Denver Nuggets: Could Jarred Vanderbilt be a future starter?

Defensive Aptitude

It’s no secret that defense is what’s going to put dinner on the table in the Vanderbilt household.

Denver Nuggets

In 14 games at Kentucky last year, Vanderbilt was, without doubt, their best defensive player. Among players with 100+ minutes, he ranked 1st on Kentucky in defensive rating(93.7), defensive box plus/minus(5.2), and defensive rebound percentage(27.9%). Per 40 minutes, he also averaged 1.8 blocks and 1.0 steals, 3rd and t-6th respectively on the Wildcats. It’s clear when you watch him play, however, that he is a defensive phenom.

He rarely gives up on plays, often following his man until he either shoots or goes up to the rim. He can be a bit wild on his closeouts and is a good candidate to leap into a shot-fake, but when he does contest shots, they very rarely hit the bottom of the net. His effort on the defensive side will come and go with his mood, but when he is on, he is a brick wall. He showcases decent lateral quickness and a willingness and ability to stick with his man.

He is not an athletic freak, but he is probably the tier below it. He measures out at 6’9 with a 7’1 wingspan according to DraftExpress and weighs around 215 pounds. He is lean for a big man, and his skinny legs are the root of several concerns, including injury and leaping ability, yet his slim frame allows him quickness that other big men do not possess.

Overall, there are still some kinks in Vanderbilt’s defensive game, but with the right coaching staff and development team, he has the potential to be an All-Defensive team member in the future.