Midseason Report Card: Bogdan Bogdanovic
By Rafe Wong
This article will analyze how Bogdan Bogdanovic has performed with the Sacramento Kings, as well as what grade he deserves so far this season.
After a year of anticipation, Bogdan Bogdanovic is finally with the Sacramento Kings as both parties agreed to a three-year contract worth $27 million this previous summer. With the hype surrounding the Serbian star prior to the beginning of this season, let us analyze how well Bogi has fared with the purple and white in his first 54 games.
Offense: A
Bogdanovic has showcased it all on the offensive end. He is a player who has an unselfish mindset on the court which allows him to set up teammates for easy scores and move well without the ball in his hands. With that being said, however, Bogi has shown he can score in various ways as he has great athleticism and length to drive to the basket and a shooting stroke that has great range.
For the season, the numbers are not bad for Bogdanovic as he is averaging 11.5 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 3.5 assists a night while shooting 46.4% from the floor and 40% from the three-point stripe. Overall, a player with many skills who displays them all effectively.
Defense: B-
Bogdanovic has a defensive rating of 114.1 which is ranked fourteenth out of his teammates. But in my opinion, the numbers do not tell the whole story when it comes to Bogi’s defensive efficiency.
Although the Serbian star is not an All-Pro defender, he has shown occasional flashes of defensive excellence. Bogdanovic has great physical traits which he uses to his advantage to give opponents fits when manning up on defense. He also has a nose for the ball as he has a knack for intercepting passes when opponents are throwing the ball across the court.
Bogdanovic can definitely improve as a defender but he has not been intimidated by the NBA and is showing flashes of his true potential. Not bad for a rookie.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Bogdan Bogdanovic has been everything the Kings and their fans have wanted and more. An energetic and smart player who the purple and white can count on for every game.
Bogi has had a pretty successful rookie season so far. He is establishing himself as being a part of the Kings’ core going forward and is proving to be one of the best players in his rookie class. He also won the MVP award in this year’s Rising Stars game.
The Kings’ rookie has done quite a bit this season, but the encouraging note is that the best is yet to come. Bogdanovic is still young, the age of 25, and is still learning how to play in the NBA. As the years go along, he is only going to get better and more comfortable with NBA competition which should make Kings fans super ecstatic.
Vlade Divac and the Kings. Let us not trade this one, alright?