Muscala’s Leadership Crucial to Holmgren’s Transition
Oklahoma City is no stranger to having a veteran leader in the midst of a young lineup.
The player doesn’t always play a load of minutes but his impact is always felt throughout the team. Nick Collinson’s name hangs in the rafters of the Paycom Center for that reason.
Mike Muscala now holds the role of the veteran leader of the organization. Now with a No. 2 overall pick in his position group, Muscala’s role is even bigger.
Chet Holmgren is going to have an impact immediately on the organization. He’ll likely be a starter and have an inside track on Rookie of the Year. But he still needs a steady veteran presence to lead him into the life of an NBA player.
The transition to the NBA can be difficult especially for a player of Holmgrens prestige, that’s where Muscala comes in. He’s one of the oldest players on the OKC roster.
Holmgren is going to have growing pains, it’s expected especially from a rookie, but with a veteran to help the impact of the struggles may be lessened.
Muscala outside of the mental game can help with Holmgren’s on the court game as well. Muscala has the experience of a big man who lives on scoring jumpers.
He historically hasn’t scored the most points but he’s an efficient shooter when he gets the opportunities, especially from 3-point range.
Chet’s game is extremely similar to Muscala. In his single season at Gonzaga he shot better than 60% from the field and 39% from beyond the arc.
With Muscala alongside Holmgren, his game can excel to new heights especially on the perimeter and working on his driving ability.
Muscala isn’t as important to OKC as Collinson, but his role is similar to the beloved big man. A veteran presence is crucial to help rookies deal with the transition and Muscala has Holmgren to help.
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