Last year at this time, Courtney Lee was recovering from a broken sinus, compliments of Dwight Howard, but the pain of that physical shock was nothing compared to the pain of the emotional shock he got hit with this season. From NBA Finals to final place in the standings, Lee struggled with the adjustment. It affected his shooting, not his attitude or his defense, writes Ben Couch.
The lack of scoring didn't change the 24-year-old's mindset. "You can’t get down on yourself. You’ve got to continue to do what you’ve been doing: continue to work and get extra shots up – then it will turn around. And it turned around for me." In particular, Couch points to Lee's improved mid-range game and defensive stats. Not only did he average 1.3 steals a game, he surprised with his blocks. Next up, Lee says, is his ball-handling skills.
Meanwhile, Bethlehem Shoals of FanHouse gives out alternate rookie of the year honors to all the NBA young'uns and describes Terrence Williams as the "Incomplete Rookie of the Year"...noting how long it took him and the Nets to understand how good he is. "They really messed this one up," he writes of the Nets' front office.
- NETS: Lee's Sophomore Step - Ben Couch - New Jersey Nets
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All the Pretty Rookies of the Year - Bethlehem Shoals - FanHouse