joe Johnson to the bench. It looks like Hood is picking up right where he left off last season as a finally healthy Jazz team looks to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2012.
Brandon Ingram, Los Angeles Lakers:
The No. 2 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft has had a tough time adjusting to the NBA level in his first seven games, averaging just 6.6 points and 3.1 rebounds in fewer than 20 minutes of action per game. Ingram faces a tough road ahead as he tries to fill the void left by one of the greatest Lakers of all time, Kobe Bryant, in one of the largest markets in the country, all while facing criticism of whether he can even compete physically in the NBA because of his slender stature.
Ingram has shown the ability to shine when Hollywood’s lights are the brightest, though, as he went for a career-high 12 points and six rebounds in a win against the formidable Golden State Warriors, thanks in large part to nine trips to the free throw line. This exemplifies Ingram’s ability to adapt and use his length to his advantage. Although his shot is still finding its way, he remains aggressive and can still attack the basket well.
Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers:
It was Irving’s clutch triple late in Game 7 of the NBA Finals that helped Cleveland clinch its first ever championship, and it has been Irving who has helped the Cavaliers to a perfect 6-0 record so far. He looks more and more like what Cleveland expected out of its 2011 first overall pick every day. His early season scoring totals are up by more than three points from last year, and he is draining threes at a 43.9 percent rate, nearly matching 3-point king Stephen Curry's 45.1 percent clip. And the best part for Irving? The Cavaliers are having fun while dominating the NBA early on. Gone are the days of wondering whether Kevin Love could play alongside other stars and concerns about Irving and Lebron James being able to share the ball—they look like they’re doing it pretty well in this game against the Celtics:
Irving’s performance in the Finals last year and early in the season has everyone pondering if the guard could have changed the outcome of the 2015 championship, which Cleveland lost to Golden State. Either way, Irving and the Cavaliers look primed for another deep playoff run with the core of their championship team still together, and the three stars on the team look more comfortable with each other than they ever have.
Jabari Parker, Milwaukee Bucks
In his second full year in the NBA, Parker's numbers have improved across the board with 17.6 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game through seven contests. The 6-foot-8 forward has teamed up with Giannis Antetokounmpo on the wing to lead the Bucks to a 4-3 record, and Parker is scoring very efficiently. The Chicago native is shooting 48.5 percent from the field and 88.9 percent from the free-throw line, with 3.9 free throw attempts per game. Parker has also improved his range dramatically, shooting 38.5 percent from downtown after posting an unimpressive 25.7 percent clip last season.
Justise Winslow, Miami Heat
In his sophomore year, Winslow has seen an increase in playing time thanks to the departures of Dwyane Wade and former Duke forward Luol Deng. The 6-foot-7 small forward is averaging 11.8 points in 36.2 minutes per game thus far, an improvement from his 6.4 points in 28.6 minutes per game last year.
Despite looking great on the defensive side of the ball, constantly taking the toughest matchups on the opposite team—he guarded Russell Westbrook more than a few times Monday and helped hold the triple-double machine to just 14 points on 5-of-16 shooting—Winslow has been struggling to shoot the ball. Thus far, he’s shooting an abysmal 31.1 percent from the field and an even worse 15.0 percent from 3-point range. The season is still early, but Winslow will need to break out of this slump and mature quickly as he tries to replace the veteran presences of Wade, Deng, Chris Bosh, Joe Johnson, Amar'e Stoudamire and more as the Heat continue to retool after the end of the Big Three era.
Jahlil Okafor, Philadelphia 76ers:
After an impressive rookie campaign that saw Okafor average 17.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, he has seen a sharp decline in playing time with 7-foot Kansas product Joel Embiid entering the fold. Embiid sat out his first two years in the NBA with injuries, but is finally healthy and giving Okafor a run for his money in the post. Okafor is averaging just 11.4 points and 4.2 rebounds per game this season, though he is still shooting 48.0 percent from the field, close to the same 50.8 percent mark he posted last season.
Rather than attributing this to a sophomore slump, Okafor’s numbers are likely just dipping due to a more crowded frontcourt, which will grow even more congested as Nerlens Noel and No. 1 overall pick Ben Simmons return from injuries. In the meantime, the rumors that Okafor could be traded have subsided since former 76ers general manager Sam Hinkie stepped down in April, and the team now looks like it is dangling Noel as trade bait instead.
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