NBA history has never lacked talented players. Every year, countless tall, long-armed, able-bodied rookies enter the league, eager to stand on top of the world and establish their own merits. However, to seize the opportunity and show yourself in front of a global audience, you need not only talent, but also hard work and improvement. Only in this way can you gain a firm foothold in the team and be cultivated and valued.
Desmond Bain is such a player. He was born in Indiana in June 1995 and has been passionate about basketball since he was a child. Unlike other children of the same age, Bain was not addicted to video games, but sat quietly in the living room to watch NBA games. His grandfather noticed his interest in basketball, so he built a simple basketball hoop for him in the yard. Bain's basketball skills were honed in this small place. In high school, Bain was already famous. He became the core of the team since his sophomore year. In his junior year, he averaged 30 points, 11.5 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 3.2 blocks per game. He was well-known throughout Indiana, but surprisingly, he failed to get an admission notice from his favorite university, the University of Miami. Although he applied several times in a row, he never received any response.
It turned out that many coaches heard that there was a super scorer here, so they came to investigate, but they all left after seeing Bain's talent. Bain is 196 cm tall, but his wingspan is only 194 cm. His speed and footsteps are not fast enough, and his starting explosiveness is mediocre. His dribbling ability is monotonous, his ball-holding ability is not strong, and his body looks as bloated as a Tyrannosaurus Rex. These factors made the coaches think that it would be difficult for him to make a name for himself in the NCAA, let alone the NBA. In the end, Bain had no choice but to join TCU University. There, he played four full seasons in the NCAA, averaging 16.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.5 super quarters per game, and was selected to the first team of the Big 12 All-Star Team.
After his senior season, Bain announced his candidacy, but his experience at the draft was like a nightmare, which made him feel the NBA's malice towards low-talented players again. The Lakers were attracted by his excellent shooting and had contacted him a long time ago, planning to pick him with the 28th pick. However, among the teams holding the 20th to 30th picks, 9 teams had investigated Bain, including the Thunder and the Highway Patrol, which are good at mining gold in the low draft. However, due to his short wingspan and slow speed, and the fact that he was already 22 years old when he participated in the draft, his development space as an older rookie was really questionable. In the end, he was selected by the Celtics with the 30th pick in the first round and was immediately traded to the Grizzlies. Although Bain came from the obscure TCU, he became the first player selected in the first round of TCU since 1995, which was enough for him to be proud of. However, in the fiercely competitive NBA, Bain's performance was still far from enough.
In his rookie season, Bain did not receive any special treatment. The Grizzlies only put him on the bench to train him. In the regular season of the whole season, Bain played 78 times, of which only 17 games were as a starter, and his average playing time was less than 20 minutes per game. In the playoffs, he played in 5 games, all of which were substitutes. Despite the limited playing time, Bain was still able to contribute 9.2 points and 3.1 rebounds per game, and maintained an amazing 43.2% three-point shooting rate, and was selected to the second team of the best rookie of the year. He was shortlisted with other high-ranking rookies such as Patrick Williams and Okoro. Although everyone was skeptical about his NBA prospects, Bain performed even better in his second season. He played 76 regular season games, all of which were starts, averaging 18.2 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. His comprehensive data was amazing, especially in terms of three-pointers. He shot 228, ranking 10th in the league, breaking the Grizzlies' single-season three-point record set by Mike Miller. His three-point shooting percentage is as high as 43.6%, second only to Kennard of the Clippers.
Of all the players who made at least 200 three-pointers that season, no one had a higher three-point shooting percentage than Bain. Even Curry, who made 285 three-pointers this season, shot 38%, while Bain reached an astonishing 43.2%. Considering that Kennard was traded to Memphis half a season later, these two shooters actually became teammates. After the regular season ended, Bain said in an interview that only Curry was better than him in the league today. This statement attracted widespread attention, but judging from the performance this season, Bain's words are not without reason.
