When the Denver Nuggets selected Jarred Vanderbilt with the 41st in the 2018 NBA Draft, they were taking a chance on a player who played just 14 games at Kentucky, due to multiple injuries; none worse than the right foot injury that required surgery to repair.
Vanderbilt has been rehabbing before and since he arrived in Denver, but the time may finally be here for the Nuggets to see what they have in their second-round pick.
On Tuesday, Vanderbilt was upgraded to questionable for the Nuggets’ game in Utah on Wednesday night. It was also the first time Vanderbilt has spoken to reporters since media day, which provided a better understanding on where he is in terms of his return to play.
“I’m very excited to finally be close to playing,” Vanderbilt told the media after Tuesday’s practice. “I feel great right now and have been trying to progress everyday and the main thing right now is just getting better everyday.”
Head coach Michael Malone mentioned how Vanderbilt has yet to play five-on-five in practices, but that he been doing different types of individual drills throughout practice. One of those drills is defensive work, which Malone mentioned as being one of Vanderbilt’s greatest strengths.
“I can see his defensive versatility is going to be really intriguing. He has the athleticism and the lateral quickness to guard multiple positions,” Malone said. “In college at Kentucky, in the games he played, he’s an elite rebounder, and [he’s been spending a lot of time] with Mark Price (Nuggets assistant coach) on his shot.”
During his 14 games at Kentucky, Vanderbilt showed tremendous defensive upside, but averaged just 5.9 points per game and only attempted one three-pointer in his college career.
“He’s explosive, he can guard, he can rebound, and he’s improving his jump-shot. So I think he has the chance to be a good player,” Malone said, also mentioning Vanderbilt’s playmaking ability, and how he looked like a “point forward” in his days before he arrived at Kentucky. That playmaking ability could work wonders with the roster Denver, has in place and could be a great complement to the rebounding and defensive presence Vanderbilt should bring when he’s on the floor.
For Vanderbilt, the biggest step in his return will involve the mental side of things. “I would say that is more than the physical aspect,” Vanderbilt said. “Trying to cross that mental barrier and just getting more trust from where your injury was. I think that is the most important thing for a player.”
Once Vanderbilt does return to play, there is still no telling whether his debut comes with the Nuggets or in the G-League. Vanderbilt told the media on Tuesday that is still to be determined, but no matter where that is, it is finally safe to say that it will happen sooner rather than later.
If Vanderbilt does stay with the Nuggets, it might be tough for him to crack a spot in the rotation right away. With as good a season as the Nuggets are having, Vanderbilt might be better off starting in the G-League to allow him to get more playing time. Even though the Nuggets do not have a development team of their own, there is a strong chance Vanderbilt could join Brandon Goodwin and Thomas Welsh with the Iowa Wolves. Building that chemistry with two players already on the roster could be huge, not just for Vanderbilt, but for the Nuggets’ organization as a whole.