After spending his last two seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers, Shabazz Napier will return to the Eastern Conference after reaching an agreement with the Brooklyn Nets on a two-year deal. The contract will include a team option in the second year.
Napier is best known for his college days when he played under Kevin Ollie at the University of Connecticut. Starting his college career coming off the bench behind Kemba Walker, Shabazz quickly proved his worth on the basketball court in this role which led to his promotion to starter in his sophomore year.
By the time he was a senior, he had established himself as a top-level college athlete. In his last season at UCONN, Shabazz led the Huskies to an NCAA Championship, being named the NCAA Final Four Most Oustanding Player in the process. He averaged 18 points, six rebounds, and five assists in his final campaign with the university in an effort that also netted him the Bob Cousy Award and the AAC Player of the Year Award.
His stardom as an amateur athlete caught the attention of many, including arguably the best basketball player of all-time, LeBron James. In fact, one of the reasons Shabazz was drafted by the Heat with the 24th pick in the 2014 NBA Draft was because of LeBron’s admiration of the young guard. The selection was a desperate attempt by Pat Riley to get James to stick around in South Beach after The King had taken to social media to vouch for the 2-time NCAA champ.
No way u take another PG in the lottery before Napier.
— LeBron James (@KingJames) April 8, 2014
He struggled in his first season as a pro, posting only five points and two and a half assists per game with the Heat. However, like most rookies, his game began to pick up as he got more experience playing against top-tier talent. These improvements were apparent last season as a part of the Blazers organization where he averaged career-highs in points (8.7), steals (1.1), and rebounds (2.3). Not only did he improve his stat totals, but his accuracy as well. He shot the highest percentage of his career from the field, from behind the arc, and even from the charity stripe.
His skills seem to be trending upwards, and Sean Marks along with the rest of the Nets organization are willing to take a chance on this kid as his game seems to be moving in the right direction. Napier has proven that he is a winner, and he will now have an opportunity to show Brooklyn fans the same attitude and drive that led to his success at UCONN.
Featured Image Via Flickr/joedelrusso
