Golden State Warriors: 7 Bold Predictions for 2013-2014
By Mike Dill
3. Festus Ezeli becomes the Warriors’ center of the future
Mar 8, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors center Festus Ezeli (31) rebounds the ball in front of Houston Rockets center Omer Asik (3) in the second quarter at ORACLE arena. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Anyone who watched Festus Ezeli’s rookie season would agree that he quite possibly has the worst hands in the league. Stephen Curry and Jarrett Jack sent plenty of pretty passes his way and he rarely caught any of them.
Ezeli’s hands hold him back more than anything because they rob him of easy buckets. Timing is everything in the NBA and bobbling a pass is going to ruin opportunities for the team.
The good news for Ezeli is that catching is something that can be learned. If he can spend all offseason catching passes, he can make a huge improvement in his game. Adjusting to the speed of the pro game can take time – look for Festus to make huge strides on offense next season.
The Warriors currently have two very capable big men in David Lee and Andrew Bogut. Lee has a great offensive game that Festus can learn from, and while Lee isn’t as proficient on defense, Ezeli’s strength is on defense. Perhaps Ezeli could continue to hone that area with Bogut at his side.