LaMarcus Aldridge

LaMarcus Aldridge (SAS) – “LMA” | “L-Train”

Mahcus — (Erich Schlegel/USA TODAY Sports)

Profile:

Power Forward: 6’11, 240 lbs; 12th year, Texas

NBA Role: inside-out, offensive star • Hybrid

A veteran, All-Star power forward, LaMarcus Aldridge is (sort of) a bridge from Tim Duncan’s era to this new, reinvented version of Spurs basketball; LMA is a living example of your prototypical, “gimme a bucket” big – high-release, midrange jumper is impossible to defend, has stretches where he’s unguardable in the mid-post; 1000 ways to score: Aldridge is strong w/ his back to the rim, facing up & after screening for a guard (loves quick turnarounds/giving his man a couple jab steps before launching); has moved the ball better in SA but overall, LMA passes less than Stacy Patton* if he catches it in his spot; is he a #2 option on a championship team or is he a little further down the pecking order?** – Kawhi is the captain now, will he initiate more PnR action w/ Aldridge in 2018?

*Stacy Patton, portrayed by the late, great Malik Sealy in the 1996 cult classic ‘Eddie’, did not like giving up the ball

**#2 on the Spurs is diff. than being #2 on other teams since they’re so deep • Aldridge doesn’t need put up “make or break” scoring numbers every night

Signature Shot: one dribble, turnaround J