Don't Forget About Igor Milicic Jr.

With an offense that can unlock a new level in his shooting, Igor Milicic Jr. is poised for a big year with Tennessee.

Igor Milicic Jr. is heading to Tennessee after two successful years in Charlotte. For Milicic, this is the opportunity to prove he can perform at a higher level, since the Virginia experience in his freshman year didn’t go as planned. At 6’10, he’s heading over to one of the best offenses in the country and will be hopeful that they can unlock something more in his game after heading to the NBA draft - something he experimented with this past summer before signing with the Vols.

With his size, Milicic impresses with the fluidity and range in his game. He was in the top 15% in points per possession on spot ups in the country last year, but will be introduced to a much more dynamic offense which ranked in the 98th percentile on off screen shots attempted (all stats provided by Synergy). And that is something that surely held some weight when the time came for Milicic to transfer, as a way to become a more versatile shooter.

These are some of the sets Tennessee ran last year, especially for Dalton Knecht - don’t start comparing - which included off screen 3s but also 2s, something Milicic has done in the past but something that is far from his bread and butter. There’s a difference of 108 possessions that ended in spot ups compared to off screen shots for the Polish forward. Not saying that he won’t have his opportunities on catch and shoots, but more things will be asked of him.

Looking at what Milicic was able to provide in terms of movement shooting last season, two things seem certain: there’s potential there and a ton of work to do still. In the first play, there’s clear discomfort in his approach to the catch and his release. See how he looks like he’s going to use his left foot as pivot but changes that at the last second, slowing down his move. This results in him losing some time, even if just a few milliseconds, which takes him off his rhythm, something noticeable in his seemingly hurried release. In the second clip, he looks much more comfortable coming to the ball and establishing his feet, with a release that looks much closer to his usual one.

The third clip brings us a micro skill that can be useful for him as a movement shooting wing. At his size and ability to play from the post, teams can’t just hide a smaller wing to run after him. They’ll have to go with a bigger wing and this ability he has of stopping and changing directions quickly might come in handy and earn him precious seconds. Notice how he prepares his arrival at the three-point line early in the fourth clip, turning his body to the ball and initiating the food positioning early. There’s avenues to work on that process becoming even quicker, but that is just a great sign for him.

The fifth clip is such a great example of the things he has to become consistent at. Comes off the screen, pump fakes while positioning himself and quick dribble-to-shot motion to finish before the defender can react. This play showcases Milicic’s fluidity, agility and body control, things that make him a prime candidate to become a movement shooter.

Now, comparing what we just watched to his shooting off the catch, it’s possible to take away some markers that can both help him improve but also show what he can do already. In the first clip, it’s the quickness of his release with an already set body. It’s not easy to become a movement shooter with the same amount of comfort as he shows off the catch.

The second clip brings us more of what he can do in tight spaces and with his body going in the opposite direction of the basket. Quick transition from catch to shot with little contact on the floor (earns him time). In the third clip, notice again the quickness of his motion, the small dip after the catch. These are things that he can transfer from his spot up shots to his off screen shots and that could help him in that regard.

To finalize, not every screening action for Igor Milicic Jr. will end up in a three. So it’s important to know how to read defenses, how to put the ball on the floor and make the most out of his shooting to help him in other areas. These are just some examples of how he can use shot and pump fakes, jab steps and other tricks, especially with his shooting acumen, to get defenders to bite and attack them. And from there, the unusual ability to finish in the most varied ways, from eurosteps to fadeaways, floaters or spins.

Igor Milicic Jr. is poised to have a big year at Tennessee after seeing consistent growth in his past three seasons in the NCAA. At 6’10, his mobility and shooting prowess is highly unusual and NBA scouts are monitoring him. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him being picked in the first round next June, because if the Vols can help him unlock the movement shooting part of his game like we see how possible it is, they can turn a 37.6% outside shooter on good volume into a whole different offensive weapon that every team in the league would like to have.