T.I. Film festival series: Part 1- Taj Gibson
By Gideon Lim
Who art thou Taj Gibson?
Taj Gibson profiles as a wily, energetic vet, if that makes sense. His biggest strength on the court is his decisiveness. He will never be an elite post-up or passing threat. But Gibson plays best when he chooses not to back down should the opportunity to do either present itself.
He is a solid pick-and-pop option who sets great screens, so he complements Westbrook nicely on the pick-and-roll. He is bouncy enough to crash the offensive boards hard and put pressure on opposing defences.
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On defense, Gibson is marginally undersized, especially when he gets pushed up to the centre spot. But, he has long arms and moves his feet well enough. In small dosages, he is useful even guarding out on the perimeter.
Still, the biggest reason Sam Presti made the move for Taj Gibson at the trade deadline might be his overall presence in the dressing room. His tutelage under Tom Thibodeau makes him the perfect mentor for the Thunder’s young rookies, especially Domantas Sabonis.
On this young Thunder roster, Gibson’s job was to be a vocal and visible leader. He didn’t need to take all the shots or even be on the court all the time. But with his all-round skill set, Gibson’s main challenge was to set the tone for others around him, by stepping up to take shots on offense and covering for others on defense.