Just what do the Bulls have in McDermott?
Doug McDermott attended one of the Bulls' playoff games against Washington. It doesn't really matter which one, the Bulls lost all three.
Watching the game, McDermott had the same thought as every other spectator at the United Center: The Bulls need some scorers.
“It's crazy ironic that I happened to be at one of their games and now getting drafted by them,” McDermott said by phone from New York late Thursday night. “I knew watching that game that I was the perfect fit for them. I just feel like I could bring so much to the table.
“Obviously now with D-Rose back, I'll be able to play off him well because he draws so much attention. It's going to allow me to get some open shots.”
The Bulls targeted the high-scoring Creighton forward and traded up in the draft to get him, sending their 16th and 19th picks, along with a future second-rounder to Denver, which chose McDermott at No. 11.
The official McDermott introduction will happen Monday. Second-round pick Cameron Bairstow will also be there.
It's possible the Bulls could end up moving McDermott in a few weeks to make room for Anthony, but for now it appears this is a mutual fit.
The 6-foot-8 McDermott finished his college career as the No. 5 scorer in NCAA Division I history. Watching the highlights, his reputation as a scorer is well-deserved.
McDermott mastered just about every offensive skill in college. He knocked down spot-up 3-pointers, came off screens, shot off the dribble, posted up, scored off putbacks. He's worked on the Dirk Nowirzki one-legged fadeaway, which helps create room to shoot.
Some have compared McDermott to Wally Szczerbiak, but I think McDermott has more in his arsenal. Szczerbiak was thought to be a better athlete than advertised, but always had trouble creating his own shot in the NBA.
Will McDermott figure it out? Only time will tell, but versatility is a good start. And being a lights-out spot-up shooter isn't a bad result, either.
Another comparison is ex-Creighton, ex-Bulls sharpshooter Kyle Korver. Again, McDermott has a chance to be more of a versatile scorer than Korver, but we won't know until he's being guarded by NBA opponents.
“He was a great friend of mine and a great mentor for me,” McDermott said of Korver. “He loved Chicago. He loved it. He learned more defensively in his two years than he had in his whole career. He just said go in there with an open mind. Get better every day and listen to coach (Tom) Thibodeau and you're going to be just fine.”
The knocks on McDermott are he's not an explosive athlete and is a poor defender. Thibodeau created a top-notch defense with both Korver and Carlos Boozer on the floor, so he can work with anyone. And McDermott's vertical leap at the NBA predraft camp was a respectable 36½ inches.
McDermott said he got to know Thibodeau during a chat at the predraft camp. The nation's leading scorer was also on the U.S. Select squad that scrimmaged against Team USA candidates last summer. Thibodeau is now on the Team USA coaching staff, so he had a nice seat to watch McDermott in action.
“I think in the short time I was around him, he has a great work ethic and that's usually the first step,” Thibodeau said. “We think he'll pick things up quickly. He's a great fit for what we need.”
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