2.22.2013

DJ White: DraftExpress



D-League Showcase: Day Two
January 6, 2010
Second-year Oklahoma City Thunder allocation player D.J. White was one of the more impressive players we've seen in our two days here, and also one of the more intriguing from an NBA standpoint, showing us precisely why he was a first round pick. Clearly the strongest player in the game, White used his well-built body and solid athleticism to just out-pursue and out-muscle the opposition on the glass and in the post. He finished the game with 17 points and 11 rebounds on 8-13 shooting in 41 minutes of action.

White serves a great purpose here at this Showcase from our perspective, as he provides a clear barometer for what an NBA player actually looks like, and is an excellent measuring stick for which to evaluate other big men D-League prospects off of.

Offensively, White looked deadly from the 15-20 foot range, hitting quite a few shots on the game, including at least one contested fade-away. He also showed prowess in the post with a nice drop-step, as well as finishing with an explosive dunk on a pick-and-roll. Despite not being the quickest or most explosive athlete around, he covers long strides with his moves, and is capable of elevating around the rim and converting thanks to his terrific length when given time to gather himself.

Defensively, White is extremely vocal, makes all the rotations, and definitely still brings the defensive intensity he showed as a senior at Indiana. He's a bit lacking in terms of lateral quickness, which can lead to him getting beat in the post and on the perimeter by quicker foes, but he uses his length and strong base very well to be an effective overall defender.

White has already played rotation minutes in stretches with the Thunder the past two seasons, and might've been more of a regular there if not for various injuries he's suffered since being drafted. He's getting some good experience in this stint in the D-League, and definitely has the potential to break into the Thunder rotation as the season goes on, where he surely will be called back to the NBA at some point.


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