The rookie, picked 29th out of Gonzaga University in the 2023 NBA Draft, filled the box score with a game-high 20 points in 21 minutes. He followed that up with a 16-point outing in 20 minutes of play against the Chicago Bulls on Thursday.
But it's the efficiency that really sticks out in his first two preseason games: a combined 13-of-21 shooting line and 8-of-15 from behind the three-point line.
Strawther spent three years at Gonzaga perfecting and fine-tuning his skillset. He exited his junior year as one of the best shooters in the nation en route to getting selected by Denver in June. Strawther had to earn his spot while playing for head coach Mark Few, and he told reporters on Media Day that this would prepare him for his rookie season in Denver.
"When I arrived at Gonzaga my freshman year, the first thing Coach Few did was put me on my butt. So, I feel like I've been able to go through that, and I know how to deal with it mentally and how to attack it," explained Strawther. "You don't have that pressure on you to perform every single game because the minutes aren't there. All that means is you've got to use your practices as your games... I feel like I'm more prepared for that than I was coming into college."
His new head coach, Michael Malone, was adamant throughout training camp that the makeup of Denver's bench unit is still largely in flux. There are no guarantees. No free handouts. Backups will have to earn their spots. That's not to say Julian can't or won't get minutes. Far from it. But keeping a positive attitude will certainly aid the Las Vegas native while Malone settles in on the perfect group of reserves.
And look, let's get one thing straight. He's made quite the case for himself thus far in the preseason. 36 combined points in 41 total minutes of play speaks for itself. Not a bad first impression.
His shooting stroke is by far his most polished NBA-ready skill after nailing 40.8 percent of his threes in his final collegiate season. He's incredibly versatile as a shooter, and his range stretches deep. Deep enough to warp defenses in the halfcourt, complicate help rotations, and give his teammates more room to operate.
Fans first got a glimpse at the breadth of his three-point package in Las Vegas Summer League where the 21-year-old averaged 18.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game. He hit catch-and-shoot looks. Jumpers after darting around the halfcourt as a relocation specialist. He regularly splashed shots from 27 or 28 feet out.
(Check out our Nuggets Knowledge breakdown below for more insight on Strawther's game.)
He was similarly versatile as a shooter in his preseason debut against Phoenix. Fittingly, his first NBA bucket was a deep three-pointer after relocating to the top of the arc while Jamal Murray and Zeke Nnaji ran the pick-and-roll. You get a feel for just how swift and compact his shooting mechanics are, and how speedily he's able to run, turn, and set his feet before catching and releasing the shot. Strawther likes to angle his feet so that he isn't directly facing the basket to keep his mechanics in line, especially for straight-on shots at the top of the arc.
Later, he followed that up with yet another bucket while on the move. However, this time, Strawther streaked off a wide pindown screen from DeAndre Jordan, caught, turned, and swished a three-pointer before his defender could even hope to recover. It was fascinating to see Denver already run sets specifically tailored to the first-round pick.
The Nuggets ran a similar play for Strawther against the Bulls. However, this time, it was Strawther setting the pindown screen for Hunter Tyson before flaring out to the right wing for three. Tyson and Strawther exchanging positions on the perimeter in a loop greatly confused Chicago's defense, and Julian swiftly made them pay.
He's been quick to use his shooting gravity as a weapon. Strawther got on the board against Chicago by faking a screen for Reggie Jackson and then jetting behind the defense toward the rim. He's such an active and heady off-ball mover. Not just along the perimeter; but also going towards the rim. Being a constant threat without the basketball in his hands should make him a frictionless fit in Denver's system.
Strawther's even tinkered with generating his own three-pointers. In Phoenix, the 21-year-old nailed an off-the-dribble three-pointer from 28 feet out. He hit an even more difficult pull-up shot on Thursday. Strawther caught the ball on the perimeter, jab-stepped to his left, and then drove down the middle against Andre Drummond. Then, once Chicago's backup center was leaning the wrong direction, Strawther crossed back to his left and erupted into a stepback three-pointer.
That three-point portfolio is vast.
Still, Strawther's so much more than just a shooter. He's got the ability to handle the ball and did so at the tail-end of Summer League.
