Ryan Rollins might be young, but that doesn't mean he's going to lose his composure when pushed by older, more experienced veterans. Even Draymond Green, one of the most established enforcers in the game, couldn't rattle him. Green wasn't going to let it slide when Rollins "leveled" Stephen Curry in a recent tight matchup between the Milwaukee Bucks and Golden State Warriors.
Green tried to send a message to Rollins with some hard fouls. Yet, instead of shaking Rollins to the core and disrupting his career night, Green's antics only seemed to fire up the guard. Green, who was briefly on the same team as Rollins during the youngster's time with the Warriors, sounded off about Rollins' poise on the latest episode of The Dryamond Green Show.
"We were standing at the free throw line talking, and I said, 'I told you I was going to get you.' He was like, 'Yeah, but you know how I'm cut. I ain't backing down from none of that.' I said, 'I know. I didn't expect you to back down...
'I was trying to rattle you, and you just stayed poised. You stayed the course.' You'd be surprised at how many guys, once you do that, once you go there, just go by the wayside. And he just stayed the course. Kept having a game. Made another big shot. Made two or three more big shots."
Bucks have a hidden gem in Rollins, and composure is just the start
Ryan Rollins hasn't been playing like a 23-year-old who is taking on a much larger role than he was initially tasked with this season. In seven games, six of which have been starts, Rollins has played the best basketball of his young career. The youngster is putting up career highs across the board, but he is doing so while looking like a savvy veteran.
Offensively, he's showing that he can run the show both as a passer and scorer, depending on what the team needs him to do. Defensively, he's playing at an All-Defensive level, taking on some of the toughest names in the NBA on a nightly basis. Filling in for the injured and more experienced starter, Kevin Porter Jr., Rollins has been growing up before the eyes of Milwaukee Bucks fans everywhere.
Now, even though he's been exceptional, Rollins hasn't been flat-out perfect. His performance in the Bucks' win over the Pacers showed that he will have some nights. The young guard finished the game with seven turnovers, showing that he is indeed human. Yet, even with all of the errors, Rollins showed that he won't lose confidence in himself, and he helped the Milwaukee Bucks secure this victory.
Ryan Rollins is breaking out. Not only is he a legitimate NBA player, but he doesn't have a true ceiling at the moment. Some of that is due to his versatile offense. Some comes from his ability to defend a litany of different positions. Yet, perhaps the most underrated aspect of it all stems from his poise and composure when things get tense. For a 23-year-old, he has the "it" factor.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.