Why Brad Stevens thinks Semi Ojeleye will be 'One of the better defenders around'

http://celticswire.com/2017/10/31/celtics-film-study-why-brad-stevens-thinks-semi-ojeleye-will-be-one-of-the-better-defenders-around/



Celtics Film Study: Why Brad Stevens thinks Semi Ojeleye will be 'One of the better defenders around'









By: Jared Weiss | 2 hours ago


Semi Ojeleye is a gifted defender.


Lauded for his gratuitous combat muscle, revered for his reaction speed, Ojeleye has all the tools one could throw into a fantastical wing defender. Semi assuages adulation for his capabilities as a testament to God, but nobody envisions the endless possibilities for the rookie quite like his coach Brad Stevens.


“I think Semi’s got a chance to be one of the better defenders around,” Stevens said. “He’ll get more comfortable with where his spots are offensively, too. It was good to see him make that corner three, there.”


Stevens sees offensive production at this inceptive point of his career as icing on a deeply layered and smothering cake. Ojeleye is holding onto a spot in the rotation by being able to both serve as a targetitng defender against troubling matchups — Rudy Gay routinely terrorized the Celtics throughout his career — while still thriving in the defensive system. The versatility helped Boston claim the best defensive rating in the league after their win over the Spurs.


“[He] got a couple of effort baskets, got to the foul line, but I thought the reason he’s in the game right now is to match up against Rudy Gay, and then to switch if we want to switch,” Stevens said. 




“And we knew that coming in, that he was going to have that ability. I think his lateral ability is just so impressive for a guy his size.”


That combination is what allows him to lock down guys like Gay, who did plenty of damage in other Celtics matchups on the evening. But against Ojeleye, Gay was perfectly defended on all three shot attempts.


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[ltr]Asked Semi about smothering Gay here: "He’s a strong right driver, so I try to shade that side...You just try to be instinctual out there."[/ltr]










9:29 PM - Oct 30, 2017

The stand out play from Semi came in the late third quarter, when Gay tried to hit him with a pair of crossovers to find a step back with the shot clock winding down. Ojeleye took the shoulder to the chest and stayed perfectly balanced in his stance.
Gay hit him with a second crossover as Ojeleye opened his stance to the sideline, but Semi was able to plant his back foot and launch into a tight contest.




He clanked off the front rim. Celtics Wire asked Ojeleye after the game to walk through that play and how he read Gay.




“He’s a strong right driver, so I try to shade that side,” Ojeleye said. “But, like I said, guys in this league can go both ways. So if you try to cheat one way, they’ll go the other. So, you just try to be instinctual out there and see what you can do.”




Ojeleye is one of the rare brute defenders that can stay in front of a speed dribbler while being quick enough to react to quick pull-ups. He shuffles his feet quickly and stays wide and low in his stance, allowing him great balance to make quick moves and stay centered. Even when Gay sets him up to open his hips the wrong direction and free up space for a pull-up, Ojeleye quickly closes the gap and forces an ugly miss.




https://streamable.com/yyknu




Ojeleye has to get used to contesting with his off-hand when caught out of position like this, something most players learn in their second or third year. But he makes up for those subtle nuances he has yet to add to his game — two weeks into his career — with persistent footwork and   surprisingly mature court awareness.




“Semi’s defense is great,” Horford said. “He really moves his feet real well, he has a good sense defensively, and he knocked down a three late for us that kind of officially kind of opened the game up, so it was nice to see him get some good minutes tonight.”
Horford and Ojeleye worked well together from the start. Coming down in transition, most rookies would see their man handling the ball up the middle and try to stop him high. Most of the time, Horford would be the one putting the kids in their place. But late in the first quarter, Semi took the reigns.


https://streamable.com/zzg30


Ojeleye initially positions in the middle to take on Gay. But he knows the Spurs will run wings down both flanks and checks his blind side. Seeing Patty Mills streaking toward the elbow to catch a drive and kick from Gay, Ojeleye calls Horford onto Gay and then zones perfectly off of Mills, allowing him to jump the lane on Gay and force Rudy into a jump stop. This allows Horford to stay with Gay and force an easy miss.


“The guys take ownership, but we just have to keep communicating, keep talking and our guys are doing that,” Horford said. “The more comfortable they will get, the better they will be.”




Ironically, the one time Gay scored over Ojeleye was when he literally played into Semi’s strength. Posting Ojeleye on the block, Semi stays completely gluyed to Gay as he goes into his signature turnaround fadeaway.


Even as Ojeleye follows the ball all the way and leaves his hand up just short of the leather dimples poking out of the ball, Gay somehow buries the shot. It was a perfect contest, but good offense something something, as Mark Jackson always says.


“I just try to watch film, try to prepare and these are great guys,” Ojeleye said. “I’m not going to be able to stop them every time, but you do what you can.”




He can do a lot and he has done plenty so far. He has for the most part been in a revolving depth chart with Abdel Nader so far, but his defensive utility on this level may eventually separate him into a rotation mainstay this season.




When asked which player in the NBA he emulates as a defender, Ojeleye lifts his head and looks across the room, to the locker with a man in a number 36 jersey getting ready to head home.




“Marcus [Smart] for sure. His toughness, he makes plays, he makes big shots.




“That’s a guy you want to be on the court.”





bob
MY NOTE:  And this is why he is ahead of Yabby on the depth chart, Semi plays defense like his career hangs on it.



.

bob,

Your point about Ojeleye being "ahead" of Yabasele is actually quite an understatement.  He is truly miles and miles and even more miles ahead of him that they are not even comparable at this point in time. While Ojeleye is making plays against first string NBA guys already, Yabasele looked like large, stationary road cone last night when one of the Spurs scrubs blew past him for a far too easy layup towards the end of the game.

I do not think that it is about physical ability either, but much more about having a much fuller understanding of basketball.  Yabasele is big, strong and physical (just like Ojeleye) but is far behind probably due to his levels of play over the last few years and the lesser coaching he has (has not) received.

The difference in their defensive abilities is probably going to make Yabasele a possible trade chip when Ainge decides to fill the two empty roster spots while Ojeleye continues to earn more and more rotational minutes.

If Ojeleye can make 3pt shots then he will be a part of the future.
So far his defense is good.

But I think when Morris returns, Semi will get less playing time.