In case any of you forgot, Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Collin Sexton is still a rookie. And like all rookies, there is a learning curve when making the jump from college to the NBA.
Maybe it was because many of us Cleveland Cavaliers fans were used to winning basketball for the past four years, but Collin Sexton to be written off shortly into his NBA career on the surface seemed silly, because after all, Sexton is only 19-years-old.
The book on Sexton coming out of college is that he was a tough-nosed defender, but his offensive game was a work in progress. From watching highlights of his days at Alabama, Sexton was good at getting to the hoop as well as drawing fouls and getting to the line.
But Sexton was not a proficient shooter from beyond the arc (as he shot just 33.6 percent from beyond the arc, per Sports Reference) but used his ability to get to the line and manufacture points. In his lone year with the Crimson Tide, Sexton averaged 19.2 points and shot 77.8 percent from the charity stripe.
Another area Sexton needed to improve on was his ability to find his teammates and collect assists. While point guards today are not like point guards of old, assists are still a vital part of any guard’s game. Sexton only averaged 3.6 assists per game in college, and through 21 games in the pros has averaged 2.5 assists.
Yes, it is clear there are flaws in Sexton’s game. You can say that about, well, every rookie. These young players are not drafted because they are polished, ready-to-roll professionals. These players are chosen on their overall skill set, raw talent and potential.
So for anyone to count Collin Sexton out after just over 21 games is a swift rush to judgment.
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Sexton has even shown growth early on in his rookie year. Since being inserted into the starting lineup (11 games) Sexton has averaged 18.5 points on 46.0 percent shooting. A pleasant surprise in Sexton’s success as a starter is his three-point shooting ability, as he’s hitting 45.8 percent of his long-range shots in those 11 games, per NBA.com.
While still developing his shot, Sexton is still getting to the rim and getting to the line. Sexton is 53-59 (89.8 percent) from the line this season.
That slashing ability of Collin’s was evident in his college tape and has shown up in his Cavaliers highlights as well.
It is always good for a young player to have a staple of his game to turn to when other facets are not going for him.
For Sexton, that constant part of his game is taking his man off the dribble and either scoring at the rim or earning his points at the line.
There reportedly was concern expressed by some Cavaliers teammates earlier this season that Sexton did not know the in’s and out’s of the game. They also questioned his basketball I.Q. and desire to play the game, according to The Athletic’s Joe Vardon.
But Sexton stepped up after starting point guard George Hill went down with a reported shoulder injury. Seeing a rookie step into a starting role and thrive the way he has will surely impress any teammate, and just a short time later, Sexton seems to be making those naysayers on his team eat their words.
Trying to adapt to a professional sport as a teenager can be overwhelming, especially on a team that is in the midst of a rebuild. But Sexton seems to be coming along nicely and has adapted to his new role.
With more time and development to his game in the gym, he will be a cornerstone piece for this franchise moving forward.
After all, his nickname is “Young Bull,” and he is not going to back down from a challenge. Sexton was an overlooked recruit who made a name for himself at a school mainly known for its football program but over and over again has silenced his critics.