Sam Merrill: A Shooting Star [OC]

# Just a Kid from Utah

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Sam Merrill 6’4 205 was born on May 15, 1996 and grew up in Bountiful, Utah.

In HS Sam would win a **state title** as a senior carrying 1st team all-state honors, despite being recruited by **Stanford** and **Princeton** Sam chose to stay home and attend Utah State University.

* After a two year mission, he immediately got 26 mpg as a freshman.

Over the next three years Sam would grow into the offensive leader of the team,

* MWC tournament MVP ([watch him hit this buzzer beater to win it](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShC02_e8UbM))

* two NCAA tournament bids (Senior year canceled due to Covid)

Sam would get drafted with the last pick of the 2020 draft and eventually win an **NBA championship** with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Sam ends up back in the draft, going **first overall in the G League draft (Cleveland Charge)**.

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# Practice, we talking about Shooting during Practice?

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Sometimes shooting doesn’t translate, maybe the problem is an odd release that NBA level defense exposes (Lonzo Ball), sometimes NBA level defense exposes a lack of athleticism (Jimmer Fredette)

I think, a lot more than we know, it’s mental

* Dwight Howard famously [shot free throws around 80% at practice](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1554442-dwight-howard-makes-82-of-free-throws-during-meaningless-moments-of-practice#:~:text=Dwight%20Howard%20Makes%2082%20Percent%20of%20Free%20Throws%20During%20Practice,-Gabe%20Zaldivar%40gabezal&text=Dwight%20Howard%20is%20a%20competent,the%20charity%20stripe%20during%20practice.) for the Lakers but in the 50s during games.

* Sasha Vujačić earned the respect of Kobe Bryant and received the nickname ‘the machine’ for his practice shooting, his career 3pt% is 3 points higher than Isaac Okoro’s

* Every team has miles of these names, just for the Cavs we have **Jason Kapono**, **Trajan Langdon**, **Sergey Karasev**, **Dylan Windler**…etc. All were lauded for their shooting and none of them could shoot in game well enough to stick in the league

This season, Sam has been able to carry his shooting into the league

Maybe it was winning the Summer League Championship

Maybe it’s comfort in his deal being guaranteed

But if I had to bet, it’s the confidence the rest of the team has in him…esp Donovan Mitchell.

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# How Donovan Mitchell is fueling and benefiting from this breakout

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Donovan Mitchell is averaging a career high assists this year

He’s learning how to get the most from his team by involving them early on and Sam has been his new favorite toy

* We have been KILLING teams with pick and pop action, [Mitchell is spamming it](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6q44E4_dpM&t=40s), teams are having a really hard time splitting attention from Sam’s shooting and Mitchell’s iso ability

* [Donovan is driving and kicking to Sam on the perimeter](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrZCv9EoSjc&t=90s)

* No more 3 man ‘zones’ when Mitchell has the ball at the top of the key, the wings have to stay attached to Sam

* Donovan orchestrating the offense over the past few weeks has been as much fun to watch as Sam’s breakout

* It’s fun to see little things like [Donovan’s fist pump before Merrill even shoots](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6q44E4_dpM&t=56s), as he defers to what the defense is giving him and making the right read

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# Ceiling for this run by Sam?

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* Best catch and shoot guy in the league? [AC thinks so](https://twitter.com/MrCavalier34/status/1749599376014532641)

* Donovan’s trying to get [Sam in the 3pt contest](https://twitter.com/spidadmitchell/status/1749089263285580103)

* Sam is taking and making really tough shots, guys like this are pretty rare, if he can be consistent he’s a Korver like influence on an offense and a ceiling raiser for the entire team

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# Projections moving forward

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Easy to like Sam right now, he’s on a tear shooting the ball, he can’t stay this hot, right?

How do you slow him down? We are even [running inbound plays](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6q44E4_dpM) for him to get open 3’s, he’s not a standstill shooter

Sam is a capable passer when the defense overplays him, he’s had games of 6, 6, and 5 assists in the past 10 games.

I see him getting (when everyone is back and healthy) playing 25-8 mpg and averaging **14/3/2 on 45/40/89**

The mormon mamba is going to be one of the more fun storylines to follow the rest of this season

by Abiv23