Why Justise Winslow could have a breakout season
By Lucas Gama
After missing most of the Miami Heat’s season with a shoulder injury, Justise Winslow could be poised to have a breakout year in his comeback.
After being drafted to the Miami Heat with the 10th pick in the 2015 NBA draft, Justise Winslow saw some success in his rookie season. Entering the league at just 19 years old, he was able to make an immediate impact on the team with his incredible defensive skill.
Due to his athleticism and defensive prowess, he was being compared to Kawhi Leonard during the draft process. Those are some big shoes to fill, and he still has a long way to go.
Shooting mechanics
The biggest flaw in his game is his shooting. He is an inefficient perimeter shooter, with career averages of 40% from the field and 25.8% from 3-point range. He still possesses an array of skills on the offensive end, aided by his athleticism. However, adding an efficient jump shot would take his offensive game to the next level.
We have seen slight improvements in his shooting mechanics this year as opposed to last year, but he still has a long way to go. The Heat have an experienced coaching staff who excel at developing talent.
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Take Josh Richardson for example. He was not a great 3-point shooter when he first started playing, and was not getting much playing time at all. Erik Spoelstra saw the potential he had to be a great shooter and knew he would excel under their program. He would not allow Richardson to leave the gym without hitting 70 out of 100 3-pointers first.
Richardson was frustrated with coming up short on several occasions, but the repetitions helped develop him into a great shooter. Spoelstra acknowledged that the Heat program was not for everyone, but Richardson was willing to put in the work.
Winslow has the same desire to be great, and it shows with the effort he puts while on the court. This coaching staff along with his work ethic will be the perfect combination in developing him to reach his full potential.
Something to Prove?
Winslow does need to be a more efficient shooter, which I am confident he will. However, that is not his game or what makes him special.
I mentioned his defense earlier, which was missed against tough perimeter opponents. He proved in his rookie season that he can be a premier perimeter defender. He was often tasked with the challenge of defending the opponent’s best perimeter player, and stepped up to the challenge.
Here is an example of his defense against DeMar DeRozan, Toronto’s All-Star shooting guard. You can see that he has great technique and footwork in staying in front of DeRozan, as well as great timing and length on his closeouts.
In addition, he is also a good ball-handler who can get to the rim. He has shown the burst to get by defenders and into the paint.
His work ethic and motor are what really make him fit this team so well. In a recent interview at the Heat’s summer youth basketball camp at South Broward High School, Rodney Mcgruder alluded to the improvement that he has seen in Winslow’s game.
"He looks good. I was watching him today and I was like, ‘You better watch out. Justise looks good.’ He looks really good… You’re going to see. I don’t want to give away all the secrets. Justise looks real good.”"
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Winslow showed in his rookie season that he can contribute to the Heat, and even played big minutes in the playoffs. However, he still has a lot to prove, and he is eager to do so.