Scoot Henderson's growth in his second season is changing the course of the Portland Trail Blazers' rebuild. He's coming off of one of the best performances of his young career, recording 30 points on efficient shooting of 10-of-16 from the field and 4-of-4 from deep in their overtime loss to the Knicks.
Scoot has shown tremendous growth, easing several concerns that Blazers fans had after his rookie season. This season, he's averaging 13.0 points, 5.1 assists, and 3.0 rebounds. On the surface, his traditional stats are very similar to his rocky rookie season. They don't suggest he's having a breakout season, but he quietly is.
Blazers analytics insider Tom Haberstroh joined Kevin O'Connor on The Kevin O'Connor Show, where the two discussed Henderson's ascension. O'Connor asked Haberstroh what is different about Henderson's game now compared to the beginning of this season and last year, as it finally looks like he's turned a corner. The first thing Haberstroh highlights is Scoot's improved decision-making.
"No. 1, it's the decision making -- a lot better decisions. He's not trying to make the flashy play every single time down the floor, and I think being a 19-year-old in the NBA with that kind of hype... I think he wanted to prove he can play. You do the risky play, the flashy play to wow them, rather than the smart play. This year, he's doing a lot more smart play, and you're seeing a lot of improved efficiency numbers."
Scoot Henderson's improved shooting and decision-making prove he's ready for an increased role
He's improved aspects of his game that translate to playing more winning basketball by maximizing and optimizing possessions, which is precisely what you want out of your lead point guard.
For whatever reason, Portland hasn't been utilizing him as much as they did his rookie season, where Henderson was more of a focal point of the offense, averaging 28.5 minutes with a 26.5 percent usage rate.
This year, Henderson has only averaged 26.8 minutes this season and has a usage rate of 22.4 percent, which is behind every single guard in the pecking order -- Anfernee Simons, Shaedon Sharpe, and even Dalano Banton have all been utilized more in Portland's offense when on the court.
But he's making the most of his limited opportunities with improved efficiency. He's adjusting to the pace of the NBA and finally learning that he doesn't need to be at full throttle at all times on the court. By playing more within the flow of the game and not trying to make as many flashy plays, Scoot has limited his turnovers from 3.4 to 2.6 while maintaining similar assist numbers.
Part of the reason many prematurely gave Henderson a bust label was because his athleticism wasn't quite as elite as we expected. During his rookie season, Scoot couldn't effectively get into the paint and finish around the rim, but he also was a poor floor spacer, shooting just 32.5 percent from beyond the arc.
Now, Henderson's ability to shift gears and improve as a finisher has made him a threat to score in the paint. But the most significant leap has been as a three-point shooter.
"The second thing is, it's not just the decision making, it's the three-point shooting," Haberstroh said. "That right there is probably going to improve his game the most. When the defender has to go over the screen, and then he can attack the rim. And he was getting at the rim at will against the New York Knicks... Scoot Henderson is strong enough and has the right athleticism around the rim to take advantage."
He's already around league average at the point guard position, shooting 36.9 percent from deep this season. Since the start of 2025, he's been elite as a shooter, connecting on over 40 percent of his attempts. That's a substantial leap that has been the most essential aspect of Henderson's improved play since, as Haberstroh notes, it's unlocking all the other aspects of his game.
Henderson's second-year leap is easing concerns of him being a potential bust. It's also proving that he's more than capable of being Portland's answer as their long-term point guard. Henderson isn't only settling into his role with the Blazers -- he's proving he's ready for an increased one.