2. Finishing in the paint
Henderson's strength is using his ballhandling skills and quick first step to get by his defender and attack the paint; it's primarily what made him a top prospect in the 2023 NBA Draft. That aspect of his game should continue to improve, too, as he becomes more of a three-point shooting threat, opening up the floor more.
Scoot is excellent at creating what should be high percentage looks for himself at the rim, but he needs to improve his finishing ability to capitalize on these opportunities. Here is a breakdown of Henderson's attempts in the paint:
- Less than five feet: 46.4%
- 5-9 feet: 28.4%
- 10-14 feet: 40.4%
Between these three combined distances, Henderson averaged three makes on 7.1 attempts per game (42.2 percent).
Scoot will need to figure out how to improve his finishing in the coming seasons. The paint may be even more crowded next year after the Blazers moved one of their best shooters, Malcolm Brogdon, and drafted UConn big man Donovan Clingan, making a total of four centers currently on their roster.
Henderson has all the physical tools to be that Derrick Rose point guard archetype, which is encouraging for his All-Star potential. But he has a long way to go in terms of finishing and fully taking advantage of his elite athleticism.