DeMar DeRozan - Phenomenal Footwork 16/17 Part 2

Описание: DeMar DeRozan. 3x NBA-All Star. 2017 All-NBA Third Team. 2x USA Basketball Gold Medalist (2014 FIBA World Championship in Spain, 2016 Rio Olympics). One of the Greatest Toronto Raptors of all-time. While it can be questioned who was the most talented Toronto player, it cannot be argued which Raptors really have done that most in terms of on-court and team success. Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan have led the Raptors to their 4 most winning seasons in franchise history. That’s 51 wins in 2016-17, 56 wins and their first and only Eastern Conference Finals appearance ever, preceded by two near 50 win seasons (49 in 2014-15 and 48 in 2013-14). In case you’re wondering, the previous all-time best season for a Toronto team was 47 wins, one led by Chris Bosh in 2006-07 and one led by Vince Carter in 2000-01. DeMar DeRozan finished 5th in the league in scoring. His 27.3 points per game was better than the likes of Damian Lillard, DeMarcus Cousins, Kawhi Leonard, Kyrie Irving, Paul Goerge, Jimmy Butler, Karl-Anthony Towns, and even former MVPs Steph Curry, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant. Does he remind you of Kobe Bryant? He sure as hell has some of the Mamba’s moves, and in order to do that, you need absolutely phenomenal footwork.

To watch DeMar make a move to attack the rack, or show his mastery of the midrange, is to watch an artist at work. It’s hard to appreciate exactly HOW MUCH he does on any given play. He slides and strides to the basket with the best of them, but his jab step just before all that? Picture perfect. He’s an ambidextrous finisher, that’s easy enough to see, but what about which foot he jumps off of? What about which foot he jabs with? Pay attention to everything he does, then watch that play again. There’s always a little more to marvel at with DeMar. He’s got spin moves, side steps, and a euro that makes defenses just go. His pivots put you in awe of what you just saw, and the reverse pivots leave you pitying the man he is leaving behind. And you best believe as he leaves, he’s stompin’, but when he comes back, you know the boy is straight outta Compton.

Deebo finished with a top 20 PER (better than that of all-stars John Wall and Rudy Gobert), and as previously mentioned, his 27.3 points per game came about mostly without the benefit of shooting 3 pointers. Meaning that there should be extra attention placed on his 8.7 free throw attempts per game (5th best in the league. Anthony Davis, Isaiah Thomas, Giannis Antetonkoumpo, Gordon Hayward, Andrew Wiggins, Kawhi, LeBron, and John Wall were all ranked beneath him). Maybe my favorite move in DeMar’s repertoire is when he puts his defender in jail he snakes the PnR, or just gets a half step past him. Then DeMar stares down the approaching big, and gives them an off foot floater/runner. How in the world are you supposed to expect that? Moreover, how are you to be expected to guard it? If DeMar’s coming at you, he’s coming like a sawed off, with bodies about to get hauled off.

My original DeMar footwork video:
   • DeMar DeRozan - Phenomenal Footwork  

*DESCRIPTION from October 2017