Beyond the Box Score: Bazley, Maledon Need to Up Efficiency for Thunder
Arguably Oklahoma City’s two most polarizing players, Theo Maledon and Darius Bazley, will need to prove themselves in a certain area next season.
In the 2020-21 season, Bazley and Maledon both ranked in the bottom four of the worst true shooting percentage of players with a minimum 725 points, per StatMuse.
Maledon was second to last in the entire league in TS% at 48.9 percent. Bazley was fourth-worst at 49.1%.
For clarification, true shooting percentage is an advanced stat focused on more accurately gauging efficiency. It takes into effect field goal and free throw percentage, as well as attempts.
For reference, Ivica Zubac led the NBA with a whopping 69.3 percent TS%.
The eye test might not tell you they were two of the worst shooters in the NBA last season, but we don’t need advanced stats to see that both Maledon and Bazley are inefficient.
Maledon and Bazley, at just 20 and 21-years-old, respectively, are young but reckless at times on the court. Both have major tunnel vision problems, and neither have yet to discover a consistent shot from range.
In a 6-foot-8 frame with a 7-foot wingspan, Bazley is likely to stay an NBA contributor should he never find consistency shooting the ball.
There weren’t high expectations for second rounder Maledon, but time could be running out for Bazley to prove himself as a high-end NBA starter. Maledon, however, will need to become a consistent shooter to find a role in the league.
Maledon saw visions of being efficient in the Thunder's Summer League stint, but solid games were sandwiched by dreadful shooting performances.
The upcoming season will be massive for both to prove their value not only to the Thunder, but to the league in general.
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