For many college players who make the leap to the NBA, there usually tends to be a transition period and some bumps in the road. Denver Nuggets’ rookie Ty Lawson, on the other hand, is not one of those players. He has transitioned quite smoothly with his new team. Lawson is averaging nine points and three assists per game for Denver in about 21 minutes off the bench. Pretty productive for a smaller point guard going up against the some of best the NBA has to offer night in and night out.
Lawson was a point guard genius under the nurturing of Roy Williams at the University of North Carolina. His blistering speed and perfect court sense led him to be an All-American. The saying goes, “As he goes, we go.” That indeed was true in the land of baby blue. As it turns out, Lawson led the Tar Heels to the National Championship last season alongside fellow All-American Tyler Hansbrough. So why is this guy going to be special? Let’s take a look.
Lawson comes from a very well-coached program under Roy Williams. While at UNC, he was able to develop and become the prime time point guard on the national stage. His years were well spent at Carolina and allowed Lawson to adapt to many different game situations. Now, after joining the team in Denver, he has two coaches in my eyes that will help his progress even more. Number one, George Karl is the head coach and has been in the NBA for years. Many can recall his time spent with Seattle while coaching Shawn Kemp and Gary Peyton. But Karl isn’t the only one who will be mentoring the young Lawson. Chauncey Billups is the starting point guard in Denver and has been a well established point guard for years. Leading Detroit to NBA Finals appearances and making clutch shots gives him the nickname, “Mr. Big Shot.”
With Lawson being raw to the NBA style of play, what better mentor than Billups can you have? In a recent interview on Nuggets.com, Billups described Lawson’s speed a true advantage. Pick and rolls will be the go-to offensive set for Lawson, allowing him to use that speed to penetrate, score or get teammates open for opportunities to score the rock. Also, Billups credited Lawson in his ability to stay poised and not let the big play get him over hyped. This is a true testament for a rookie who is sure to bring excitement and productivity to the league for years to come.
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