David Nwaba has been impactful despite his unconventional style

Despite doubts about his skill-set, Chicago Bulls guard David Nwaba overcame his limitations and is making an immense impact on the NBA in many unconventional ways.

Chicago Bulls guard David Nwaba doesn’t do a lot of things you’d want from a wing in the modern NBA. He’s undersized for his position, he doesn’t space the floor, and he isn’t a gifted playmaker.

However, he carved out a consistent role for himself on the Chicago Bulls. Nwaba is a rotational player who regularly receives 20-25 minutes of playing time per game. He is a main fixture of the Bulls bench unit.

His name won’t stick out if you only look at box scores. He has modest averages of 7.1 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. But his impact is felt every second he’s on the floor.

David Nwaba overcomes his limitations on offense

First of all, it won’t take you long to realize that Nwaba is limited offensively. He’s a horrendous 3-point shooter. He only makes shots from beyond the arc at a 29.4 percent clip. For context, this is in the 12th percentile among wings in the league.

Not to mention he turns the ball over on 13 percent of the possessions he uses (35th percentile for wings). He only tallies an assist on 8.2 percent (39th percentile) of the shots his teammates make when he’s on the floor.

Nonetheless, the Bulls score 4.8 more points per 100 possessions with him on the floor than when he’s off the court. This is in the 82nd percentile among all players in the league. This is due to Nwaba making up for his lack of shooting touch and distributing skills with consistent aggression and activity.

He doesn’t need to be setup perfectly to become a scoring threat. He’s assisted on only 54 percent of his made shots (75th percentile). He has a courage within him most players don’t have and attacks the rim with ferocity and reckless abandonment.

74 percent of his shot attempts are within four feet of the basket (99th percentile). He’s decisive and knows if he’s going to get to the basket before he even receives a pass.

Nwaba leaves a lot to be desired with his free-throw percentage, 60.9 percent. But, he’s among the best players in the league when it comes to drawing shooting fouls (100th percentile).

Nwaba knows his skill-set and uses it wisely 

Self-awareness is something many young NBA players lack – but not Nwaba – he doesn’t attempt many 3-pointers because he knows perimeter shooting is a weakness of his. His self-awareness makes him effective and valuable.

Nwaba is an elite offensive rebounder for his position. He’s in the 93rd percentile among wings in offensive rebounds off missed field goals and missed free-throws. Those rebounds turn into extra possessions for the Chicago Bulls or easy put-back opportunities.

Furthermore, Nwaba can effectively score in the post. He can take advantage of smaller guards or slower forwards because of his strength and quickness.

It’s unlikely Nwaba will ever turn into a player who becomes known for his scoring prowess. But, his persistence on the offensive end of the floor ensures he won’t be a liability.

Nwaba is a defensive stopper

Nwaba’s defensive prowess is the most noteworthy aspect of his game. His defensive ability is his bread and butter. It’s his approach on the defensive end of the floor that got him into the league and makes him a unique player.

“I think that’s how I got into the league,” said Nwaba, according to a Jan. 26 The Athletic article. “The [Los Angeles] Lakers gave me an opportunity for my defense. I just try to showcase my ability any chance I get.”

This mindset makes Nwaba the Bulls best one-on-one defender. He’s one of the premier defenders in the entire association. He doesn’t have the elite size you want out of your best defender. But, it doesn’t stop him from giving his full effort on that end of the court.

Nwaba’s intensity disrupted Golden State Warriors guard and two-time MVP Stephen Curry in the Bulls’ Jan. 17 matchup with the 2017 NBA Champions.

His length, a seven-foot wingspan, and persistence make him a pest on bigger forwards.

Help-side defense is important too

However, help-side defense matters too. And Nwaba isn’t a slump when it comes to that aspect of the game either.

It’s important to realize defenders spend more time playing off-ball defense than they do on-ball defense. Nwaba brings the same level of awareness in this defensive department as well.

“The primary building blocks are [guard Kris] Dunn, [guard Zach] LaVine and [forward Lauri] Markkanen,” Darnell Mayberry, Chicago Bulls senior writer, said, according to a Feb. 2 The Athletic article. “[Forward] Bobby Portis, [guard/forward] Denzel Valentine and David Nwaba have played their way into longer looks. Everyone else is expendable.”

In addition to the rumors flying around NBA circles, this article leads me to believe guard Justin Holiday won’t be a member of the Chicago Bulls after the trade deadline on Thursday.

If this happens, I would love to see Nwaba inserted into the starting lineup. The energy and intensity he provides the Bulls on both ends of the floor is special.

Nwaba’s impact is always present

Even though it isn’t flashy, Nwaba’s impact on the game of basketball game is undeniable. He won’t produce gaudy numbers but he does the little things to make a team better when he’s on the floor.

Similarly to recently acquired Chicago Bulls guard Tony Allen, he’s another exception to the rule that as a wing you need to be a prolific shooter or dynamic playmaker to have an impact in today’s NBA.

But, Allen’s role with the Chicago Bulls is unclear. There isn’t a guarantee he’ll be on the roster for a significant amount of time. However, Nwaba should do his best to gain as much knowledge from Allen as possible. The similarities between the two are undeniable.

In addition to the first-team all-defense efforts he brought every second was on the court, Allen was a key cog of the 2007-08 Boston Celtics team that won the NBA Finals.

He was a catalyst of bringing the “Grit-and-Grind” era to the Memphis Grizzles. He played a significant role for them and helped make the Grizzles title contenders for the first half of this decade.

Next: Bulls play the Kings in a big tank game

If the Chicago Bulls reap the benefits of a successful rebuild and Nwaba continues to improve and bring this same intensity level on a nightly basis, then it isn’t difficult to imagine Nwaba experiencing similar success as Allen did throughout his career.