“I used to always be curious when they talked about certain players who weren’t athletic, how they were able to do certain things. “I always had a lot of older people that I looked up to that knew the game that always spoke about the game in different facets,” DeRozan said. Instead, he stretched himself to round out his offensive game. And the more and more I became a fan of the game and wanting to add different elements to my game to be just a complete player and do all the things I’ve seen all my favorite players do, that’s what it’s always about for me.”ĭeRozan refused to settle. I always wanted to dunk, get out in transition, do all the dunks before practice, after practice. “I relied on so much of my athletic ability. His first field goal came on a 20-foot jumper assisted by Jose Calderon.īut DeRozan was a much different scorer then than he is now. 28, 2009, reads DeRozan’s first points came at the free-throw line. It was, like, a floater in the middle of the lane. Now, stepping on the court, watching him do the tip-off, it was a surreal thing for me. I know for me it was, like, growing up a Lakers fan, watching Shaq. I just remembered walking out on the court, starting. And everybody started laughing because of how long ago it was. “It’s funny because somebody asked me the other day who was my first game against,” DeRozan said.
#KOBE STARING AT THE SUN PRO#
It’s another memory from DeRozan’s pro debut that had him recently cracking up. When you’re staring down 20,000 career points, it’s understandable if your first bucket is a bit hard to remember. And because so many of them are midrange, there’s congestion in there.
I would say, I don’t know if it’s the majority of his shots, but he is rising up and shooting over people constantly. But Dirk probably made more contested shots than anybody in the history of the game. “Not many people would have thought of that because Dirk’s 7 foot 1 and DeMar is 6-7, 6-8, whatever height he is. And I like the comparison,” Carlisle said. Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle, who coached Nowitzki with the Dallas Mavericks, said he marvels at DeRozan’s shot-making in the same manner. I think his midrange, the way he’s been, is comparable to that.” Because he can shoot highly contested shots at a level that I don’t think we’ve seen since, like, Dirk Nowitzki. “There are so many guys who are the rim attackers, the 3-point shooters. “He is different than most scorers in our league,” Cleveland Cavaliers coach J.B. Similarly, these days DeRozan dips into his athleticism only on a need-to-make-a-play basis. His march to this milestone hasn’t been boosted by the 3-ball or built on physical dominance and brute force.
He’s a relic whose scoring style rivals its substance. From his measured pace and fabulous footwork to his dizzying pump fakes that dupe defenders into shooting fouls, DeRozan has mastered the art of scoring. OFeh8C9ueLĭeRozan has poured in points in every way possible: on the perimeter, in the post and, of course, everywhere in between. DeRozan spent three seasons with Gregg Popovich and the Spurs prior to joining the Bulls. But I’m pretty sure I’ll have a different sentiment toward it afterward.”ĭeMar DeRozan on finishing seven points shy tonight of 20,000 for his career. It probably won’t hit me until after it happens, honestly, because I really don’t think about it.
So to be sitting (seven points) away from it is surreal. Playing with teams that trust me to be a scorer in this league of so many talented individuals. “Not just that, a lot of health comes into play with that. Then you look at the history of it, understand the history of it, that’s a lot of points. “But to put it in perspective when you do think about it, you just realize how long you’ve been doing it. “You know how some people say ‘I don’t think about it?’ I really don’t be thinking about it, man,” DeRozan said. LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Chris Paul are the other active players who have eclipsed 20,000 points. James Harden and Stephen Curry are the only other players from DeRozan’s 2009 draft class to accomplish the feat. He will become the 50th player in NBA history to reach the 20,000-point mark and only the seventh active player. It transformed DeRozan into one of the best scorers the game has ever seen. Without Kobe, I wouldn’t have that imagination.”
That was my skeleton of a basketball player I wanted to be and things I wanted to do. “Just watching him give me that imagination as a kid to want to shoot a fadeaway. “My imagination and my foundation started from Kobe,” DeRozan said. DeMar DeRozan: “My imagination and my foundation started from Kobe.” (Harry How / Getty Images)
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