F | 6-9, 219 LBS
2014-15 season: 45 games, 4 starts, 16.5 MPG, 4.4 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 0.6 APG, 45.9 FG%, 31.4 3P%, 82.8 FT%
The Wolves guaranteed Robbie Hummel’s contract quickly after the 2013-14 season. And it shouldn’t have been much of a surprise.
Hummel isn’t going to lead the league in any category and he’s a borderline rotation player, but he’s has an incredibly high basketball IQ and is a great locker room guy. Teams need players like Hummel. He was one of the first players back over the summer to get ready for 2014 Training Camp and his hard work paid off. He put up career-highs across the board while playing positions he probably never thought or hoped he’d have to play.
He guarded shooting guards, small forwards, power forwards and… centers. A 6’9” player is a center in your local rec league. Not in the NBA. But Hummel held his own all things considered. He’s best as a small forward, but he showed he has the ability to play the four and five to stretch out the court.
“I think I can play the three or the four,” Hummel said before the season. “But there's a lot of new faces, especially at the wing. I think we have a lot of young guys that have a lot of potential. It should be a lot of fun to watch.
The Wolves are plenty young. We know that. But Hummel isn’t your average second-year player. He’s 26 years old after spending four seasons at Purdue (technically five years after suffering brutal knee injuries) and one season playing for Blusens Monbus of Spain in 2012-13.
When Hummel is in the game, he almost always makes the right decisions. He isn’t the most physically gifted player on the Wolves. He can’t jump like Zach LaVine or spin like Andrew Wiggins, but sometimes making the right basketball play is more important than all of that. He’s limited defensively, but he understands that.
Hummel is a player who understands his role and rarely tries to do too much, something young players struggle with. His role moving forward with the team could be to help younger players adjust to the game while also filling the role of “Swiss Army Knife” for the Wolves when they are hit with multiple injuries.
Top Three Games Of The Season
3.) April 13 vs. New Orleans Pelicans
In a home loss to the Pellies, Hummel played a bench-high 32 minutes and 58 seconds and finished with the team’s only double-double. He scored 11 points while hauling in 10 rebounds (eight defensively). He also dished out two assists. He shot 5-of-9 from the field and 1-of-2 from the three-point line. It was Hummel’s first double-double of the season.
2.) December 1 at Los Angeles Clippers
Hummel only played 11 minutes and 23 seconds in this game, but he made the most of it. The forward finished with 13 points (third on the team) to go with two rebounds and one steal. He shot an efficient 6-of-8 from the field and 1-of-2 from the free-throw line.
1.) January 17 at Denver Nuggets
By far, Hummel’s best game during a 113-105 road win over the Denver Nuggets. Hummel started at small forward and played a team-high 42 minutes and 38 seconds. He finished with a season-high 15 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. Not bad for a 6’7” forward…
He also added a block.
Hummel shot 6-of-12 from the field, 1-of-2 from the three-point line and 2-of-2 from the free-throw line.
Top Offseason Objectives
To continue Hummel’s exploration to the stretch four position, he’ll need to continue to work on his three-point shot.
In his first season, Hummel shot 36 percent from deep. Last season, that number dipped to 31.4 percent. It’s worth noting that he attempted 0.6 less per game this season – so the sample size is a bit smaller. Overall, shooting from the outside will need to be something Hummel remains a threat at. He’s not the type of player who is going to beat a defender off the dribble. The defense will at least need to respect Hummel’s outside shot.
One other thing Hummel might want to work on is his strength. There’s no doubt that the former Boilermaker was sore after having to play center last season. He’s got to be careful not to add too much bulk where it would hurt with him playing the small forward position.
They Said It…
"I think that’s a good thing for me to reach for. At 6-8, you’re a little undersized, but at the stretch-four position, there’s a lot more of those guys now. Obviously, if Zach Randolph’s playing the four, I’m probably not the guy who could guard him, but you talk about Channing Frye, guys that like to shoot 3s and play within the basket, my height doesn’t really matter as much in that situation.” – Hummel on playing the stretch four position in the NBA.