Player Profile: Omar Calhoun

Looking Back:  Omar Calhoun had a tough role to play last season.  He was the third guard behind that of Shabazz Napier and Ryan Boatright, which meant that he didn’t get many offensive sets designed especially for him.  He ended up being primarily a three point shooter, 134 of his 246 shots were from deep.  He struggled with a hip injury halfway through season which limited his ability to drive and might have effected his jumper.  After the season he went through hip surgery and hasn’t had much basketball activity through the off-season.

The Good: He has a lightning fast release and is accurate.  His defensive skills, while not exceptional are underrated, especially if you consider he was playing bigger and more athletic wings.   He did have 13 blocks which is excellent for a guard and shows his ability to stay with his man on defense. He’s also a good rebounder. 114 total boards with 38 of those offensive which is only one less than DeAndre Daniels who led the team in offensive rebounds.  Even though he isn’t known for taking his man off the bounce, Calhoun did get to the line 106 times and made 80 of those.

The Bad: While his jumper is accurate and quick, it is awkward with a low release point which allows his defender to block it more easily and his mid-ranged game needs more work.  Teams are going to take away his three point shot, so he will need to adjust and take the ball in for that ten to fifteen foot jumper.  His jumper is also inconsistent and he went through a couple of long dry spells.  His assists, 37, to turnovers, 54, needs to improve and even out more also.

Looking Ahead: Omar is primed to have a breakout season.  If he can bounce back from his surgery then he should help stretch the floor, but with little to no practice done in the off season, Calhoun will have to work hard to catch up.   Ollie will need to watch Calhoun’s minutes early on, but by the end of the year, Omar should develop into a major scoring threat and alleviate the pressure off of Boatright and Napier offensively.