This article will analyze the performance of Frank Mason III and what grade he deserves so far in his rookie campaign.
To the fortune of the Sacramento Kings, they were able to select Frank Mason III in the second round of last year’s NBA Draft. For Mason, the former Wooden Award winner is looking to prove to the world that despite his physical limitations he can handle his own in the NBA.
So far the rookie has appeared in 34 games for the Kings this season. Let us analyze how he has fared in those games.
Offense: B
Mason has been a great option as Sacramento’s second-team facilitator. He has the ability to score in various ways, can control the tempo of the offense, and set up his teammates to score.
For the season, he is averaging around seven points and three assists a game while shooting 38% from the floor and 40% from the three-point line. He does not dominate in a specific aspect of the game but does almost everything efficiently.
The main critique I have of Mason’s game is his decision making during fastbreaks. There are moments this season where the Kings would have an advantage on a fastbreak, and instead of looking for the open man, Mason would have tunnel vision and drive to the basket for a highly-contested shot.
Other than that, I think Mason is on the right path to becoming the Kings’ backup point guard for the future.
Defense: D
Like most players on the Kings this season, Mason has not been effective on the defensive end. He has a defensive rating of 116.2 for the season, ranked fifteenth amongst his teammates, and gets beat by his opponents on a consistent basis.
I do think Mason has the potential to be a good defender, but he is not even close to his ceiling as of now. Right now he is a subpar defender on a team that is collectively bad on defense. Not a good combination.
Final Thoughts
Frank Mason has experienced some growing pains this season, but overall, he has been more of an asset than a liability, in my opinion. His offensive game is what makes him a benefit to the Kings. His ability to run an offense is impressive considering he does not even have a full NBA season under his belt. Defensively he has struggled, but I think he has the physical tools, excluding height, to succeed. Once he starts to improve as a defender is when he can become a legit two-way player.
Although Mason does not get as much praise compared to his rookie counterparts, he is doing a solid job in fulfilling his role on the Kings and is showing he belongs at the NBA level. If he continues to improve, there is no doubt he belongs with the young wave of players that the Kings plan to build around going forth.