Is this the year Marvin Bagley becomes a star for the Sacramento Kings?
Bagley is no stranger to having a heavy weight on his shoulders. Ever since he was taken with the 2nd pick by the Kings in the 2018 NBA Draft, Bagley has been a polarizing figure in Sacramento. Many people wanted the Kings to take Luka Doncic, who has ascended to “super star” status with the Dallas Mavericks. While Doncic has turned into a triple-double machine, Bagley has had a hard time staying on the court.
Bagley played 65 games as a rookie, showing the promise the Kings envisioned for their big man as he averaged 14.9 PPG and 7.6 RPG while shooting 50.4% from the field and 31.3% from three-point range. This earned him a spot on the All-Rookie Team.
But all the promise became a nightmare in his 2nd season. Bagley only played 13 games due to numerous injuries. He fractured his right thumb in the opening game, then shortly after returning, he injured his foot. He played a few games, then his foot was put in a cast. Then he looked like he’d be back playing again in the NBA Bubble, but he reinjured his foot again.
Frustration reigned, but Bagley in his limited time on the court still averaged 13.9 PPG and 7.5 RPG while shooting 46.7% from the field but a dismal 18.2% from three-point range.
And so the questions persisted. Could Bagley stay healthy? Was he forever going to be injury-prone? It didn’t help that Bagley’s arrival to training camp was delayed because he had tested positive for COVID-19. There was no question that Bagley had talent. It was just a matter of could he stay on the court long enough to be the top-notch player the Kings expected when they drafted him. When he finally arrived to camp, Bagley said he was not thinking about last year, but instead has been working hard to improve his game and is looking forward to this season.
As you might expect, Bagley is really fired up as looks forward to this season. He says he always has a chip on his shoulders, but especially so this year.
In some ways, Bagley has been a victim of over expectations. He has been touted as a multi-position player who can play just about any position. He’s even been compared, probably unfairly, to Giannis Antetokounmpo, as former Kings player Olden Polynice did on a Sacramento morning radio show. Note the reaction of the show’s hosts.
Despite that high praise, how does Bagley fit? What’s his best position? Is he a 5? Is he a 4? Can he realistically play the 3? In the Kings’ final two preseason games, they started Bagley at the 4 with Richaun Holmes playing center. Can they be effective alongside each other? In a Sacramento Bee article, Holmes said the two of them need to “give each other space to work” as they learn to play together. Teammate Harrison Barnes told the Bee that familiarity will come with time.
So far, so good! Bagley is averaging 12.3 points and 9.7 rebounds as the Kings have gone 2-1 in their first three games. The shooting percentages need improving, as he’s shot 39.5% from the field, 14.3% from deep and 54.5% from the charity stripe. The Kings definitely believe in Bagley which is one of the reasons they have picked up his 4th year option. Can he stay healthy and take that next step? If he can, Bagley could very well be the key to how well the Kings do in the upcoming season and he just might contend for the league’s Most Improved Player Award.
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