Player Profile: Brendon Lavender

Last Updated on Saturday, 02 January 2010 18:57 Written by Gary Randazzo Thursday, 04 June 2009 23:19

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The Arizona Summer Hoops Series considers the skills and intangibles sophomore guard Brendon Lavender will bring to the court in the 2009-10 season.

 

Brendon Lavender played sparingly throughout his freshman season at Arizona under interim head coach Russ Pennell.  Lavender, who played his high school ball up north in Mesa, Arizona, was a prolific scorer with a slashing offensive attack in the high school ranks.

 

Lavender quickly learned what most freshman learn upon entering college in that the moves that elevated one through high school don’t always produce the same results against elite, Division-I talent.  Still, because of the one-and-done departure of Jerryd Bayless to the NBA and the suspension of fellow freshman guard Garland Judkins, Lavender gained valuable practice time in sharing the floor with future NBA players Chase Budinger and Jordan Hill, and electric point guard Nic Wise.

 

Lavender also saw enough minutes of live action to get his feet wet and get a feel of what it takes to compete for a school like Arizona.  The hard work he put in last season and his increased efforts this offseason should position Lavender to earn increased playing time if he improves in a few key areas.

 

Brendan Lavender the Player

 

First, Lavender has a nice frame that coaches look for in a shooting guard.  At 6’4, 205, height and weight aren’t issues.  Lavender has added good muscle since joining the Arizona Program and that should continue under Sean Miller who’ll be looking to toughen up the Wildcats during his reign.

 

Lavender has a better-than-average first step and really uses his shoulders and hips well to step through his defender and beat them off the dribble.  He also shows good form on his shot release and made his fair share of three-point attempts last season during limited action.

 

I like Lavender’s size along with his game, but he’ll be challenged to find quality minutes with an abundance of small forwards and combo guards on next year’s roster unless he improves in the following areas:

 

Lavender's Defense

 

Like most Wildcats on last year’s team, the “Claw” didn’t exactly help Lavender become a more fundamentally sound defensive player.  That’s okay though because that’s what off-seasons are for.  Early in the season, Lavender was in the habit of crossing his feet over and turning his hips when an opposing ball handler shifted direction.  By not shuffling, his lateral quickness was greatly hampered.  However, by the time Judkins was suspended and Lavender’s minutes went up, he had improved somewhat in this area so there’s promise as to how much he will/can really improve within a Miller system.  Like his teammates, Lavender will need to become a better one-on-one defender in space.  If he does, he will get minutes.

 

Lavender's Offense

 

Lavender is strong with the basketball from a three-point stance.  However, he dribbles the ball a little too high for my taste and leaves it behind him a bit when taking that first step toward the rim.  Again, in high school it’s something a better player can get away with.  In college though, an aggressive defender will be able to force Lavender to dribble backwards to safety, or knock the ball loose from behind.  For Lavender to be truly effective, he’s going to have to go back to the basics and improve his ball-handling skills.

 

One thing I noticed from Lavender last season is he either put the ball on the floor and tried to go all the way to the rim, or attempted open three-pointers when the opportunity presented itself.  With a frame like Lavender’s, I’d like to see him develop more of a mid-range game.  I say this because a player who can effectively use the dribble to get to the elbows and then pull up and drain the 15-footer is an extremely difficult player to defend.  With Lavender having to compete with Kyle Fogg, Kevin Parrom and Solomon Hill for minutes at the two, and sometimes the three, a mid-range game is something that could give him a unique advantage.

 

Lavender’s Role Next Season

 

Right now I see Lavender as a hustle guy coming off the bench.  This isn’t a knock because Miller uses his bench well and seeks players willing to step in and change the game’s tempo with aggressive defense and a confident, attacking attitude on offense.  Lavender can do both, but it will take a strong offseason of dedication and commitment to earn the kind of minutes that fans notice.  The good news is Lavender was one of the hardest working players on the Arizona squad last year.  If he keeps it up, the necessary improvements will come.