| Athleticism | No Ratings |
| Defense | No Ratings |
| Quickness | No Ratings |
| Jump shot | No Ratings |
| Rebounding | No Ratings |
| Post skills | No Ratings |
David Lee
#42 – David Lee – New York Knicks
Season: 16.4 ppg, 11.8 rpg, 56% fg percentage, 77% ft percentage
Career: 10.5 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 57% fg percentage, 76% ft percentage
If you look up ‘grinder’ in the dictionary you might come across some highly amusing entries. Look a bit further down the list and you’ll probably see a picture of David Lee – the power-forward of the New York Knicks. Lee reminds me of that guy you never wanted on your basketball team on the playground who later became an unstoppable force when his height kicked in.
Lee is a player every team would like to have – but every team passed on. Drafted 30th overall in 2005, Lee has turned himself into a double-double machine. Currently he ranks first in that category and third in rebounds per game. Can someone say steal? Players drafted ahead of David Lee include: Wayne Simien (Miami), Ian Mahinmi (San Antonio), Julius Hodge (Denver), Sean May (Charlotte), Yaroslav Korolev (Clippers) – do I really need to keep going?
The Good
David Lee will crash the boards on both ends. He’s not a huge offensive threat, but he’ll definitely put back those garbage baskets. Lee also hits a good percentage from the line and will look to beat you down low.
The Bad
At 6-9 and 240lbs, Lee isn’t the most agile or fluid player on the court. He often gets caught flat footed on defense and doesn’t possess any real quickness or wingspan. Lee also won’t block many shots or get in the passing lanes. Lee also doesn’t have a consistent outside shot – or any real offensive game. He’s averaging 16 points a game – but the majority of those come in close proximity of the basket.
The Recap
- Rebounding machine on both ends.
- Hustle player; looks to assert himself in the post.
- Shoots a good percentage from the line.
- No real offensive weapons.
- A step slow on defense.
Tips and Tricks
Lee will weave his way into the paint whether you like it or not. The best way to defend against him is to box him out with two or three defenders. Lee isn’t very long, but he is pretty athletic – so single coverage on the glass isn’t going to work. He’ll push and sneak his way into the restricted zone for easy baskets. Box him out and crash the boards on a shot. There is, after all, only one David Lee.
Final Thoughts
David Lee will be around this league for many years – no question. He’s already shown he’s durable, having played at least 68 games in his first three seasons, and that he’s willing to put his body on the line. Rebounding is a tough gig and good on David Lee for taking it upon himself to horde them all in New York.
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