Veteran forward Anthony Tolliver is best known for his offensive ability to spread the floor from long distance. On the other side of the ball, his team defense and rotations have always been some of his strengths.
As it turns out, there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to the former Creighton standout’s defense. His ability to shoot the long ball may no longer be his most recognized attribute, as FiveThirtyEight noted in an in-depth look at advanced defensive statistics.
FiveThirtyEight created a new statistic called “Charge Rate”, which one might guess measures how efficiently a player draws charges. In short, it breaks down the number of offensive fouls drawn versus the amount of blocking fouls called against a player.
Since the 2014-15 season, the best player in the NBA is Tolliver. With a charge rate of 77.7 percent, his ability to draw charges is “nearly flawless” as described by the site.
The League-wide charge rate is 40 percent, and the Sacramento big man is nearly doubling it. His charge rate is comfortably No. 1 among players with at least 30 offensive fouls drawn, beating second place by 7.3 percent.
In addition to choosing the proper moments to sacrifice his body for the call, Tolliver reveals his secret weapon.
“I don’t just fall because I get bumped or whatever. I try to absorb the bumps,” he told FiveThirtyEight. “When I get hit, it’s usually the type where you say, ‘Man, you must’ve really gotten run over.”
For a Sacramento Kings team that is in the NBA’s top half for turnovers forced, Tolliver’s penchant for drawing charges plays a role in forcing opponents to end their possessions early.
Along with his sharpshooting, Tolliver hopes the little things he does that goes largely unnoticed by fans allows him to earn playing time and a spot in the League. Along with his long-distance shooting (at approximately 40 percent this year), he is contributing on both ends of the court.
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