Who Is Liam Robbins?
The Man With a Very Particular Set of Skills
With the 14th pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, the New Orleans Pelicans select…. Jordan Hawkins!! This is the first and only pick made by the Pelicans on one of the most highly anticipated nights in sports. With this pick, the Pels front office filled one of its greatest needs, and the hottest commodity in the current iteration of the NBA… SHOOTING! Jordan Hawkins will no doubt become a fan favorite if his shooting ability follows him into the pro game.
While this selection filled one of the major holes of the Pels roster, there’s still a huge need for a floor-spacing big man that is a capable rim protector. Enter stage left the Liam Robbins. The former Vanderbilt center signed with the Pelicans after going undrafted, according to a report from Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype.
The New Orleans Pelicans have agreed to a deal with Vanderbilt center Liam Robbins, league sources told @hoopshype. Robbins was the SEC Defensive Player of the Year.
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) June 23, 2023
Who is Liam Robbins, and why should you care? Can I interest you in a 7-foot post player that averaged 18.1 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks while shooting 48.9% from the field, and 50% from three in SEC play? The reigning SEC DPOY had multiple dominant performances this past season, highlighted by a 32 point, 10 rebound, 4 block showing against Florida in 29 minutes. Robbins ranked #1 in offensive rating in the SEC among players that were utilized in more than 28% of their team’s possessions. Robbins does not succeed based off of supreme athleticism but leans heavily on his high basketball IQ that can be traced back to being born into a basketball family. The nephew of The Citadel men’s head basketball coach Ed Conroy, and the Toronto Raptor’s play-by-play commentator Matt Devlin, Robbins credits this and his parents being lifelong basketball fans, as playing a pivotal role in his IQ development. Outside of the list of accolades (and the list is extensive), what exactly is New Orleans getting in the 23-year-old post player?
Strengths
Shooting Ability
Robbins isn’t your prototypical stretch big that primarily excels at shooting open set shots. He is more than comfortable shooting contested jumpers from well beyond the three point line. His high arching Jokic like form, makes it almost impossible to contest his shot. There were multiple (9) games this past season that Robbins shot above 40% from three. Not only is he an effective three point shooter (36%), Robbins is also a highly efficient midrange jump shooter (50%), with the post fadeaway often being his weapon of choice. Robbins’ shooting ability makes him a valuable threat in the Pick and Roll/Pick and Pop game. Imagine having to choose between guarding Zion coming downhill or Robbins popping out for three…
High Basketball IQ
As I mentioned earlier, Robbins greatest skill is his ability to think the game. Inspired by the notorious Dennis Rodman’s calculated approach towards rebounding, Robbins uses this same approach towards shot blocking. Studying player tendencies to know when to go for a block and when to simply contest without fouling. Robbins was the defensive anchor for the Commodores, often determining schemes and coverages the team as a whole would deploy. His IQ shines brightest in his ability to be such an efficient shot blocker without fouling (64 fouls in 598 minutes), which is a trait that is usually the hardest for a shot blocker of his level to master.
Shot Blocking
In an interview with No Ceilings NBA, Robbins is quoted as saying “Getting a blocked shot is my favorite statistic.” He makes this clear by averaging 3.2 blocks a game, finishing second in the nation. He does a great job of anticipating the shot selection and has a quick response rate. Growing up, Robbins was a huge Dwight Howard fan and it shows in his aggressive approach towards shot blocking, often looking for game changing blocks.
Weaknesses
Post Moves
Robbins isn’t going to wow you with multiple post moves. It is a known fact that when in post up scenarios, he is either going to shoot the short hook towards the middle of the lane, or pump fake middle and take the left hand layup. That’s about the extent of his post moves. Often relying on his height to simply finish over defenders, this could become an issue at the next level when playing against more skilled defenders.
FT Shooting
While Robbins got to the free throw line at an extremely high rate (171 FT attempts in 26 games), he only converted on 73% of his attempts. This would be good enough to barely clear the league average for Centers (71.5%). While his mechanics are very fluid and refined, he often rushes each shot. Maybe with a little time with the Wizard of Shooting AKA Fred Vinson, we could see a drastic improvement from a percentage standpoint.
Injury History
And at this point, we collectively let out a “Oh No!” The leading reason for Robbins going undrafted has less to do with his capability, after all It’s a rarity that a SEC DPOY, floor spacing big isn’t taken in the 2nd round at least. Say it with me “Your best ability is your availability.” Robbins has a history of lower extremity injuries, which are the most alarming for anyone, let alone a 7-foot big man. In the 21-22 season, he missed time with a stress fracture and sprained ankle. Robbins then followed that up in the 22-23 season with a bone bruise in his foot and a broken leg, which would cause him to miss the entire postseason play. This is the most alarming part of Robbins scouting report. One can only hope that his injury prone days are behind him.
Robbins has an opportunity to carve out a role in this league for a long time. The major question mark has less to do with his capability and more to do with his availability. ESPN ranked Robbins as the sixth best undrafted player for a reason. At best, the Pelicans just found Myles Turner as an undrafted Free Agent. At worst, Robbins will be another player cut either before or after training camp. Let’s all hope for the best. Not just for Robbins sake, but for the Pels Sake.
- Dylan Mckneely (@DylanMckneely)
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