Malcolm Brogdon – Indiana Pacers
When talking about some of the most underappreciated players in the league, it is hard not to bring up Malcolm Brogdon’s name. Coming into the league as a 24-year-old in 2016, many teams slept on Brogdon due to his age and as a result, he slipped to 36th overall in the 2016 NBA Draft.
In his rookie year, the 6’5” guard went on to win Rookie of the Year over the likes of Brandon Ingram, Joel Embiid, and Jaylen Brown and since then, Malcolm Brogdon has turned himself into one of the better two-way players at the point guard position in this league.
Brogdon put together his best season yet with the Pacers last year, averaging 21.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.9 assists while shooting 45.3% from the floor, 38.8% from three-point range, just showcasing the impact that he has on the offensive end of the floor.
Defensively, his numbers will not blow you away and he is not a league leader in steals, but his length and quick first step allows him to keep smaller, less athletic guards in front of him. Not to mention, Malcolm Brogdon is always disrupting passing lanes and causing turnovers defensively.
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There have been some trade talks about Malcolm Brogdon possibly being an asset the Pacers will give up to acquire Ben Simmons from the Philadelphia 76ers, but assuming he starts the year in Indiana, Brogdon is going to start right where he left off last season.
Averaging 20-plus points again and continuing to be a strong facilitator seems very realistic for the Pacers’ guard and he has been flirting with “50-40-90 club” territory.
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For his career, Brogdon has averaged 46.6% shooting from the floor, 38.6% three-point shooting, and 88.7% free-throw line shooting, putting him close to joining the illustrious “50-40-90 club” in the league.
Starting the season strong will be key for Malcolm Brogdon and the Pacers not only for his All-Star Game chances but for the Pacers to possibly claim a playoff spot after missing the playoffs entirely last year.
