Ronnie Brewer: NBA’s Best Kept Secret

Posted by David J Smith on October 16, 2009

Do you ever get tired of hearing how underrated a particular player is?  It seems that some NBA’ers get branded with the ever-coveted title of underrated over and over again, that pretty soon they become overrated …or maybe just “rated!”

Well, Jazz Nation, let me share a bold statement with you…Ronnie Brewer is the most underrated player in the NBA.

There…I said it.  Chances are, every time the Jazz appear on national television, commentators like Mike Tirico, Hubie Brown, and Mark Jackson will talk about how underrated Ronnie is.  How everyone seems to overlook him.  How every opponent focuses so much on Williams, Boozer, and Okur that he flies under the radar.  We’ll probably hear these comments constantly (as well as the standard fare about his arm injury and awkward release).  Well, that’s okay, seeing as it is all true.  Ronnie is truly underrated.

Let’s analyze his game, starting with the obvious.  Ronnie could very well be the most athletic player to ever play in Utah.  He jumps effortlessly and he regularly brings the ESA crowd (and fans at home) off their seats several times a game with his acrobatic jams.  When it’s all said and done, he could be the most prolific dunker in Jazz history.  This is easily the most visible facet of his game and one that makes him a Utah fan favorite.

But there is so much more to Ronnie Brewer.

He is one of the best finishers in the game, evidenced by his high field goal percentage.  He is among the very best for shooting guards.  Few are as adept moving without the ball as Ronnie B.  Learning from the master, Matt Harpring, Brewer is running nonstop and is often the recipient of easy lay-ups and open dunks.  He can complete tough plays in traffic and against bigger players, drawing a lot of fouls.  And we all know that he runs the court like a gazelle and is one of D-Will’s favorite targets on the fast break.

He brings an all-around game to the table each and every night.  He is a solid rebounder for his position, something that could improve if he ends up playing more small forward this season.  Ronnie is a very crafty passer too who helps keep Jerry’s offense humming.  He’s much improved as a ball handler, thus helping relieve some of Deron’s burden in running the team.

A brilliant ball hawk, he has all the tools to be one of the league’s premier perimeter defenders.  He is incredibly agile and reads the passing lanes extremely well.  267 steals over two seasons tells the tale.  Ronnie plays solid position defense and takes his fair share of charges.  He could stand to be more physical, bodying up to his counterparts.  For a team that needs to find its defensive identity, Ronnie can be the leader on that front.

There are definitely some glaring deficiencies.  He certainly has room to improve with his shooting, both with his midrange jumpers and the long ball.  He has improved, but defenders still back off, daring him to shoot.  He also needs to be a better free throw shooter, especially as he gets to the line frequently.

One of the most telling things about Ronnie is the way he’s improved each and every season.  Great players always took strides from season to season, including Stockton and Malone.  Let’s check Brewer’s numbers for proof:

Year                       PTS         FG%       FTA        REB        AST        STL         BLK

2006-07                4.6          .528        1.5          1.4          0.4          0.66        0.11

2007-08                12.0        .558        3.4          2.9          1.8          1.70        0.25

2008-09                13.7        .508        4.3          3.7          2.2          1.70        0.37

Given the early season injuries to C.J. Miles, Matt Harpring, and Kyle Korver, what’s preventing Brewer from playing even more minutes and taking another leap forward?  He can be a key to Utah’s success this season and is a player who can and should be a cornerstone.  All in all, he’s a combination of athleticism, defensive tenacity, and high value scoring.  He’s a keeper (meaning, let’s try and get this extension done, if possible!).

Much of the preaseason scuttlebutt has revolved around Andrei’s bulk (and loss of the spiky hair), C.J.’s offseason training, Price’s chance to shine, and Millsap’s evolution into an All-Star caliber power forward.  So, Ronnie’s even been overshadowed within the Jazz camp.

That just goes to prove that Ronnie really is the NBA’s most underrated player…at least for now!

Feel free to share your thoughts on Ronnie or players you feel are underrated around the league.  Anyone more so than our man Brewer?

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7 Comments

tman11 on October 16, 2009 said:

I agree with ya on this, I mean if Ronnie had an outside shot to me he would be compareable to guys like Kobe Labron or a Roy. He is a stud the kid plays defence just as good as any one and, he is a high light reel every time he is on the court. This guy should have got Paul Milsaps contract this year because he is the better out of the two. I’m not sure if we signed Roniie on a long term deal yet but, i hope we did because behind Dwill and Boozer he is the enxt best player we have

montgump on October 16, 2009 said:

We gotta hang on to this guy. He isn’t even close to reaching his potential. Ronnie B. is the man. So is Ronnie P.

Linda on October 17, 2009 said:

Good blog and I certainly agree.

J R Stewart on October 17, 2009 said:

Ronnie just needs to body up and shoot with confidence.

With the changing economic climate, I can’t see the sense of extensions, when the player will be a restricted free agent anyway. The worst thing that can happen is to match an offer. It might cost you a little more, like Millsap, but could be a disaster like the costly extension to The SHOOTING Guard, errr, Cap’in Jack.

I did like the Memo extension, because he had a stable mentality, wasn’t overpriced, really wanted to be here and has unique skills.

Jazzaholic

canadajazz on October 19, 2009 said:

Ron Brewer continues to be one of my favourite NBA players – all the things stated are true and more. I think Brewer leads the Jazz in exciting plays per game – steals and jams in particular.
It will be interesting how things play out this season, with Price moving to starting SG and Brewer at Small Forward. I think it could be a great lineup, especially from a defensive point of view.

blinder on October 19, 2009 said:

I have always felt, especially since the Jazz took Ronnie after an “interview” and not even a try-out, that they saw RB as an investment in the future. Coming in to this league one thing was sure, RB was very “coachable.” He has listened to Sloan, not easy for a college stud sitting on the bench his first year, and has improved every year. I also think his best is yet to come and we haven’t seen the half of it, yet. He bulked up his second year and it seemed to instill more confidence in his defense. Last year he took it a step further. I look forward every year to see the improvement in this kid. The one thing I have noticed is that when he focuses on his defense, his free throw percentage might drop a little, and likewise, if he spends time working on his shot, his defense slows a bit. It will all come together at the same time soon and I just hope he is with the Jazz when it does.

Super Dude on October 21, 2009 said:

Definately Agreed. Ronnie Brewer is my favorite player in the NBA to watch. He is so athletic that he makes some out right ridiculous plays and it brings excitement to the game. He is my favorite Jazz player.

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