Eric Paschall couldn’t have been more lucky to be drafted by the Golden State Warriors.
One of the few bright spots in this dark season for the Golden State Warriors has been the surprise emergence of Eric Paschall, the No. 41 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.
Paschall has been balling as of late. He currently ranks third in terms of rookie scoring at 16.8 points per game and has steadily been improving as his playing time increases.
Though many scouts had positive things to say about Paschall, no one could have predicted he would jump out to such a successful rookie campaign. Luckily for Paschall, he happened to land with a team that was perfectly set to give him everything he needed to succeed.
The Warriors have made it a focal point of their offense to spread the floor and play with pace in recent years. The key to this was to play small-ball and stack the deck with shooters. Players such as David Lee, David West, Draymond Green and Marreese Speights filled this role in the past.
Paschall fits this mold perfectly as the prototypical stretch four. Though he has been very streaky from deep, shooting just 23.3 percent, Paschall is putting pressure on the defense with his willingness to shoot.
Furthermore, he is an exceptional athlete. His strength and speed help him penetrate the defense and overpower opponents on the way to easy layups. This combo has made Paschall one of the most consistent scorers on the roster.
Of course, all of the injuries plaguing the roster are helping Paschall as well. With shorter rotations, Paschall is receiving far more minutes than he otherwise would have played. This has led to a direct increase in production for the rookie.
This isn’t to say that Paschall is simply a product of the Warriors system but he is certainly lucky to be in the position he is in.