While fans and media fixate on the Rookie of the Year race, how a player performs in his second year is often a better indication of his career trajectory.
There’s a reason why the “sophomores” usually win their annual match-up with the “freshmen” during All-Star weekend. The biggest improvement a player makes is often between his first and second year in the league.
A college season lasts 30-40 games over five months. Even at a high-level conference like the ACC or the Big East, players might match-up with NBA-level athletes once or twice a week.
They go from being a big fish dominating a large “pond” of over 300 D1 teams to a tiny creature in a small “fish-bowl” of 30 NBA teams, with all the older fish eyeing them and ready to attack.
Their first year is mostly about survival, as they face better and more skilled athletes than they’ve ever seen before five nights a week for a good six months.
In their second year, players have the benefit of a full off-season of NBA-level strength and conditioning workouts.
More importantly, they have a feel for the rhythm ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NBA
Article written by Jonathan Tjarks
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