Allen Moll is an avid NBA and College Basketball fan who watches and studies games religiously and coaches youth basketball in his native Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania. Allen is a regular columnist for thehoopdoctors.com, Bleacherreport.com, UpperDeckblog.com, and his own site, Hoops Haven.
Until a recent slide, the Milwaukee Bucks had been one of the NBA’s most pleasant surprises this season. The downtrodden franchise which was devoid of any real superstars was given a boost by an ever improving, brash rookie, Brandon Jennings, who has also surprised everyone by making a run at the Rookie of the Year Award along with the Kings’ Tyreke Evans. Former #1 overall pick, Andrew Bogut, has proven to be a very good player up front by putting up 19 ppg and 9.5 rebounds. But if the Bucks are to hover at or around the .500 mark for the rest of the season and possibly make a run at an Eastern Conference Playoff spot, they will need their former All-Star and US Olympian, Michael Redd, to come back at full strength after tearing two knee ligaments and playing in only 33 games last season.
Redd’s return to superstardom would be beneficial to both the Bucks and his impending free agency after next season. He has had some mixed results since his season debut against Portland on December 12 and has started the last two of Milwaukee’s games at shooting guard. For the season, which is only 6 games, he is averaging a modest 12.8 ppg, 3.3 rebs, and 2.5 assists, which doesn’t come close to his career averages of 20.5 ppg, or the 26.7 ppg career best that he put up in the ’06-’07 season.
As stated earlier, he has been widely inconsistent even though he has been in double figures in scoring in 4 of those 6 games. This season, Redd has tallied some high scoring games of 32 and 25 points but has also put up some clunkers where he only scored 3 and 7 points, while shooting an unusually low 35 % from the field. The low shooting percentage could be a result of Redd not yet having his legs 100% back and isn’t uncommon for players returning from ACL injuries(see Gilbert Arenas). But how far back and how much of those legs, which are crucial for good long distance shooters, will the one time All star regain?
From behind the arc, he is knocking down only 29 % of his shots, which is drastically lower than his career percentage of almost 40%. Before his injury last season, Redd was once regarded as one of the league’s best pure shooters and played a starring role for USA Basketball and helped the “Redeem Team” win the Gold Medal in the ’08 Summer Olympics. He will need to regain that leg strength to once again be a player that opposing teams scheme against.
Redd became one of the NBA’s best shooters after starring for Ohio State University from ’98-’00. He was a consistent 18-20 ppg scorer that led the Buckeyes to the NCAA Final Four in his sophomore season. He was selected as the 43rd overall pick in the ’00 NBA Draft after only his junior season. Redd played sparingly his first three seasons, playing behind perennial All Star Ray Allen, until the Bucks traded Allen to the Sonics in the ’03-’04 season. As a starter, Redd has averaged between 21 and 27 ppg and was regarded as one of the games best 3 point marksmen. He even set an NBA record in ’02, by hitting eight 3 point shots in a quarter, a mark which still stands today.
After the ’04-’05 NBA season, Redd signed a 6 year, $91 million dollar contract which would make him a free agent after next season. He could become a much sought after hired gun in the Summer of ’11, if he is to make a full recovery. He also could become a valuable bargaining chip if the Bucks decide to try and trade Redd after this season for a few more pieces to compliment Jennings and Bogut because of that expiring contract. What contending team couldn’t use a proven 20+ ppg scorer who has been a model citizen off the court, in an attempt to go on a title run, even if it is for one season?
I know that injuries are a part of the game and rehabbing from injuries seem to be a re-occurring theme as of late with a number of former stars attempting a comeback like T-Mac, Gilbert Arenas, Amare’, etc, but I’m pulling for the left handed marksman with the trademark, textbook, behind the head shooting stroke, who is one of the league’s truly “good guys.” Unfortunately it seems we don’t have many of them left around the league.
Michael Redd Career Mix
