Added Depth Could Help Giddey Avoid Second Year Drop

The year after a successful rookie campaign can lead to a lot more eyes to second. Year players, the added pressure isn’t always helpful.

It’s a term always floating around anytime there’s a standout rookie.

A term no one wants to see happen, but always impacts analysts' thought processes when imagining how a rookie will play in year two of their careers.

The sophomore slump.

The term has been around for ages and probably won’t go away anytime soon. It’s used in most major sports in the nation, and for good reason.

It happens.

Oklahoma City has a loaded incoming class of rookies, but one of their most promising pieces is entering his second season.

Josh Giddey showed immense amounts of promise in his rookie season, despite just playing for the first half of the year.

Giddey was tabbed to the Rising Stars game and earned multiple rookie honors. However, he missed the entirety of the second half of the season with a hip injury.

Now entering his second season with the Thunder, Giddey looks to maintain his production level and take another step forward in becoming the secondary piece to Shai Gilgeous- Alexander.

However, coming off an injury and an impressive rookie campaign, the chances for a dip are more likely, but the outlook remains positive for Giddey.

He performed well in the Summer League during his minutes, nearly notching multiple triple-doubles and excelling at all levels of the game.

There’s also less weight on his shoulders with bolstered guard depth and Chet Holmgren entering the fold, the pressure for Giddey to perform at the highest level game in and game out.

Giddey’s game is passing-focused, and with added weapons around him and Gilgeous-Alexander, he can facilitate and run his style of play without adding pressure.

It’s not expected and it’s not guaranteed for Giddey to have a dip in production this season, but there may be bumps in the road, which is common as players continue to develop and grow into the NBA pace.

---

Want to join the discussion? Like SI Thunder on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Thunder news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.