2022-23 Season Summary:
In his second season with the Lakers, Wenyen Gabriel proved to be a capable backup big, with rebounding his standout skill especially on the offensive end. An always-working, constantly-hustling 6’9’’ forward, Gabriel was efficient at the rim, shooting 59.6% overall, while hitting 10 of the 36 3’s he attempted (27.8%). Gabriel ran the floor well, helping the Lakers in transition, and added 0.5 blocks and 0.4 steals in his 15.1 minutes per game, translating to 1.2 and 0.9 per 36 minutes. Gabriel appeared in 68 games, a new career high, up significantly from 30 in his rookie season of 2019-20.
By The Numbers:
15.7: Offensive rebounding percentage for Gabriel in the playoffs, No. 1 on the Lakers, more than double No. 2 Jarred Vanderbilt’s 7.4%; in the regular season, his 11.1% also led the team, though Anthony Davis was close (10.2%).
13.1: Points per 36 minutes averaged by Gabriel, who has good hands on catches going to the rim, and is a strong finisher with soft touch around the hoop with both hands.
0.0: Net rating prior to the All-Star break, one of only five Lakers that weren’t in the negative to that point.
Moving Forward:
A free agent heading into the summer, Gabriel showed that there’s a place for him in the NBA, as the 25-year-old consistently gave his best effort in an athletic frame that produced in needed areas for his team. Gabriel worked to improve his perimeter shooting to address a weakness and try to expand his game, though attempts were limited; that remains an area for offseason progress to be made. The big man of South Sudanese descent did indeed play with terrific energy, but that at times translated to overzealous fouling on defense. Slight improvement in those areas could lead to another stage in his career, building upon his rebounding and athleticism.