There is no doubt that Darius Garland is one of the most important players for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
He is so important, in fact, that the team just agreed to a five-year, $193 million contract with him.
Garland has gotten better and better the longer he’s been in the league.
He has actually gotten so good that people forget there was a time when some analysts considered him one of the worst rookies in the league.
🤣🤣🤣🤣 https://t.co/c33xp9koS8
— Lamar Stevens (@LamarStevens11) July 2, 2022
It’s true, back in his rookie year, Garland was considered the worst rookie based on basketball analytics.
Following the news of his new contract, Garland reminisced about his past, tweeting out, “Worst Player To …”
His fellow teammate, Lamar Stevens, retweeted and laughed at Garland’s message, surely showing his support to his buddy.
Sure enough, Garland has come a long way – but he’s not even close to being done yet.
Garland’s Growth
In his first season, Garland was averaging 12.3 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 3.9 assists a game.
All of those numbers have increased greatly over three seasons and he now sits at 21.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 8.6 assists a game.
But his growth is about more than his stat line: Garland has come into his own as a superstar, running the offense and commanding his team and having a stronger presence on the floor.
Because of this, he became an All-Star for the first time last season and he has garnered legions of fans throughout the league.
The Cavs are obviously impressed and they want to stay in the Garland business for at least the next few years.
Who knows how much more he can grow and improve in upcoming seasons?
Garland is proof that no matter how someone starts in the league, they can always get much better.
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