Entering his sophomore season, Frank Mason III has a lot to prove if he wants to be part of the Sacramento Kings’ long-term plans. Here are three goals he should keep in mind in order to have a successful year.
The 2018-2019 NBA season is amongst the Sacramento Kings and their fans, and there is a lot of excitement towards the purple and white. One of the reasons to be excited about the Kings is due to seeing how their young talent will develop in the upcoming months. One of the young players who should be looked at closely is Frank Mason III.
For Mason, he is coming off a so-so rookie season as inconsistency was the main theme of it. But with one season under his belt, he is looking to make a leap of improvement this year. In order for him to be successful, he needs to focus on three goals.
Let us dive into those goals.
Better Finisher
Last season, Mason had a subpar shooting percentage as he made just 37.9% of his shots from the court. This was due to his lack of finishing well around the rim as he constantly put up bad shot attempts when driving to the basket.
In order for Mason to be a more efficient scorer, improving his shot-making ability in the interior is a must. He not only needs to work on learning how to score against the stronger players in the paint, but his decision-making ability needs to improve as well. He needs to learn when to go up for a shot and when to pass the ball when he is in those situations.
If Mason is able to show he can be effective in slashing to the basket, it will make him a more versatile player on the offensive end.
Improve Defense
This should be a goal for everyone on the Kings’ roster. In order for Mason, and the team overall, to see improvement, they need to become better at defense. For Mason, he is not a lengthy guy, but he is strong and athletic enough to handle his own against NBA competition.
If he is able to develop a defensive mindset and be aggressive against his opponents, he certainly can create fits towards whoever he is guarding.
Earn Spot In The Rotation
I am sure Mason was not leaping for joy when he heard the news about the Kings signing Yogi Ferrell this summer. Although Ferrell will likely improve the Kings’ bench, he probably will take away playing time from Mason.
A goal for Mason this season should be to earn a spot in Dave Joerger’s main rotation of players. In order for Mason to stay in the loop, he needs to show the coaching staff that he can be an asset who deserves regular playing time.
In order for Mason to prove he can be reliable, he needs to be a solid scoring spark, pesky defender, and a guy who showcases relentless energy when on the court. It is a lot to ask for in a second-year player, but the Kings’ expectations are elevating due to winning being this year’s main priority for the team.