Thunder GM Sam Presti on Darius Bazley: ‘He’s Barely Scratching the Surface’
If there’s any member of the Oklahoma City Thunder that needs the 2021-22 season to go his way, it’s Darius Bazley. The former first-round pick now has two seasons under his belt, but has been extremely inconsistent.
While he’s shown flashes of being an excellent player, Bazley still hasn’t been able to put it all together. Entering his third season, competition is starting to heat up between him and his teammates, meaning his starting job could be in jeopardy this season if he doesn’t perform.
Thunder GM Sam Presti held a press conference on Friday ahead of training camp and spoke about Bazley’s potential.
“Darius Bazley is going into his third year and he’s barely scratching the surface,” said Presti.
There’s no question Bazley is still an extremely raw prospect, especially considering he skipped college to go straight to the NBA. Still just 21 years old, he was thrown into a starting role last season and grew tremendously from the opportunity.
With that in mind, Bazley’s efficiency was concerning. While he averaged 13.7 points per game, his shooting splits were among the worst of any starter around the league.
Bazley shot just 39.6% from the floor and 29.0% from beyond the arc in his sophomore season. Taking 12.5 shots per game, the young forward could have averaged more points if his efficiency would have been closer to the league average.
Entering year three, Bazley will likely be a starter on opening night. However, Oklahoma City has a handful of young prospects that will be fighting for his playing time. Additionally, this season will be influential in the Thunder’s decisions going forward on his role with the team as he gets closer to being extension eligible.
Will he solidify himself as a starter or become someone OKC would consider trading before it's time for an extension?
It’s a huge year for Bazley and he will need to make a jump. Even if he is just scratching the surface of his potential, the time to start making more of an impact on this rebuilding team is now.
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