…unless smaller is better.
“It’s not the size of the dog in the fight. It’s the size of the fight in the dog.” Well, maybe. Sure, the player with the most willpower often comes out on top, but starting from the top never hurt anyone either.
Ball skills, vision, stature, physicality, and overall athleticism all work together to establish a player’s baseline potential. In the game of basketball, bigger is often better. However, recent years have seen many teams field ‘small ball’ lineups with great success. Enter Deonte ‘Bulldog’ Burton, who might just be the best dog to bring to the fight.
A quick size comparison of the aforementioned OKC Thunder players reveals Burton to be as formidable a presence as anyone:
| Player | Ht | Wt |
|---|---|---|
| Dennis Schroder | 6-1 | 172 |
| Patrick Patterson | 6-9 | 230 |
| Abdel Nader | 6-6 | 225 |
| Terrance Ferguson | 6-7 | 190 |
| Deonte Burton | 6-5 | 245 |
| Raymond Felton | 6-1 | 205 |
| Markieff Morris | 6-10 | 245 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 3/20/2019.
Schröder, much like Russell Westbrook, brings shifty size and athleticism that allows him to split defenders, keep them off balance, and streak to the bucket – three qualities Burton has as well.
There’s a lot of good to be said for being long and lanky in basketball. Just ask Nerlens Noel and Jerami Grant. However, Ferguson doesn’t yet have the mass to keep from being pushed around by bigger opponents. Burton, on the other hand, has the mass to keep himself grounded and play through contact much better.
Felton may be able to “gut” check opponents, but his overall athleticism is nothing spectacular. Patrick Patterson quickly became the Thunder’s latest iteration of Nick Collison – a great team player with average basketball skills and physical abilities.
At almost two inches shorter than the average height of the above players, Burton still weighs in at the same weight as the biggest man in the comparison. Deonte also brings a good balance between strength and quickness. In other words, the ‘Bulldog’ simply won’t be bullied on the court.
If Billy Donovan wants someone to go in and maintain a respectable level of rebounding with the rotational guys, then Deonte could be his man. Given his balance between size, strength, and speed, Burton is rough-and-tumble enough to out-perform Nader, Felton, Schroder, and Ferguson with ease. Burton’s ball skills need some polishing, but his raw athleticism is more than enough to deserve an opportunity to shine as a defensive disruptor and offensive slasher in the paint.