Terrence Ross never seemed as though he’d live up to the expectations placed on him when he was drafted eighth overall in the 2013 draft. Always bouncing back and forth between the starting lineup and bench, many were unsure if he had the talent to be an NBA mainstay.
Ross apparently had a different story in mind for himself though, as 2019 proved to be the year he’d find his niche in the league and break the chains that had tied him down. Instead of fighting the uncertainty of his status in the rotation, Ross embraced a role coming off the bench for the Orlando Magic.
Transitioning into a spark-plug on the second unit shined a light on Ross that many had never seen before. Although he was now a bench player, he averaged the highest points, rebounds, and assists per game totals of his career. His shooting percentage from behind the arc rocketed up to a career high of 38.3 percent. Giving Ross a solidified role on the team allowed him to play comfortably without the stress of outside factors.
In the same vein as perennial Sixth Man of the Year candidate Lou Williams, Ross has been an invaluable pure scorer that create his own shot at will. Ross exploded for an outrageous twenty 20-point performances while coming off the bench.
Considering one of the most glaring weaknesses of the Chicago Bulls this season was the second unit’s complete inability to score and create their own offense, Ross could instantly help remedy the situation.
A rejuvenated bench means the starters get to rest more often, which in turns mans the Bulls won’t be plagued by the injury bug as harshly next season. This string of good fortune could be entirely dependent on a player like Ross.