Oregon State Basketball: Is Forward Michael Rataj Ready To Lead The Beavers?
One of the only returners on the Oregon State roster this season, junior forward Michael Rataj will play a major role for this Beavers squad as one of the most experienced players on the team.
A combo forward with a strong frame, the 6-foot-9 Germany native weighs 220 pounds, a build he's not afraid to throw around in the paint to get rebounds. With an 18.0% defensive rebound rate and 5.3 boards per game, his physicality in crashing the glass was on display plenty last season.
He is a true combo forward, playing minutes at both the three and the four, with skills that benefit both positions. His perimeter skills mostly involve slashing, as he has a decent enough handle at this point in time to attack closeouts.
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However, he did struggle with his shot-making – according to Synergy Sports, he is considered "average" overall in his efficiency, scoring 0.98 points per shot. He made 91 field goals and missed 113 on the season, good for a 44.6% field goal rate as well as an effective field goal rate of 48.8%.
From three, he shot a pedestrian 28.8%, hitting 17 of 59 attempts from beyond the arc. This is a bit of a fall from his previous season, where he shot 37.3%. It's important to note however that he shot fewer attempts in his freshman season.
Still, he is a player that likes to finish at the rim more than anything else, and can do so either driving the ball from the perimeter or being fed in the post. He's a solid cutter, and moves well without the ball on offense when taking advantage of blown assignments on backdoor cuts.
Rataj's combination of finishing ability at the rim (1.10 points per shot) and his size means he's much more likely to score the ball inside of the arc than outside of it, whether he be posting up, scoring on a put-back, or slashing to the rim.
Regardless of whichever position he gets the majority of his minutes, Michael Rataj will spend significant time on the floor this season for Wayne Tinkle's squad.
Keenan Womack is a sportswriter native to Dallas, Texas, who has spent the last 12 years in Austin, the home of his alma mater, the University of Texas. Keenan has covered sports for SB Nation, Bleacher Report, Rivals/Orangebloods, a host of his own sites and now, Fan Nation. Focusing on basketball, Keenan was on the beat for the Longhorns hoops team for the last two-and-a-half years before moving on to pursue other opportunities. He is married and lives with his wife close to the Moody Center, so they can continue to catch games together.