NBA PM: McDermott Among League’s Best Shooters

The Chicago Bulls’ front office put a lot of stock in Doug McDermott when they traded two first-round picks for his draft rights back in 2014, but they felt then (as they feel now) that he could be an effective scorer for a team that, at the time, didn’t really have much consistency at that end of the floor.

Those versatile offensive skills would make him worth the gamble, they hoped, but in his first year with Chicago under then-head coach Tom Thibodeau, McDermott struggled both in terms of his health and as a sub-par defensive rookie playing for a defensive-minded head coach known for red-shirting his first-year players.

It always was going to be at least a year before he was given an opportunity to flourish, but an injury to Mike Dunleavy, Jr. and a new head coach in Fred Hoiberg have opened the door for him early in his second NBA season.

“Last year sucked with being hurt and not playing that much, but that’s the way it goes for rookies in general,” McDermott said. “Now, it’s a different style. We’re getting up and down a little bit more and the pace the quicker, so guys get tired faster. That’s what Fred is known for, and we really respect him for it. Guys are ready to play for him.”

So far, Hoiberg has really injected a certain measure of confidence in McDermott, who already is playing well beyond his output in his rookie season. Through six games, he’s averaging over 20 minutes (compared to 8.9 minutes last year) along with 10 points and 2.2 three-pointers per game, with his shooting percentages being well above 50 percent thus far.

McDermott is currently ranked fifth in the NBA in three-point percentage (56.5 percent) and seventh in the NBA in three-pointers made (13). Perhaps most impressive is that through six games, McDermott has already matched the total number of three-pointers he made during his entire rookie season (13).

Some were worried that McDermott wouldn’t find his range after a stone-cold Las Vegas Summer League in July (he shot 2-for-16 in those games), but that hasn’t been the case, as McDermott is among the top five deep-ball shooters in the league early this season.

“I didn’t get a whole lot of great looks [in Las Vegas],” McDermott said. “But I see myself as one of the best shooters in the league. I’m looking forward to playing up to that.”

He doesn’t see that statement as hyperbole, either. He really believes he can be an elite shooter.

“That’s what I feel like I can do best for this team,” McDermott said. “So far it’s going well, and players on this team are really unselfish. They’re going to find me open looks. That’s what you get when you play with unselfish guys.”

It’s a huge change from a year ago, when McDermott was either hurt or playing with zero confidence in a system that focused on defense first. Still, he says he learned a lot about improving himself on that end of the floor during his challenging rookie season.

“Being in the right spot can really save you,” he said. “There are a lot of athletes in the NBA, so you’re going to get beat off the dribble. A lot of guys do. But you have to give effort every play, and being in the right spot can make all the difference defensively.

“I know Kyle Korver learned a lot defensively while he was here, and he warned me that it would be a challenge to learn everything on defense. But it made him a better player because of it. It made him an All-Star in Atlanta because he can play on both ends of the floor.”

Whatever lessons he may have learned last year, McDermott feels much more comfortable playing for his new coach.

“His style fits me a little better and my game a little better,” McDermott said. “I learned a lot under Coach Thibodeau. I respect him and appreciate everything he did for me, but we’ve got a new coach now and it’s been amazing. It’s been a lot of fun so far.”

Because of his improved confidence, McDermott has returned to the form that made him one of the best college players of his era, and Hoiberg’s belief in his young shooter has made all the difference in the world.

“[Coach Hoiberg] just says if I’m open to shoot it,” McDermott said. “Right now it’s tough because guys aren’t leaving me, but that’s just opened up the floor for other guys. He just tells me that you’ll get your shots, but I want to do whatever I have to do to be effective and help the team.”

A full year into his NBA career, he’s finally figuring out what that means.

“It’s getting a year under my belt, adjusting to everything that comes with the game,” he said. “Now, I can just play basketball.”

And so far, six games into his second NBA season, he’s playing it rather well.