With ample opportunity as a member of the Utah Jazz, Bojan Bogdanovic could be in for an even greater season than many originally presumed.
Although Donovan Mitchell has been absolutely scintillating in the Utah Jazz’s start to the season and Rudy Gobert has continued to assert himself extraordinarily on defense as Jazz fans have come to expect, there’s another player on their roster who’s been sensational.
The man I speak of is averaging the second-most points on the team at 20.2. He’s shooting a solid 49.4 percent from the field as well as a blistering 45 percent from the perimeter. He’s spaced the floor extremely well and has contributed to Jazz wins in many ways. The man I speak of, of course, is none other than Bojan Bogdanovic.
When the Utah Jazz added Bojan, most Jazz fans knew they were getting a prolific three-point shooter. But many have been surprised at the other aspects of his game that he brings such as scoring off the dribble, passing and rebounding. Outside of Mitchell, Bogdanovic has easily been Utah’s best offensive player. And due to the gravity he commands, you could make the argument that he’s been the most important in helping his teammates offensively as well.
But, of course, the scorching three-point percentage is the top reason why Bogey was brought into the fold and it’s the major way he’s standing out thus far. And considering the green light he’s been given in Utah, it could lead to a prolific career year for the 30-year-old out of Croatia.
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Last season with the Indiana Pacers, Bojan Bogdanovic was their most deadly three-point shooter, but on a team that averaged the second-least three-point attempts in the entire NBA at just 25.4. Contrast that to the Jazz who shot 34, ninth-most in the league, and even more so to the Houston Rockets, who led the league with 45.4 per game, and it’s a stark difference.
In other words, while Bojan was more than capable of heating up and going off from three, due to the Indiana system, he wasn’t always afforded as much of a chance as he may have been capable of.
So far in Utah, though, it’s been an entirely different story.
Since the commencement of the season, Bojan Bogdanovic has had a green light from Quin Snyder and his Jazz teammates, and he’s taken advantage of it. He’s currently sitting at 6.7 three-point attempts per game, which is nearly two more than last season and easily a career-high. Yes, it’s early and the sample size is small, but the fact that he’s converting at a 45 percent clip at such high volume is encouraging that he could be in for a terrific year.
As of right now, his 20.5 points per game, 45 percent shooting from deep and 95 percent shooting from the foul line are all career highs. Sure, he could come back to earth a bit, but thus far the heightened opportunity is fitting him perfectly. His ability to convert from the perimeter and at the charity stripe has earned him the trust to be able to attack at will, whether that means hoisting a long bomb or attempting to draw a foul by being aggressive at the rim.
All in all, early indications are that Bogdanovic is set to be an incredible and vital piece of the Jazz squad.
Prior to the season’s start, many thought it would be impossible for Bogey to replicate his career year from a season ago where he posted 18 points per game since he would be going from a first option (post Victor Oladipo injury) to a third or fourth on offense. That may yet prove true as ultimately it’s hoped that Mike Conley will be able to shoulder more of a load and Rudy Gobert likely deserves more offensive looks than he’s getting so far.
But, up to this point, it appears as if Bogdanovic may actually be able to post an even better season, even with the influx of talent around him. Conley’s struggles aside, Bogdanovic’s skill set has proven vital for the Jazz offense. And with so many additional opportunities from the perimeter, it’s not unfeasible at all to project that he could average two or so more points per game than a year ago throughout the course of the entire season.
In other words, thus far Bogey has looked like a seamless fit for the Jazz offense. And the opportunity and trust he’s already been extended could translate into a career year for him.
Yes, the Jazz need Conley to improve which could alter Bogdanovic’s production slightly, and even Bogey himself has to get better by finding his way in Quin Snyder’s schemes on both ends of the floor and by cutting down on turnovers.
But with the greenest of green lights before him, Bojan has looked incredible thus far. And the added opportunity to take and make those shots on his new Jazz team is looking as if it could pay immense dividends both for him and his teammates during the 2019-20 campaign.