"I'm super comfortable making those reads. I mean, my whole life I've been a ball-handler. In college, that wasn't asked of me. That's the role I played. So, on TV, it may have looked like I was just a catch-and-shoot guy," Strawther revealed to Nuggets.com in a one-on-one sitdown. "But there are a lot more layers to my game."
The Nuggets are famously hands-off when it comes to having their players play freely. Their centers shoot threes and run the offense at a two-time MVP level. Their point guards post-up on the block like they're 8 inches taller. Doing away with typecasted roles was in large part why the franchise celebrated its first-ever NBA championship this summer.
It will be fascinating to see if those same principles apply to Strawther's development, and if the ballclub tests the full limits of his ceiling as a ball-handler. Tuesday against the Suns certainly pointed to that being the case.
Strawther initiated sets quite a bit in Denver's preseason opener, and once again, he looked incredibly comfortable with the rock in his hands.
He opened things up with a leaning floater from a tough angle after he and DeAndre Jordan connected for a pick-and-roll down the sideline. Up next was another tough floater, though this time he peeled off a pindown screen from Hunter Tyson and received a handoff from Jordan before bonking home a runner. (This action combining a pindown screen with a handoff is widely known as 'Chicago').
He and Jordan have exhibited brilliant chemistry on these handoffs. Versus Chicago, he flew out of one from Jordan, took a dribble to his left, squared up with the rim, and launched a three-pointer with his momentum carrying him sideways. Against one of the toughest perimeter defenders in the league, Alex Caruso. As a rookie.
He's had chemistry with other players, as well, flying off a handoff from Braxton Key on Tuesday and dribbling into a fadeaway jumper. The 21-year-old gets such excellent lift on his shot, and his 6'7 frame makes it tough for defenders to muster up a good contest. It's abnormal to see a player of his stature have this type of versatility as a shooter. Klay Thompson and Duncan Robinson have made careers out of being tall three-point shooters with lightning-quick strokes.
He was such a problem in his 20-point showcase that the Suns sent two defenders his way when he and Jordan connected for a pick-and-roll in the third quarter. That's right. In his first-ever NBA game, Strawther was attracting blitzes. He responded brilliantly by threading a bounce pass to Jordan with perfect timing for the dunk.
Strawther's undeniable knack for scoring the basketball will get him on the floor; it's his defense that will keep him on it. He spent the summer working especially hard on that aspect of his game.
"Being in the right place at the right time. What the rotations are. Just how we play defense here," Strawther said to Nuggets.com when asked about his preparation. He later mentioned he's focused intently on "forcing into a ball screen" when guarding the pick-and-roll.
His tireless work to improve as a defender is already paying dividends. Coach Malone showered the rookie with praise throughout training camp in San Diego.
"I love how Julian runs the floor. Tremendous pace. Moves well without the ball in the halfcourt. He's not just a jump shooter; he can put the ball on the floor. And the thing I'm probably most proud about with Julian is, defensively, he picks things up very quickly. He's in the right place. He's coming over as the low man, contesting shots," said Malone. "I thought Julian had a terrific training camp."
Strawther's looked the part, too. He did an excellent job of staying in front of his man against the Suns and got around screens with zero hindrance. Constant pressure forced his assignments to pass out and reset, or they coughed up low-percentage shots.
Altogether, Strawther is optimistic about how he'll mesh with his new team. Two games into the preseason, it's easy to see why. He told Nuggets.com that his style of play is a synergistic fit with the Mile High ballclub.
"A lot of the things that were in my game previously align really well with what the team wants to do. So, I've been able to just come in, work on my game, and just try to get better every day," explained Strawther.
Denver's regular season is just over a week away. For as good as Julian has looked in the preseason dress rehearsals, the opener against the Los Angeles Lakers will be his first real test. He's picked the brains of his newly minted teammates on how to build championship habits and prepare for the rigorous nature of the NBA. He told Nuggets.com that Jamal Murray gave him the best piece of advice all summer.
"Keep the main thing, the main thing. That's something that Jamal told me. Just focusing on basketball. Obviously, there's a lot of outside distractions that come up in the NBA," said Strawther. "I mean, you're in the NBA because you play basketball, and not because of anything else."