Many Milwaukee Bucks fans hoped Ryan Rollins would take a leap this season. No one expected this kind of jump. Six games into his fourth NBA season, Rollins has taken the NBA by storm, punctuated by 32 points against the Warriors in a game where he outplayed Steph Curry. Is it too early to start throwing his name around for an All-Defense team or the Most Improved Player honors?
Those are big boots to fill, but upping his game to that level has a parallel in recent Bucks history, when Giannis Antetokounmpo took flight to stardom by bringing home the same honors in year four.
Rollins has Giannis' precedent in sight
Even in a disappointing loss against the Kings, Rollins gave the Bucks 16 points, eight assists, and two steals on 8-of-13 from the field. His games against the Knicks and Warriors are what caught general attention, but his calling card has been consistency. On both ends of the floor, Rollins has shown up to play, night in, night out.
Only a year ago, he was scrapping for minutes on a two-way contract, averaging 6.9 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.9 assists. Thus far this season, Rollins is averaging 18.2 points, 5.5 assists, and 2.3 steals to go with 2.2 turnovers, shooting 53.9 percent from the floor, including 40.9 percent from deep. He has pestered Jalen Brunson, picked off Curry's passes, and pressured ball handlers to apply full-court pressure.
It's only six games, but he has been the real deal.
If he maintains anything like the intensity he's shown, Rollins could quickly force his way into the conversation for Most Improved Player. An All-Defense nod already seems very much in the cards.
A 22-year-old Giannis pulled off that pair of achievements back in 2016-17, when he made All-Defense second team and was voted M.I.P. in his first season as an All-Star. And while Rollins isn't going to reach Giannis' raw stats - 22.9 points per game, 8.8 rebounds, 5.4 assists - he also has more room to make an MIP-level jump. Rollins flashed potential last season, but without filling up the box score. By contrast, Giannis was coming off a year in which he averaged 16.9, 7.7, and 4.3.
Of course, thinking about awards handed out in the summer would be getting ahead of things. As it is, it's about as promising a six-game season debut as anyone could draw up for Rollins. And he may just be getting started.