LAS VEGAS – Having put in hundreds of hours of work on improving the comfort and confidence of his jumper, Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac aggressively stroked shots from all over the floor in his first summer league game.
Ultimately, Isaac discovered that even though he has made dramatic strides in drilling mid-range shots to hurt defenders who dare to back off him, shooting from afar in basketball is best when done only in moderation.
``I started shooting them too much with too many jumpers and I was letting (the defenders) off the hook instead of getting to the rim the way I should have,’’ analyzed the 20-year-old Isaac, who scored 20 points in his Summer League debut on Friday. ``(His jump shot has) gotten better with growth in my body and time in the gym. I’ve gotten more consistent and I’ve gained some confidence. So (not settling for so many jumpers is) a focal point for my next game.’’
Isaac, Orlando’s No. 6 pick in 2017, will get another shot to top his impressive opening act on Sunday when the Magic (1-0) face the Memphis Grizzlies (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN 2) in the MGM Resorts NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. Isaac, along with close friend and fellow Magic building block Mohamed Bamba, are focal points of fans and talent evaluators looking to see the progress made after an offseason of dedicated skill work.
Isaac was limited to just 27 games as a rookie because of a myriad of ankle and foot injuries. A rail-thin 210 pounds when drafted last June, Isaac has worked tirelessly to grow his game and add on lean muscle mass that should benefit him greatly while playing through contact.
That new physique (he’s up to 222 pounds) and his bubbling confidence was apparent throughout Orlando’s 86-80 defeat of the Brooklyn Nets. Despite some early jitters, Isaac drilled seven of his first 12 shots and six of seven free throws. Throw in a blocked shot, a steal and a beauty of a pick-and-pop assist to Bamba for a 3-pointer and it was a highly encouraging Summer League debut for a promising player who Orlando is pinning many of its hopes on going forward.
``Anything with player development always starts with the player and Jonathan’s commitment was great before we got into town, and of late it’s been, I’m sure, the best of his career,’’ said Magic assistant coach Pat Delany, one of the coaches who has worked the most with Isaac. ``He’s been in every day, Monday-through-Friday, putting his time in with us working with him and the Strength and Conditioning group as well. It starts with the player commitment and the commitment to the stuff that we’re doing, and he’s found a balance that works for him and allows him to excel.’’
A downright humble player who occasionally needs a confidence-builder to remind himself how talented he actually is, Isaac got a boost when new Magic head coach Steve Clifford, assistant coach/shooting coach Bruce Kreutzer and Delany informed him that he would be a focal point of Orlando’s summer league team.
While coming up through the ranks of high school, college and AAU basketball, Isaac often has seen himself as a complementary and opportunistic piece offensively and someone who should focus primarily on defense, shot-blocking, rebounding and clogging the passing lanes. That changed, first, when Isaac worked to grow his game this summer and, secondly, when he drilled with Kreutzer – a shooting coach who has worked with the likes of former NBA great Mark Price – on the mechanics of his jump shot. Now, Orlando has given the second-year pro the green light to shoot and a free reign to show off the progress he’s made.
``Them putting in plays for me in certain places and my teammates being OK with me taking those shots, that really helps me,’’ Isaac said with a wide smile. ``Man, it’s a huge step for me (being a focal point), and only by the grace of God am I was able to take the step. I’m just thankful that this team and this organization – even though it’s just summer league – is seeing me as a focal point.’’
Isaac’s rising confidence level was never more apparent than in Friday’s second quarter when the ball found him on the right block of the lane with the shock clock dying. As an NBA rookie, a skittish Isaac almost assuredly would have passed the ball back to a teammate, feeling they had a much better chance of scoring than he did in the paint where he could be pushed around. This time, however, Isaac drilled Brooklyn’s James Webb III in the chest with his shoulder to create separation as he faked toward the middle. Then, without hesitation, Isaac spun back to the baseline and let loose a high-arching shot that found nothing but net.
Undoubtedly, it was a seminal moment in the growth of Isaac, who was over-the-top humble about the shot when asked about it after the game.
``I wouldn’t say that I’m super comfortable with (the fade-away shot), but it was just kind of one of those instinct plays when the shot clock was running down,’’ he said. ``I was just trying to use my mind and figure out where my shot was going to come from. That’s the one I took and it just went in.’’
Isaac was told repeatedly – by teammates, coaches and veteran Magic front-office executives – that young players often make their biggest jumps in terms of improvement between their first and second seasons. Fail to improve and a sophomore slump wouldn’t just be a possibility, but a certainty.
With a much better understanding of the NBA game and an understanding the need for elite skill in every facet, blossoming players tend to make significant strides after being humbled as rookies. Isaac knew there would be a lot of eyes on him and his development this summer, and he’s backed up his talk of improvement with hours of sweat equity and skill work. He wants to take what he’s done so far and carry it through Summer League and into training camp for the Magic in September.
``Honestly, it’s the same way I’ve attacked every offseason and it’s not so much about paying attention to what someone would say is the most important (offseason); I just wanted to get better,’’ Isaac said. ``With my drive, every summer I’ve had so far has been about getting better. So, it’s just about me understanding what I’ve got to get better doing, attacking those areas and having people pushing me to be better.’’
Note: The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Orlando Magic. All opinions expressed by John Denton are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of the Orlando Magic or their Basketball Operations staff, partners or sponsors.