Retired NBA veteran JJ Redick recently raved about New York Knicks shooting guard Quentin Grimes’ work ethic during their offseason workouts together prior to Grimes producing his best performance from outside in the Knicks’ loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Knicks: Grimes Overcame Early Shooting Struggles For Big Night in Front of Mentor
Per Ian Begley of SNY, Redick had this to say about Grimes and where he sees his marksmanship and dedication taking him down the road:
“Really like him. He’s got a great spirit. Really outstanding work ethic,” Redick said of the third-year guard. “I think about a lot of young players that I’ve been around, especially towards the second half of my career and I tell people this all the time: You go into training camp, you go into preseason, you meet a rookie, you meet a second-year guy that’s coming in, looking for his place in the league. It’s very easy to figure out after two or three days what this person’s future looks like. Quentin has a very bright future in the NBA.”
Right after receiving said compliments, Grimes went out and connected on a season-high five three-pointers against the Bucks on 50 percent shooting from downtown.
His big night came at the right time as Grimes had shot 3-15 from deep in the Knicks’ previous three games. Grimes’ volume and efficiency had to have felt good, especially with Redick calling the game behind the announcers’ table.
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Redick’s Fundamentals Evident in Grimes’ Shooting Progression
Grimes spoke openly about Redick’s impact on his progression as a shooter and as a player at large during training camp. Redick was known during his playing days as a deadeye from three-point range. Few players in NBA history were better at shooting highly-contested shots off of screens and utilizing textbook form on spot-up opportunities, which has shown to rub off on Grimes early.
Through seven games, Grimes has taken 4.5 of his six three-point attempts off of catching-and-shooting, making good on 40.7 percent of those looks. He’s been one of the few Knicks players who have been mobile in half-court sets and variant in his approach to finding easy looks on the floor.
How Grimes’ Short and Long-Term Trajectory Looks From Early Season Sample Size
Though the Knicks lost to the Bucks and fell to 2-5 on the year, Grimes has momentum that he will carry over into New York’s upcoming stretch of games. A tough challenge against an elite Los Angeles Clippers perimeter defense will put Grimes to the test. After, he will have the chance to pile on from outside against the San Antonio Spurs and Charlotte Hornets who both allow opposing teams to shoot 38 percent or better from deep.
Redick sees Grimes evolving into a great player down the road. Grimes certainly has the confidence of himself and Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau, seeing an increase in three-point opportunities in every season as a pro.
He’ll need to add to his offensive game off the dribble to blossom as a scorer, but getting the nightly defensive assignment on opposing teams’ best players coupled with his marksmanship from outside are two ingredients that will lead to a long career in the league barring injury.
