Portland Trail Blazers need a Little more Nassir
Before his injury, Portland Trail Blazers forward Nasir Little began to show the skill and effort it takes to succeed in the NBA.
The Portland Trail Blazers continue to tank the 2021-22 season in the hot pursuit of better draft picks. But, thinking about the future, one player already on the roster comes to mind, Nassir Little.
The one and done North Carolina Tar Heel product’s 6’5″ frame makes people think he’s built like a shooting guard. However, Little’s 7’2″ wingspan and bulky 220-pound frame have Blazers fans believing the team might already have their “small forward of the future” question already figured out.
Finding a bright spot (or two)
This season has been like watching a plane crash into a train on a sinking ship during a natural disaster. Injuries to star players coupled with a lack of motivation from some veterans left first-year Portland Head Coach Chauncey Billups doing his best MacGyver impersonation. He has to piece together a competitive, motivated team out of third-string players and G-League castoffs.
During that mad dash to get the team back to mediocrity, Portland found a pair of diamonds in the coal mine. One was combo guard Anfernee Simons, who by now has let the Portland Trail Blazers secret out of the bag. He looks to have a long, bright future in Rip City and is likely an eventual All-Star.
Despite stepping up his play this year, the other player who stood out didn’t receive as much praise. However, Portland’s 2019 first-round draft pick, Nassir Little, is a high-energy, athletic, burgeoning defensive stopper. The kind of player every NBA team needs.