Shabazz Muhammad Taking Giant Strides as Sophomore
Shabazz Muhammad, forward for the Minnesota Timberwolves, dropped 21 points on Sunday. It would be a big night for any player in the league, but what makes it so unique in this case is that Muhammad has scored 20+ for the fourth straight game. This is a player that came into his rookie season with serious ambitions, but ended up starting no games with a lengthy trip to the D-League. Muhammad has been assuming the role as Minnesota’s big leader in the absence of Kevin Martin, and is emerging out of nowhere as one of the most improved players in the league.
In the light of the departure of Kevin Love, progress has been no surprise for Shabazz Muhammad, but his recent performances have proven that he has a big future. While he is a constant scoring threat, the thing that draws the most attention to the former Bruin is his toughness. Over the past few weeks, Muhammad has been dealing with back spasms, a sore ankle, and many other health concerns that a player wouldn’t want to endure while going through one of the best months up to date. Timberwolves head coach Flip Saunders comments, “He probably plays as hard or is as aggressive as anybody in the league.”
Muhammad currently leads his team in efficiency, despite having a fairly limited chance to shine to start the season. But the bigger question is where he stands among the best in the league? As a second-year player, he’s bound to be lacking in other fields, but Muhammad is just as efficient as some of the top small forwards in the NBA. Currently, the only players of his position that have achieved a higher player-efficiency rating are Kevin Durant, who has missed most of the year in the injury ward, and LeBron James. Yes, that means he ranks well above stars like Rudy Gay and Carmelo Anthony.
But what’s even more remarkable is the development Muhammad has seen in himself. Not only in his statistics, but in his body. Muhammad dropped 20 pounds, dramatically reducing his body fat over the summer. He and some of his teammates underwent training with Frank Matrisciano, who has previously worked with Zach Randolph and Blake Griffin. These are his results on the basketball court:
Season | GP | MIN | FG% | REB | PTS | NBA Rating |
2013-14 | 37 | 7.8 | .460 | 1.4 | 3.9 | 5.48 |
2014-15 | 26 | 20.5 | .514 | 3.7 | 13.2 | 19.44 |
When Kevin Martin returns, Muhammad’s importance will inevitably drop, but with the potential he has showcased so far, there is no doubt that the time ahead will be bright. While Shabazz may be turning the heads and opening the eyes of those who labeled him a bust as a rookie, his team has been reeling at an alarming rate. But as the 6’6″ small forward out of UCLA and his inexperienced teammates are given some more time to compete, look for change in Minnesota.