Is it Gomes time?

So far, the Ryan Gomes era has not exactly gotten with a bang. Through a total 49 games, he has played in 28 and started none. He is averaging 8.4 minutes in games in which he has played. He’s also not exactly filling it up with an average of 1.9 points per game and shooting a paltry 33% from the field. The one bright spot is that, and this is according to NBA.com, he ranks #14 in the league in offensive rebounds per 48 minutes. So, he’s got that going for him.

By far, his best game was against the Houston Rockets on November 13, 2005. There, he scored 8 points and pulled down 5 boards. Not exactly Tim Duncan,

The good news for the True Pride of Providence is that Al Jefferson and Kendrick Perkins have gone down with injuries. This means that Ryan will be seeing a big jump in his playing time. Hopefully, he will make good use of it.

The question now becomes: how does Ryan Gomes project in the NBA? I think he is a guy who has the potential to be a borderline All-Star. Before you start laughing too hard, let me explain my reasoning. In the NBA, he is forced to play small forward. This explains why The Well Dressed Man (Tim Welsh) allowed him to play farther from the basket his senior year. At 6’7, he has the perfect height for the position and can play power forward against smaller opponents.

In terms of his basketball strengths, his greatest asset is that he is a very intelligent player, which made him such a great percentage shooter from the field and gave him a serious advantage in rebounding. He’s also very strong and will be able to post-up smallish forwards (like Tayshaun Prince). What most people who didn’t watch him at Providence realize is that he is also exceptional in transition. Factor in smart defense and you have a serious NBA prospect.

I am not blind, however. He has always had serious conditioning problems that cost the Friars down the stretch in close games where he was required to play the full forty. Additionally, he isn’t a guy who can naturally drive to the hoop and finish with a strong dunk. He’s also always relied on his sweet jump shot to deliver the goods, which would present serious issues against larger, savvy forwards like Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett.

In the end, I just hope that Doc Rivers is smart enough to Ryan some minutes and let him develop in the same way that Delonte West has.