Saturday, November 10, 2012

Player Preview: The Reserves

The Nets' bench can easily be considered one of the deeper benches in the NBA. Four guys that contribute to that are Tyshawn Taylor, Keith Bogans, Josh Childress and Tornike Shengelia. These players are four very talented individuals who will each play a different role in the Nets' success. They all have different styles of play that make them unique as individuals. That helps Avery Johnson's job get just a bit easier.

Tyshawn Taylor came out of the University of Kansas this past summer and entered the NBA draft. The Nets wound up trading up to pick him 41st overall.  That's the reason he wears number 41, to remind everyone where he was drafted. His skill set is quite amazing for a 2nd round pick. He can shoot the ball very well and also has tremendous foot speed. His ball handling skills aren't quite what you would expect from a point guard but they are very good nonetheless. Taylor impressed everyone with his outstanding summer league performance and ended up getting a nice two-year contract.

  
Keith Bogans played with the Nets for five games last year before suffering a gruesome ankle injury that would end his season and require surgery. In that time he averaged 4.2 points and 2.2 rebounds per game. Not bad for a backup. The Nets liked what he contributed in his very short time in New Jersey, so they offered to bring him back on another 1-year veterans minimum contract. Bogans is a very underrated defender and a good three-point shooter, but struggles to shoot the ball consistently. His defensive presence can be seen easily. He's always getting underneath the offensive player and playing tough defense. He may not get the recognition he deserves, but fans that have watched him play know what he can contribute to a team.


Josh Childress came to the Nets this offseason after playing the first four seasons of his career with the Atlanta Hawks and then heading to Europe until he made his return to the NBA with the Phoenix Suns from 2010-2012. He's an athletic 6'8"small forward with one of the most awkward jump shots you will ever see. He never lived up to his expectations when he was drafted sixth overall in 2004. In his career, he averages 9.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game. Not what you would expect from a former lottery pick. His role with the Nets will be a little less demanding. Playing behind Gerald Wallace, he won't see a ton of minutes. There are other guys on the roster that are versatile enough to play small forward so Childress' time will be limited.


Tornike Shengelia entered the 2012 NBA Draft at the age of 20 and he went undrafted through the first round and almost through the second round. That was until the 6’8” forward from the Republic of Georgia was selected 54th overall by the Philadelphia 76ers. Later, his rights would be traded to the Brooklyn Nets. Shengelia has been playing professionally since he was 17 years old. His hustle and determination impressed the Nets enough to get a guaranteed 2-year contract. He plays aggressively on both ends of the floor, but he is likely to not see many minutes at all. An opportunity will arise for him to play and when it does, his abilities will be put on full display. He can get to the basket with ease and is a very solid rebounder.

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