Jeremiah Robinson-Earl in Line To Earn Starting Role
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl is in the no man’s land of the off-season, especially for the Thunder.
He’s locked into a roster spot, so he’s not being mentioned in those talks, and he’s no longer the new kid on the block with four draft picks entering the fold this off-season.
However, through the Summer League and coming off of injury, he’s fighting for his role in the organization like most others on the roster.
Robinson-Earl was a starter for much of last season before missing a good portion of the season with a foot injury.
Before his season ended abruptly, he was making a path for himself in the NBA. He was playing center, which put him slightly out of position as he’s more fit as a power forward, which he could be used as more of this season.
He scored 7.5 points while grabbing 5.6 rebounds per game last season. The 6-foot-9, 290-pound Villanova product was becoming a force for OKC and was a crucial part of the young success for the young rotation.
When it comes to this season, Robinson-Earl has received some help in his position grouping as both Chet Holmgren and Jaylin Williams have entered the fold following the draft.
The Thunder also have other power forward and center options at their disposal. Aleksej Pokusevski enters his third season with the team looking to build on his first two seasons. Darius Bazley also can play the four as he continues his development.
With his prior starting experience, Robinson- Earl should be on the inside track at starting again this season. He’s a capable scorer who can continue to help OKC be amongst the best rebounding teams in the league.
If he does end up coming off of the bench Robinson-Earl should still see a good chunk of minutes for the Thunder as he enters his second year with a lot at stake as the roster grows more flush with talent.
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