The Portland Trail Blazers are without a key player, Shaedon Sharpe for the foreseeable future as he is expected to undergo surgery within the near future. He’s not only a key part of the current roster, but he’s seen as a cornerstone piece of the organization’s future. During his absence, another young player will have a big opportunity to take a step forward. Scoot Henderson was the third overall pick in this past year’s NBA Draft and although he’s played well, he’s nowhere near his full potential. Undoubtedly, it will take quite a bit of time for a 20-year-old to reach his prime, but he’s going to be relied on heavily with Sharpe out of the lineup and it’s a
Henderson got off to a slow start in the NBA, however, he’s started turning it around, especially since the new year. His most recent performance against the Denver Nuggets on Feb. 4th is a little concerning, but growing pains are bound to happen in any player’s rookie campaign. In that game, he put up 14 points but his efficiency was way down. He went 3 for 16 from the field, and simply put for a prospect of his caliber they can’t allow him to do that very often.
Henderson’s a strong playmaker which was reflected by his nine assists in the game, but if the shots aren’t falling he’ll need to rely on that side of his game more often. It’s worth noting though, that two of his three shots that went in came from beyond the arc. He went 33.3% from three-point range, and if he was going to continue shooting, it likely would’ve been wise to do it from there.
Throughout the season, Henderson has averaged 12.8 points per game (PPG) with a career-high of 33 that came against the Phoenix Suns on January 14th. The injured Sharpe for comparison has averaged 15.9 PPG and his season high was only 29 compared to Henderson’s 33. Henderson can score at a high level, but he’s unable to do so consistently which will be one of the most important things for him to improve while Sharpe is out.
Henderson has all of the potential in the world, although Victor Wenbanyama had the most hype coming out of the 2023 draft, Henderson wasn’t far off as many thought he was the second-best prospect in the draft. The Charlotte Hornets disagreed of course, which was evident when they drafted Brandon Miller out of the University of Alabama.
Although Henderson is often run as a point guard rather than a shooting guard like Sharpe, they can easily slide the rookie or even Anfernee Simons over and run a bit of a smaller lineup. The remainder of the season needs to be spent on getting the most out of the young players, especially Henderson. He can be a difference-maker in the NBA based on his talent level alone, and he’s certainly shown that he has the right mindset and work ethic. Head coach Chauncey Billups just needs to give him an opportunity with Sharpe out of the lineup.
Northwest Sports Desk 