Why Michael Kidd-Gilchrist Will Break Out This Season

Happy Birthday, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist! Hailing from the small town of Somerdale, NJ, MKG has come quite a long way for after only turning 20 years old today. I mean the man will complete two full seasons in the NBA before he can even buy himself a drink. But after some rookie struggles, here’s why he’s poised for a breakout sophomore season with the Bobcats.

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I grew up about 5 minutes from Somerdale, so I’m extremely familiar with MKG and his rise from a small NJ town to the No. 2 overall pick by the Charlotte Bobcats in the 2012 NBA Draft. Playing in a small market in Charlotte, some might not be aware of the type of game that MKG brings to the table. He’s overlooked a lot, because he doesn’t put up 30 points a night and act like a diva.

I love this kid, he brings the lost arts of the NBA game back into the fold: the hustle, the explosiveness, the scrapping, and all the other intangibles. While most NBA players have their game centered on the offensive side of the ball, Kidd-Gilchrist is a one-of-kind player that thrives on the defensive hardwood. He’s a ferocious animal on the court. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist will break out this year and you will all know his name and his game.

Kidd-Gilchrist only played one season at the University of Kentucky under head coach John Calipari, but even in that single season, he left an impact. Coach Calipari spoke very highly of Kidd-Gilchrist even before he played a game for the Wildcats, saying:

“Michael is a flat-out winner. He was the leader on one of the best high school teams in the country, not because he’s one of the nation’s best scorers but because of his intangibles, intensity and passion. With his athleticism and length, he has the ability to be one of our best defenders. I’m looking for Michael to be the fire of this team.”

During his one season at Kentucky, Kidd-Gilchrist averaged 11.9 points and 7.4 rebounds while shooting 49.1 percent from the floor. He also averaged .90 blocks per game, which attests to his ferocity on defense. MKG had a plus/minus of 12.9 during his only year at Kentucky. His high plus/minus numbers show how much more his team excels when he’s on the court.

Most of MKG’s game features attributes that don’t show on a stat sheet. His numbers won’t drop any jaws, but watching this kid play will astound basketball lifers because he’s doing what many other players won’t. He’s doing all the dirty work, the stuff that coaches fall in love with. There’s a reason MKG was the second pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. He has the intangibles that can’t be taught. You can improve a jump shot, as we’ve seen with many players throughout the years. But you cannot improve a player’s heart and passion for the game; a category Kidd-Gilchrist tops the charts in. MKG also has superb defensive ability, with potential to be a top flight wing defender as his career progresses. As the birthday boy puts more years of work in at the NBA level, his game will develop and people will start to take notice.

Click the next page to see how MKG can improve on his rookie season…

Standing at 6-7 230 lbs., Kidd-Gilchrist has the body to be a force in the NBA. If you’ve never seen his game, let me give you some adjectives to describe it: relentless, tough, ferocious, menacing, fearless, passionate. There aren’t many like him in the NBA; his kind don’t come around often.

The Bobcats’ No. 2 selection last summer isn’t concerned with scoring 30 points a game, he takes care of the little things that no one else thinks about. He’s the player relentlessly crashing the boards, checking the toughest defensive assignment, and banging with centers in the paint for boards. There are players with more talent in the NBA than Kidd-Gilchrist, I’ll never deny that. But one thing I know for certain: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist will outwork his opponent. No one will scrap as much as him on the court, he will fight for every rebound and every second chance opportunity. He’s the player that everyone wants on their team, because he plays for the team. He may never be a superstar in the NBA, but there is one fact that no one can deny. Every night a Bobcats opponent steps on the NBA hardwood, they would rather be playing WITH Kidd-Gilchrist then get checked by him all night.

Playing for the Bobcats during his rookie year, Kidd-Gilchrist averaged 9.0 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, along with a shade under a block per game. Not flashy numbers again, but MKG doesn’t earn his paychecks from his scoring. These numbers were accomplished with only an average of 26 minutes per game. Per 48 minutes, Kidd-Gilchrist has numbers of 16.7 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. He’s a lock to earn more minutes this season as the starting SF for the Bobcats, with considerations for minutes at PF also.

Kidd-Gilchrist was voted NBA Rookie of the Month this past season in November, where he started all 15 games and averaged 10.9 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. Also, during the month of November, Kidd-Gilchrist recorded his first double double with 25 points and 12 rebounds during a 101-97 win against the Dallas Mavericks. That stat line may not seem special, but it is considering that Kidd-Gilchrist is one of only five players under the age of 20 to record a 25 point and 12 rebound game. He was the second youngest to do it behind LeBron James, good company there. Kidd-Gilchrist played well enough in his rookie season to make the NBA All-Rookie 2nd Team.

Looking ahead to his sophomore campaign, the Bobcats new head coach Steve Clifford has spoken highly of Kidd-Gilchrist and the work he’s put in this summer:

“Since summer league he’s been terrific. He came back to Charlotte disappointed in the way he played [in Las Vegas] and I think he’s worked hard at his skills and his conditioning level. He’s been in the weight room. And it’s paying off for him.”

MKG is looking to become “more disciplined” on defense and has been working on his jumper with assistant coach Mark Price, who was a 90 percent shooter from the foul line and 40 percent shooter from beyond the three-point line during his 11-year NBA career.

MKG is still raw, with a jump shot that needs improvement, but these things can, and will, be worked on. He knows shooting isn’t his strong suit and he doesn’t cost his team by taking shots that will hurt his team. He only took 9 shots from range last year (hitting 2/9). Let’s remember, Kidd-Gilchrist is just turning 20, so he played his first NBA season at the age of 19! Quite an accomplishment for being one of the youngest players in the league. Especially since ROY Damian Lillard has a full three years on Kidd-Gilchrist.

How will Kidd-Gilchrist break out in his sophomore campaign in the NBA? Simply because he’ll out-work his opponent, he will beat his opponent and he won’t accept anything less. His jump shot will improve and when that part of his game comes around, watch out. It’s going to get scary out there on the hardwood for his opponents. I promise you he’s in the gym right now working to get better, every single day. As he said himself, “I want to be the best to ever play this game and that comes with a lot, but I’m ready for it. It’s hard, but I gotta do what I gotta do to be great.”

Happy Birthday MKG. Thanks for putting South Jersey on the map, and we all can’t wait to see you explode this season!

What do you think?

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