Inside The Nets

Why Jalen Wilson is a bright spot amidst the Nets' injuries

Jalen Wilson has been superb when he gets rotation minutes with the Nets.

Marin Gabric

© Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
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With the Nets’ lack of backcourt players in the rotation, coach Jacque Vaughn has looked at other options within the roster. They have turned to two-way contract players Armoni Brooks and Jalen Wilson. The latter has been impressive in his short stints, especially since he’s a rookie.

The injuries have ravaged the lineup, enough for coach Jacque Vaughn to look for reinforcements for his starters. Mikal Bridges, in particular, has struggled because he’s been playing too many minutes. This is where Jalen comes in because Vaughn trusts him as a plug-and-play wing.

Vaughn’s trust will go a long way

Most NBA head coaches value having older rookies on their team because they are more NBA-ready compared to young yet talented prospects. That is the situation in Brooklyn as Noah Clowney and Dariq Whitehead are superb rookies, but they are two 19-year-olds who still need to mature mentally and physically.

Jalen is already 23 years old and is ready to contribute immediately. That is why he’s getting minutes and call-ups from the G-League compared to the other two first-year players. Wilson has repaid Vaughn’s trust as the rookie is hitting his three-pointers while also providing some much-needed hustle off the bench.

The 23-year-old is also from Kansas University, the same college Vaughn played for before he reached the NBA. That connection matters because Vaughn knows what kind of culture Wilson went through in college and has earned the trust to carry Kansas and JV’s lessons onto the court.

Wilson has the potential to be an elite shooter

At 6’8”, Wilson has an NBA-ready body that can help him become a long-term role player in this league. Combined with his shooting ability, comparisons with teammate Cameron Johnson are warranted.

Of course, Wilson is still in his first year; he has room to grow. He is already willing to do the dirty work and battle for offensive rebounds. That attitude can help him grow with the Nets as he looks to battle for a spot on the regular rotation by becoming a more consistent shooter.

Moving forward, expect Vaughn to call up more players from the Long Island Nets, which include the other two rookies, Armoni and Keon Johnson. The G-League affiliate is working for Brooklyn because they see a glimpse of what these players can do when given the opportunity, like what Wilson has done recently.

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Marin Gabric
MARIN GABRIC

Marin's love for writing developed in high school but was furthered in college when he took a number of creative writing courses. Doing sports writing felt like an extremely natural continuation, as it furthered his passions in both writing and basketball.  Marin loves the feeling of looking at stats after a game and analyzing what each team could've done better or what they excel in compared to the rest of the league. And the ability to do so for his favorite team, the Brooklyn Nets, is quite special in itself. 

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