Memphis Grizzlies: Ivan Rabb stepping up
By Chip Crain
Memphis Grizzlies second-round pick Ivan Rabb has all the tools to be the next great big man for this franchise. Right now, he’s stepping up to the plate.
The Memphis Grizzlies draft history has been questionable at best.
Since drafting Mike Conley in the 2007 NBA draft, the Grizzlies have struck out repeatedly with first-round picks since trading Kevin Love for O J Mayo in the 2008 draft.
However, the Grizzlies may have finally found the lightning in a bottle they have searched so long for with the 2017 NBA Draft. Second-round draft pick Dillon Brooks has been a solid contributor and starter all season. Now their first second-round draft pick is getting his chance in the spotlight as well.
His NBA career has started slowly. Ivan Rabb was 35th player taken in the draft after a stellar career at the University of California. However, falling to 35th was disappointing for Rabb. He was considered a lottery pick if he had come out of college as a Freshman. Rabb re-injured his ankle preparing for Summer League play and failed to sign a contract until the day before training camp began.
The injury has slowed Ivan Rabb’s progression with the team. When given the opportunity, Rabb has taken advantage of to post the second-highest PER rating (20.2) and the highest WP48 rating (.287) on the team at the All-Star break.
Surprisingly, Rabb hasn’t been given consistent minutes despite his strong performances. His minutes should increase with Brandan Wright and James Ennis gone.
Expectations for the rest of the season
What fans can expect from Rabb the rest of this season is unclear.
He’s a polished big man who can rebound and shoot a high percentage of his field goal attempts. However, Ivan is also light for a 6’10” big man in the league today, as he weighs only 220 pounds. It’s a struggle for him to hold position against heavier and stronger players. He’ll need to hit the weight room hard this summer to build his strength.
Defensively, he can time his blocks, and with a 7’2” wingspan, he alters more shots than he actually blocks. While getting caught ball watching at times, Rabb has shown the intelligence to defend in the team concept. It’s possible he could help the Grizzlies interior defense when paired with Gasol or Davis.
He’s also quick on his feet and can beat slower bigs down the court. This skill should help with any running the team wants to employ. Rabb hasn’t shown the sheer athleticism of Jarell Martin nor the range of a stretch-4, which could limit his minutes at the power forward position. His game is a more cerebral, back-to-the-basket game. He’ll need to extend his range to become a regular rotation player.
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As with most rookies in the NBA, Rabb is tentative on offense. Still he has shown flashes of being a dependable scorer. His per 36-minutes stats would pace him at 16.5 PPG and 11.2 RPG. He should be able to build on these numbers with regular playing time.
Rabb was not part of the team’s plans at the beginning of the season, which has limited his impact on the offensive end. He has struggled at times finding his role on the team. With more consistent minutes, his teammates should look to get him more involved.
With time, Ivan Rabb can become a great player down the road for the Memphis Grizzlies.