Serge Ibaka: 'No more Fake Four'

There were many questions leading into this past season as to whether Serge Ibaka will finally take a step forward. That question was mainly aimed towards his offense since we already know what he brings to the table defensively with his shot blocking and versatility. Ibaka has routinely taken scrutiny on his underdeveloped post game following his sixth year in the league.

May 30, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Serge Ibaka (9) shoots the basketball during the third quarter in game seven of the Western conference finals of the NBA Playoffs against the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Thunder 96-88. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

Last season in particular, Serge showed a bit of an over reliance at the three point shot. Some of that could have been because of injuries to the teams top guys that forced a new style of play, but the truth in the matter is that Serge was away from the basket on most possessions. He saw a drop from 8.8 rebounds per game during the 2013-2014 season to 7.8 during the 2014-2015 season. More specifically there was a drop in his offensive rebounds from 2.8 to 2.1 during those years. Fast forward to this past season, his rebounding dropped from 7.8 per game to 6.8. Don’t get me wrong, the three-point shot was a welcomed addition to Ibaka’s game, but he can get in a zone where he is taking too many that could hinder his other areas.

During the 2014-2015 season his three-point shots per game shot up to 3.2 from 0.7 the previous season. Yes you read that right. This past season he came back down to earth with 2.4 threes a game on 32% shooting. During Ibaka’s exit interview a couple of week ago, he mentioned that this past season was a big challenge for him as his role changed because of all the offensive options. With the addition of Enes Kanter and emergence of Steven Adams, Ibaka’s role in the paint diminished in a way.

“After this season, I feel like I have to be a stretch four. No more fake four.” -Serge Ibaka

In his interview, Ibaka said that he has to work on every aspect of his game, but more so finding a way to stay out on the floor more while Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and Enes Kanter are out there. A way to do so would be to become a better three-point shooter. We all know that Serge takes pride in his defense and he puts that first before everything, but is working to become a better stretch four the best option for him and his career?

Mar 3, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Serge Ibaka (9) celebrates after a basket against the Golden State Warriors during the third quarter at Oracle Arena. The Golden State Warriors defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 121-106. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /

At this point in Ibaka’s career, the chance for a huge transformation offensively is slim to none. Some would even say that he has reached his peak offensively. I don’t fall into that category; I think that he still has room to grow. He just finished his seventh season in the league and at 26 years old, he is still fairly young. If he does what he says and spends the offseason working to become a knockdown three-point shooter, then that would definitely bode well for the Thunder. Ibaka will be a free agent after this upcoming season so just how valuable would he be in the open market?

Very valuable. If he bumps his three point percentage up to 38% or better per game on about 3.0 threes a game then he will become one of the top targets. The new wave in the NBA is calling for two things from his position and Serge has both. Those are shooting to space the floor and defensive versatility to guard shooting guards to centers . We saw in this past playoffs that Serge has the ability to become a true difference maker from beyond the three-point line. He was the Thunder’s best three point shooter during their playoff run shooting about 45% on 3.8 threes a game.

Serge Ibaka: “No more fake four”

By Casimir Cuffy | Jun 18, 2016