So, why can Bain, a player who is not tall, moves slowly and has a short wingspan, perform so well? First of all, wingspan and speed are natural facts, which cannot be changed. Faced with doubts about his lack of talent, Bain invested a lot of time and energy in shooting training during the offseason to hone his skills. TCU coach Jenkins once praised Bain for training very hard during the offseason, and he also admitted that his training results when he was invited to participate in the three-point contest in his sophomore year. Years of training and technical polishing have enabled him to master all the skills that a shooter should master, whether it is a connection shot after a fake shot or a stable shot after a screen or a quick stop and chase three-pointer, these are his forte. Morant and Dylan Brooks missed 25 and 32 games last season due to injuries, giving Bain more opportunities to shoot and a significantly increased possession rate. This also means that his scoring efficiency will naturally improve as his touch improves.
In addition to his excellent shooting ability, Bain also has accurate free throw techniques. He has made more than 90% of his free throws for two consecutive seasons, which prevents coach Jenkins from replacing him in the tense last few minutes of the game. For him, the sound of the whistle symbolizes the acquisition of two points. Expert analysis points out that although Bain's shorter wingspan may limit his potential on both offense and defense, it may also make him faster and more stable when shooting. Short wingspan leads to a shorter shooting trajectory, so it is easier to control the strength of the shot, thereby improving the stability of the hit rate. In addition, Bain has a very harmonious relationship with his teammates. Born in 1998, he is older than the team's other two core players Morant and Jarren Jackson Jr., and can integrate well into the team in the locker room.
Last season, Bain ranked fifth in the annual Most Improved Player voting, but the final winner was his teammate Morant. This shows Morant's support and encouragement for Bain. This season, Morant even praised Bain on Twitter, saying, "That's my killer," and considered him his killer. The Grizzlies, currently ranked second in the Western Conference, have a complete lineup, Morant has shown superstar style; Jarren Jackson Jr.'s dominance on the defensive end is becoming increasingly obvious; they also have a series of role players with clear positioning, such as Jones and Dylan Adams. We certainly can't ignore the important role Bain plays in this team. This season, the third-year Bain's average points per game have risen to 21.5 points, and he still makes three three-pointers per game with a 42.7% three-point shooting rate. He has become a qualified secondary attacker for the team. When Morant can't open the situation, he often receives the pass and shoots straight at the opponent. At the same time, his solid defensive foundation, strong body and high ball injury on the defensive end allow him to defend from the first position to the third position. In the small ball lineup, he can even defend the first and fourth positions. Bulls star Darrel Zahn was once extremely difficult to shoot because of his defense. His excellent three-point shooting ability and outstanding defense make many fans unconsciously compare him with Klay Thompson. His performance reminds people of the iron triangle combination of Curry, Klay and Draymond Green in the dynasty team.
If he continues to develop normally, I believe his output and efficiency will not be inferior to Klay. However, on a larger stage, such as the playoffs, Klay can still score efficiently in the face of high-intensity defense. He has repeatedly turned the tide in key games with explosive output, and has also created countless highlights of his own. Game 6 of the 2016 Western Conference Finals is a living example. After being targeted by the defense, Bane's efficiency has declined seriously. His short wingspan ultimately leads to his lack of anti-interference ability, and his ability to force unreasonable three-pointers is not as good as Klay's. In addition, his defensive ability is still a certain distance away from his peak Klay, after all, his peak Klay can be selected into the annual best defensive team. Bane is trapped by his speed, which leads to average lateral movement. Although his single defense ability is indeed excellent, his help defense is far behind. Of course, Bane is only in his third year, and he still has enough time to grow and improve. Before Bane, there were also players like Brandel Griffin who were restricted to varying degrees by short wingspan or poor talent, but like Bane, they never gave up and worked hard in the offseason, eventually becoming a well-known star in the league. Brandel in particular has always been a representative of hard work and sweat, and he played a lone hero in front of the world in the Eastern Conference Finals last season. The cases of these stars and the emergence of Bane now, in a sense, broke the traditional fact that talent determines everything. As long as you find your position and focus on honing a skill, you can still make a difference even if you have mediocre talent.