Rookie Deep Dive: Jeremiah Robinson-Earl
The bar was set high for Jeremiah Robinson-Earl heading into the season. He lived up to the expectations, and then some.
Following a draft day, which saw Thunder GM Sam Presti pair Picks No. 34 and 36 to snag Robinson-Earl with Pick No. 32, it became evident Oklahoma City was fond of the Villanova product’s play.
Robinson-Earl impressed heavily in the Las Vegas Summer League, leading the roster in points (12.0) and rebounds (7.4) on a 25.3-minute slate. That play tapped onto the big stage.
Due to the Thunder not selecting a “true” center in the draft, there was a casting call at the starting five – after seven games – to lead off at center court. He didn’t look back after that point.
Robinson-Earl logged a solid contribution as a rookie, starting 36-of-49 games while averaging 7.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.0 assists.
Despite shooting 30.1% from deep in college, Robinson-Earl made it clear that the three-point shot was in his arsenal. He utilized his ability to space the floor accordingly, becoming the primary screen setter for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey this season. Oftentimes, he popped to the top-of-the-key for open attempts, yielding solid results. He shot 35.8% off-the-catch this year, clocking a 35.2% output on threes across 3.4 attempts per contest.
Coming in at 6-foot-9, Robinson-Earl played outside of his norm, playing the center spot twice as often as he did at the power forward. Due to this, he regularly faced major mismatches. However, his well-tenured defensive game and box-out ability kept him from fouling out at any point this season, averaging 1.5 fouls per game.
At age 21, Robinson-Earl has played well above his age bracket as his understanding of pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop situations made him a key off-ball space creator. Leading into next season, he’ll need to shore up his perimeter play. If he elevates into a 40% shooter off-the-catch, hedging or dropping off of his screens would be costly. Ultimately, that uptick would lead to additional opportunities for himself and OKC’s ball-handlers, as defenses would no longer pack the paint with zero repercussions.
Mark Daigneault noted that the Thunder would like to experiment with Robinson-Earl at the power forward spot to play him in his more “natural” position. Though, with no center in the fold and the draft not yet upon us – he’s primed to be the starting five if the frontcourt remains the same going into training camp. Overall, the Villanova product checked the boxes offensively while using his high level of intelligence to stay active at the five.
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