Taylor Hendricks, Utah Jazz (fallen short of expectations)
Perhaps it isn't fair to single out a player who hasn't played much but when you are being compared to Pascal Siakam of the Toronto Raptors, it's hard not to be disappointed in Taylor Hendricks' start so far. Especially since he was deemed as one of the more "NBA-ready prospects," due to the fact that he was a sophomore coming out of UCF, boasting two years of very good college basketball.
Hendricks sits below the league average in true shooting percentage, 50.5%. Hendricks also sits below the league average in player efficiency rating, 9.5. While all of this is relatively expected of a rookie, it just feels like a bummer of a season for Hendricks. His glamour stats aren't better: 5.7 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 0.6 APG on a shooting split of 38.3/32.1/75.0 (FG%/3PT%/FT%).
He isn't turning the ball over at an alarming rate, but he does have more turnovers on the season (7) than assists (5) which is not helping him see court time. Like Scoot Henderson previously, there is still plenty of time to work out the kinks, but just can't help feeling a little disappointed in how his career has started thus far.
Rookies typically have a difficult time transitioning into the faster-paced, more athletic, and skilled style of basketball that the NBA plays with. To no fault of their own, sometimes they come in and have success right away, other times there is a transition period. It ultimately comes down to the work and the time they put in the gym working on their craft.
All five of these individuals listed previously have the chance to do something special in the league. Some of them are already doing it. Only time will tell. Will Chet, Jaime, and Dereck keep it up? Will Scoot and Taylor pick it up or continue to struggle?