Hassan Whiteside has shown tremendous growth this season

After inking a monster deal with the Miami Heat last offseason, Hassan Whiteside showed no signs of slowing down, posting career-highs in nearly every statistical category.

Both in sports and in life, an individual’s strength and perseverance help define them as a person. Whether you’re on the highest mountain or in deepest valley, it takes true character to fight through the pain, and the same could be said about Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside.

Amidst all of Miami’s struggles as a team, 2016-17 has been quite the year for the young center.

Through 79 games played, he’s posting career-highs in points (16.9), rebounds (14.1), and minutes (32.7) all while effectively clogging the lane and swatting away two shots per game.

Not only that, but also Whiteside boasts his highest offensive rebounding rate since entering the league in 2010, hauling in 3.8 offensive boards per night.

Offense

As a pure scorer, Whiteside made some strides. While his shooting percentage dipped a bit (55.9 as opposed to 58.7 for his career), he’s already logged nearly 200 more points this year than last, knocking down almost 100 more shots in the process.

Many will point to the slight reduction in efficiency as to a reason to overlook this, but averaging three more minutes per game while logging over 200 more than last season certainly makes up for it.

Playing alongside veterans such as Dwyane Wade, Luol Deng, Joe Johnson and, for a small amount of time, Chris Bosh, naturally leads to fewer shot attempts. It also leads to more open looks, hence the slight drop in efficiency.

Whiteside has also dominated on a more consistent basis. So far this season, Whiteside has recorded 26 games with 20 points or more. Before this year, he’d never recorded 30 or more points in one game during his entire career. He’s done it four times now this season. Miami has not boasted a center capable of this type of offensive production since Shaquille O’Neal 10 years ago.

The Heat have benefited when Whiteside is on the court.

Miami is much more effective on the offensive end with Whiteside in the lineup, averaging nearly four more points and shoot nearly three percent better from the field, per NBA.com.

Points (Per 100 Possessions)

Whiteside on court: 106.4

Whiteside off court: 102.8

Field Goal Percentage (Per 100 Possessions)

On court: 46.5

Off court: 43.6

It’s no surprise that the Heat are more efficient with their 7-footer on the floor, but they’re also better from three-point range. With Whiteside on the floor to draw the defense inside, Miami shoots much better from beyond the arc.

Three Point Percentage (Per 100 Possessions)

On court: 38.2

Off court: 33.9

Either way you dice it, Whiteside has developed into a much more effective force on the offensive end of the floor. And he’s still getting better.

As most know, Whiteside doesn’t exactly possess the most polished post moves in the NBA. His back-to-the-basket game has been suspect since the Heat took a chance on him, and the sight of his jump-hook can be flat-out gut wrenching at times.

Not to say he hasn’t had his moments, he certainly has, like here:

How often do we see that, though? While I can definitely live without Whiteside’s jumpers (including those fadeaways), I’d like to see some consistency develop. Better that than a slowed down back-to-the-basket attack. This isn’t the time for Dwight Howard 2.0.

Rebounding

The most impressive part of Whiteside’s game has been rebounding. Not only does he lead the league in rebounds per game, he’s also the very first Heat player to ever record 1,000 or more rebounds in a season, a feat neither O’Neal nor Alonzo Mourning ever accomplished in South Beach.

Rebounding is the most consistent part of his game. Whiteside has posted 20 or more rebounds seven times this season and holds the third-best rebounding percentage in the NBA at 23.8. He’s recorded 15 or more rebounds in 43 percent of games played, and 10 or more in 79 percent of games played.

Defense

Whiteside is fourth in the NBA in blocks per game (2.1) and it’s that rim protection that makes him the anchor of Miami’s defense.

As Couper Moorhead wrote in March, Whiteside’s presence in the middle helps deter ball handlers from the rim. As a result, the Heat have one of the best pick-and-roll defenses in the NBA.

"“The team has taken pride in its pick-and-roll coverage all season, and according to player tracking data they are tied with the Golden State Warriors as the best against direct pick-and-rolls (shots within one pass of the action). That coverage allows for tighter spacing on shooters which leads to shorter, more controlled closeouts which leads to less penetration. That coverage allows players like McGruder and Josh Richardson to pressure the ball and fight over screens – allows them a degree of agency the league’s most conservative schemes can often strip from a defender.”"

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This has been Whiteside’s best season of his career, and he’s well on his way to earning every penny of that big contract he signed. It’s really quite remarkable how far he’s come since joining the Heat three years ago, and there’s still nowhere to go but up.