This Is Our Team: Michael Redd
01 October 2008
He’s one of the most prolific scorers in the game, his reputation growing fiercer by the day. Has Team USA finally found its straight shooter?
They call him the Left Handed Assassin for a reason.
Over the last seven years, Michael Redd has become one of the league’s deadliest marksmen. His consistency, confidence and long-distance shooting skills made him an obvious pick for this year’s team. And now, with Kobe by his side, Redd could easily be the USA’s ticket to gold.
This year, the coaches have put some wisdom behind this 12-man roster. Every man on the boards will be a solution to a problem that proved fatal in 2004; and if there’s one thing for certain, it’s that for the last seven years, the US has been missing its sharpshooters.
And Redd’s out to prove himself the missing link. In the match-up with Puerto Rico during the 2007 FIBA Americas, he set the qualifying record for most three-pointers made in one game. He also set the record of most three-pointers made in the whole tournament – an astounding 28 shots – beating Penny Hardaway’s previous record of 22.
And he’s only getting better with time.
In each of Redd’s seven professional seasons, his scoring average has increased dramatically. He averaged 26.7 points per game last season, ranking him sixth among NBA scorers. This number was a jump from his 25.4 ppg in the previous season, and a huge leap from the 2.2 points he averaged in 2000-2001.
And in a league known for its divas in training, it’s rare to find an accomplished player who embraces the role of understudy. Despite being the NBA's sixth-leading scorer last season, Redd has gracefully accepted a supporting role to Kobe Bryant.
"I've been here before," Redd said, "having backed up Ray Allen my first couple of years in the NBA and coming off the bench expected to score immediately. That was my role five or six years ago, and this is back to that."
This year’s roster is brimming with big names, big skills, and a need for redemption. But it’ll be Michael Redd’s shooting – alongside Kobe and a new crop of elite shooters – that’ll pave the way to success this summer in Beijing.
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