Building on last week's deep dive on freshman Tyler Johnson, today we check in on Tobi Lawal. The junior transfer from VCU has been quite visible of late, including a game-high 17 points and 13 rebounds in a big win at Florida State on Wednesday.
The tale of Lawal has been told often, but he took to basketball late, is a freak athlete in any company that he keeps, and has a chance to leave a serious mark in Virginia Tech lore if he continues his trajectory.
Understanding that Coach Mike Young's system requires discipline and role clarity, it's is understandable that the growth curve might take time, especially for a late bloomer like Lawal. He has been a contributor since day one, but as we dig into his recent stats versus his output earlier this season, the seeds of improvement are quite encouraging.
In the first 12 games of the season, Lawal averaged 10.7 points and 5.8 rebounds while playing about 24 minutes per game. In the nine games since, he's up to 15.6 points and 8.0 rebounds in 27.7 minutes per game (source: Hokiesports.com). That's a solid uptick in the most visible statistics and is worthy of celebration.
But let's look at some other intriguing numbers about his production that show his growing comfort and confidence. Check out his assists and turnovers:
Assists | Turnovers | A:TO | |
|---|---|---|---|
First 12 G | 5 | 26 | 0.2 |
Last 9 G | 12 | 19 | 0.6 |
His numbers early in the season were downright putrid. And while his 0.6 assist/turnover ratio doesn't conjure memories of Keve Aluma (1.1 at Tech) or Justyn Mutts (1.3), it's markedly better of late. It's also better than the 0.2 ratio he carried during his stint at VCU. If he can even approach a 1:1 ratio, it will be a huge lift to the offense.
Another area that is eye-popping is his production from the three-point line. After three makes in seven attempts in two years at VCU, we now see him frequently behind the arc:
3PT M | 3PT A | 3PT % | |
|---|---|---|---|
First 12 G | 6 | 17 | .353 |
Last 9 G | 12 | 23 | .522 |
Mike Young actually mentioned the other day that he was now drawing up plays for Lawal to be a primary three-point shooter, something that he would have scoffed at just a couple of months ago. If Lawal, who is already explosive around the rim, remains a legitimate threat from long range, it opens things up considerably for both him and the offense.
Tobi Lawal is one of the most dynamic athletic talents to run the hardwood in Cassell Coliseum in quite some time. His encouraging growth in a short amount of time is a testament to Young's coaching ability and something to really build on for the balance of this year and next.