Lance Stephenson one of the great surprises of last season that went unnoticed to most of the NBA fan base. But many people saw him for the first time in the playoffs against the New York Knicks and Miami Heat. He is the leading scorer in New York high school basketball history, he scored more than Stephon Marbury, Sebastian Telfair, and Elton Brand; that is a pretty good class of players. He was nicknamed Born Ready because everyone thought he was ready for the NBA out of high school. He was heavily recruited getting offers from every team coast to coast and he decided to play at the University of Cincinnati. He had a decent year averaging about 13 points a game a little underwhelming for how hyped he was coming out of high school. He left after the one year and was drafted by the Indiana Pacers in the second round.
His first and second year he was almost permanently on the end of the bench and it looked like a waste of a draft pick. Then last year in the summer league he was incredibly impressive nobody could seem to guard him and then Danny Granger went down with an injury it was time for Lance Stephenson to show what he could do for the team. He was the sixth man for a couple of games and then was quickly put into the starting lineup after Gerald Green disappointed with his productivity. He then came in and put together a very successful season averaging 9 points a game and 4 rebounds. Not crazy numbers but definitely solid numbers for a first time starter. He also impressed in the playoffs with some big games against the Knicks and Heat which finally got some people to pay attention to this one time High School Star.
It looks like with the return of Danny Granger that Stephenson will move back to the bench but not some forgotten bench player but as the sixth man brought into the game to change pace. He will need to work on his consistency so he can become a feared sixth man like Jamal Crawford or Kevin Martin. Some nights his jump shot was on point and other games he was a brick layer. With an off-season to practice hopefully he is able to become a knock down three point shooter when he is open and get a more consistent shot off the dribble. But one thing that Stephenson does incredibly well is rebound, after his playoff performances he has put himself into the conversation as the best rebounding guard in the NBA.
I think that Stephenson will be in the running as NBA sixth man of the year and will be one of the main reasons that the Pacers are competing for the top spot in the East and competing for a NBA Finals appearance in June. I think Born Ready is ready for the big time. Do you?
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