By: Nick Kapetan (@KapN93)
Get your umbrellas ready Chicago because starting next season, it is going to be raining threes at the United Center.
In a somewhat surprising move Thursday night, the Chicago Bulls acquired former Creighton rainmaker Doug McDermott. Dougie McBuckets, as he is affectionately called, is a perfect fit for the shooting deprived Bulls. He has not played a single minute in the NBA, but he is already my new favorite player in the entire league because he represents everything that the league is not.
When I was a child, my second favorite sport behind baseball was basketball. Growing up as a stereotypical chunky white kid, I was the definition of a hustle player. At least, I thought I was a hustle player. Instead of wooing my team, opponents, cheerleaders, and my family with any sort of shooting, dribbling, or leaping ability, I would just dive on the ground and pretend like I was giving it my all. Truth is, this is still my game plan whenever I step onto a basketball court.
The reason for the in-depth look into my childhood is to show that I actually enjoyed playing the game of basketball. I would get amped up to put on a basketball jersey, play two minutes, and then have my traditional post game snack of M&Ms. I also loved watching the sport, until recently.
Now, the NBA is unwatchable at times. Superstars leave the teams that draft them in order to form super teams blah blah blah. The NBA is a me-first league where players rather leave college early, not get an education and then complain about how they should have been payed in college or how they are broke after their "illustrious" career is over.
I pray every night for three things: that my family is healthy, that Buffalo Wild Wings never goes out of business, and that there is a non-stereotypical player that enters the NBA, let alone plays for my favorite team, that can excite me enough to want to watch the majority of the 82 regular season games. Dougie McBuckets is that guy.
When I say non-stereotypical I know the first thing that comes to mind when you look at McBuckets: his haircut. Okay okay it is the color of his skin. It would take a blind person to realize that the majority of the NBA is made up of African American players. White guys are considered "role players" or "shooters" whose role on a championship team is the same as Michael Beasley. My excitement over McBuckets has nothing to do with the fact that he instantly becomes the guy that looks the most like me in the league. It comes from how he conducts himself on the court and off the court.
On the court there is no denying the guy can shoot. He finally gives the Bulls a shooting threat that will attract attention away from Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah. His 45.8 career three point percentage in college is amazing to say the least. Unlike guys like Mike Dunleavy, McBuckets is built to also be a force down low. His ability to not be a one dimensional player will lead to enormous success on the court.
Off the court, McBuckets does and did everything your average NBA player does not and did not do. McBuckets went back to school, not just because it would help his draft stock, but because he wanted to get an education. He does not look for the spotlight, even if it will eventually find him. Instead of throwing his teammates underneath the bus after Creighton's early exit in the NCAA tournament this past season, he blamed himself and said that he was disappointed that he couldn't do more. How many NBA players say that and actually mean it?
There is no doubt in anyone's mind that the Bulls got better by acquiring McBuckets. The contributions he will bring to Chicago will be felt on the floor and off it. There has not been this much excitement surrounding a first round pickup by Chicago since their hometown hero was selected with the number one overall pick years ago. McBuckets will never win an MVP award but he doesn't have to. All he has to do is excite Bulls fans with what he brings to the table.
It says that it will take a few weeks for my McBuckets Bulls jersey to arrive in the mail. I can wait.
Agree or disagree with Kap's take on McBuckets? Leave a comment below the link.
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