Blazers Rookie Scoot Henderson Compared to NBA All-Star Baron Davis

Portland Trail Blazersfans have reason to be excited for the new NBA season set to tip-off on Oct. 25, and rookie shooting guard Scoot Henderson has garnered an acclaimed player comparison.

Mat Issa of SB Nationdug deepin his evaluation of former All-Star point guard Baron Davis and how Henderson has the toolbox to mirror his exceptional play on the court, saying in part:

“And after examining him [Davis] closely, I can confidently say that Henderson evolving into a modern-day Davis would be a wonderful outcome for the Blazers,” Issa said.

“Last but certainly not least, generating paint touches means that you are collapsing defenses and creating open looks for your teammates. This was arguably Davis’ greatest skill as an offensive player.”

Davis is best remembered for leading the ‘We Believe’Golden State Warriorsto an upset over the No. 1 seededDallas Mavericksin the first round of the 2007NBA playoffs.

‘B-Diddy’ as he was colloquially referred to, dazzled with high-flying poster dunks and an inside-out game that was elevated in clutch situations.

His outside game – while reliable when the lights shone brightest – was not his strongest suit, much like Henderson. He dialed in 1.6 triples a night for his career, which for his era was a high output, but at 32 percent, his efficiency held him back.

Albeit, his incredible penetration allowed him to complement his 7.2 career assists average with three years of 20 or more points per game.

Issa broke down how Davis finished in the 70th percentile or better in steals (two-time league leader), blocks and defensive rebounds in multiple seasons.

The Rip City franchise and fan base does not expect Henderson’s 27.5 percent connect rate from outside in his lone season with the G League Ignite to stay stagnant in the pros. His potential to replicate if not exceed Davis’ output from downtown is there, especially with a coaching staff that has cultivated some of the best shooting guards in the NBA over the last decade.

When evaluating his face-value and advanced stats, Henderson has the chops to out-perform his rookie contemporaries and emerge as one of the better shooting guards in the NBA in a short span of time.

His 6.47 assists and one steal are not to be scoffed at, and his 16.5 percent defensive rebounding percentage, if translatable and developed at the professional level, would put him third all-time behind Mike Miller and Paul Pierce for all qualifying players who suited up at the two in their careers.