The positivity surrounding Wenyen Gabriel when he first arrived made me laugh at first; with cutting costs being the main reason for the Trevor Ariza trade, it seemed like fans were trying to make the best out of an underwhelming situation.
However, I then dove into some Gabriel footage, and was pleasantly surprised with what I saw. At first glance, the power forward, who was born in South Sudan, seemed to have plenty of potential, and I was even more shocked to learn he went undrafted in 2018.
In his time in Portland, Gabriel has quietly impressed. He’s got good size (6-9, 220lbs), a great wingspan (7-1), and has shown off some superb athleticism. My favorite thing about Gabriel are his defensive instincts, which he’s already proven on national TV, when he swatted Javale McGee in his first start for the Blazers.
Rewatching Blazers - Lakers
— Kaan Erel (@iKaanic) February 1, 2020
Wenyen Gabriel with a nasty block on Javale. He started teh game out really working on the defensive end to start the game. pic.twitter.com/eaIDJ8RN7Q
Gabriel also seems to have some potential on the offensive end too. He’s only played in 22 NBA games, so the sample size is small, but he had 12 points vs the Pelicans just before the All-Star break, shooting 5-7 from the field and hitting a three-pointer as well.
His G-League stats have more to dive in to, and they are positive. In his time with the Stockton Kings, Gabriel has averaged 11.4 points, 7 rebounds, 1.1 blocks, and shot 38 percent from deep. In the 19/20 season with the Kings, Gabriel’s stats have shot up, averaging 19.3 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.9 blocks in 7 games with the G-League side.
His solid three-point shooting and scoring in the G-League, coupled with his immense athleticism and defensive instincts, are all good reasons to put some faith in Gabriel. I think he deserves a shot next season, and could turn into a great slasher off the bench for the Blazers. The upside is there, and I think it’d be a smart risk to take.