Since he was picked up by the Atlanta Hawks on Aug 9th, Luke Babbitt has made it a personal goal of his to break into the starting lineup and deliver results. So far, he has seen some fortunate playing time and has certainly capitalized on it.
Playing on a 1-year contract for a measly $1.4 million, Babbitt sees this year as one that will shape how the rest of his career plays out. He had a solid year for the Miami Heat in the previous season, and now he is continuing his resurgence by demonstrating his ability for the Hawks.
His first 5 appearances for the Hawks left fans wanting more. We all know that when he gets in his groove he can be absolutely deadly from beyond the arc, but it took several games for him to be able to show that for the Hawks faithful. Since the start of November, Babbitt has definitely grown into his role.
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As of Nov 1st, Babbitt has averaged 29.8 minutes per game and 13.5 points on 67% shooting from three. These numbers have been nothing short of spectacular for what Coach Bud wants from his stretch 4, and should he be able to continue it, Babbitt could see a climb in the ranks relative to Mike Muscala and Ersan Ilyasova.
A 6’9” power forward who shoots lights out from three; a dream for the implementation of Bud-ball. He has put in heroic performances against the 76ers, Rockets, Cavaliers, and Celtics – three of those will be eyeing up the NBA championship this year. Not bad for a veteran on a 1-year contract playing for a team that’s “tanking”.
Entering the NBA back in 2010 as the 16th pick in the Draft, Babbitt has had a long journey to where he is today and the opportunity to show that the past 7 years have not been stagnant. His growth as a player and should he continue this solid run of form that he is on, there is no doubt that either the Hawks or another NBA franchise will gladly welcome Babbitt into their ranks.
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He will feature again tomorrow night against the Detroit Pistons and Coach Bud will hope that his hot hand is still ready to catch and shoot as he will be an important piece to the Hawks’ contention in the game.