Yesterday, I was on Snapchat and I was looking through ESPN’s story where they listed the "Top 10 Players of the League" right now. It consisted of Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Steph Curry, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George (not in order), with Damian Lillard in 10th and LeBron James in first.
Now, don't get me wrong, every one of those players are giving their complete A-game right now (especially LeBron, I mean that man is a beast), but it was a complete shock to my friends and I to see that Toronto Raptors' shooting guard DeMar DeRozan was not on that list.
DeMar DeRozan is only 27 years old and is in his eighth NBA season. Even though DeRozan was a two-time All-Star, he was never on that “level” to have the amount of recognition as LeBron James or Russell Westbrook. In fact, he was ranked No. 46 overall from Sports Illustrated.
Let’s face it, DeRozan was infuriated by his ranking and people’s overall views on him, so now what? He’s playing like a man on a mission, and that mission is to give the Cleveland Cavaliers some serious threat and competition in the Eastern Conference.
Toronto’s shooting guard continued his hot streak of seven games with at least 30 points after going home with a 113-111 victory over the Charlotte Hornets. During the fourth-quarter, he scored an impressive 10 points with five-and-a-half minutes to go. The Hornets tried pressuring him, but DeRozan just continued to shoot in their face. He scored 34 points that game.
Sports analysts, as well as fans, have been questioning (or more like doubting) if the 27-year-old can keep this game up. But for heaven’s sake, DeRozan shot only 38 percent from mid-range last year whereas this year he’s shooting to an improved 53 percent with the 118 mid-range jumpers he’s taken. According to CBS Sports, he’s the leader in field-goal percentage among players who have taken at least 50 shots off the dribble this season -- That’s better than Damian Lillard and Kyrie Irving!
Not to mention that DeRozan has became the first player to score 30 or more points in seven of a season’s first eight games since Michael Jordan in 1986, according to Megan Robinson of Global Sports, courtesy of Bleacher Report.
So maybe DeMar DeRozan isn’t Top 10 Players of the NBA for this season (yet, possibly), but geez, at least give the guy the acknowledgement he deserves.
