Washington Wizards Preview: Wizards Look To Get Back On Winning Track Against Charlotte Hornets by Ben Mehic

Dear Coach Randy Wittman,

Overall, the Washington Wizards are playing great basketball. They sport an impressive 31-17 record, good for third in the Eastern Conference. John Wall is playing at an MVP caliber level, and the switch from Trevor Ariza to Paul Pierce is looking like a fantastic decision. However, one player has not taken the leap forward that many expected: Bradley Beal.

Before we go any further and jump to any unreasonable conclusions, I think the most important thing to understand is that Bradley Beal is just 21 years old. Forget about potentially becoming an NBA superstar, there aren’t many 21 year olds who even have their lives together.

He is an extremely talented and humble young man, and I’m sure every coach in the league would love to have a hardworking and down to earth player like Beal.

I have yet to hear of anyone questioning his attitude, work ethic, or desire to be great.

In addition, tons of NBA players get in trouble on Twitter, saying controversial things about players and coaches. On the flip side, I see tweets such as this at least twice a week, where Beal is grateful for what he has:

Blessed to see another day !! — Bradley Beal (@RealDealBeal23) November 23, 2014

With that being said, Beal still has plenty of room for improvement.

Look no further than the Golden State Warriors, perhaps the best/only competition for the title of “best backcourt in the league.” Point guards Stephen Curry and Wall have held up their end of the bargain as two of the best in the league at their position, and Klay Thompson has been phenomenal this year. The same cannot be said for Beal.

After stellar playoff series’ against the Chicago Bulls and Indiana Pacers last season, everyone expected a similar leap to Thompson’s, but Beal has come up short. Granted, Thompson is 24 and Beal again is just 21, however the blueprint is there for how Bradley Beal can improve.

Bradley Beal and Klay Thompson have put up extraordinarily similar numbers this season, aside from a few key differences.

They play similar minutes, shoot above 80% from the FT line, average just under 4 rebounds a game, a little over 3 assists per game, over a steal per game, and even turn the ball over twice a game. The glaring difference? Thompson takes 17 shots per game compared to Beal’s 13.

Of those shots, Thompson shoots 7 three pointers per game, compared to just 4.1 for Beal. To put this into context, Beal ranks 57th in the league in three pointers per game, fewer than guys like DeMarre Carroll, Draymond Green, and Matt Barnes. To further put this into context, Beal ranks 6TH IN THE LEAGUE IN THREE POINT PERCENTAGE. It is a severe injustice to Beal and the Wizards that he shoots so few three pointers.

When Thompson first entered the league, he shot 4.1 threes per game. Upping that to 7 threes per game this season has opened up his game to new and unprecedented levels. With the threat of him launching three pointers any chance he gets, it has allowed him to develop his inside game as well.

Last night, Beal scored 26 points on 9-17 shooting against the Toronto Raptors. Ten of his shot attempts were from three point territory. Coincidence? Probably not.

Bradley Beal can certainly emulate these principles given his skill set and athleticism. He is shooting a scintillating 44.2% from three and will only get better as he gains more experience.

Again Coach, we’re all extremely pleased and proud of the season the Wizards have put together thus far. If there’s one complaint, it’s that we want to see Bradley Beal take more three pointers.

Sincerely,

Washington Wizards Fans Everywhere