Malcolm Delaney is a rookie and hence not immune to the tasks often required of first-year NBA players.
Fetch food and drink. Transport equipment. Such are the charges often assigned by veteran players. Delaney recently had to carry Dwight Howard’s personal property to his car following a recent exhibition game.
It’s all good.
The 27-year-old Delaney is out to prove he belongs in the NBA. The Hawks signed the guard to a two-year contract after he spent the past five seasons perfecting his craft playing in Europe. Delaney recently started an exhibition game against the Spurs and went head-to-head with Tony Parker. Welcome to the show.
“The crazy part about this stuff is that it feels normal,” Delaney said. “For me, I have the attitude that I’m supposed to be here. As crazy as it sounds, I don’t get star-struck around NBA players. It’s normal to be around them. It’s interesting to play against guys like (Parker) and to test myself and see what I can do but I just like to go out there and play.”
Delaney will serve as the backup point guard for the Hawks, at least initially as Jarrett Jack returns from torn knee ligaments.
Through four exhibition games, Delaney is averaging 7.5 points per game. He has shot10 of 27 (.370) from the field and 2 of 5 from 3-point range. He has totaled nine rebounds, nine assists, two steals and four turnovers.
Twice Delaney has scored in double-figures in the four preseason games, including 13 in Thursday’s exhibition loss to the Pistons. At one point late in the first quarter, he scored eight straight Hawks points. He shot 5 of 9 from the field in the game, a welcome sight especially after he missed all seven shots in an exhibition win over the Cavaliers on Monday.
“We are really pleased with Malcolm’s play,” Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said. “Probably more pleased with his demeanor and his disposition. He has a maturity and a toughness to him that is good. He has fit in well. Technically, he’s a rookie to the NBA but he certainly doesn’t play like that or act like that.”
Before joining the Hawks, Delaney estimated he had been to only five NBA games in his life. He’s getting a first-hand look now and he tries to fit in.
Delaney went undrafted out of Virginia Tech even after being named First Team All-ACC in 2011 and 2012. He averaged 16.6 points, 4.0 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 34.5 minutes in his 136 career games for the Hokies. He left the school second all-time in assists (543) and third in points (2,255).
What can the Hawks expect from the tough-nosed guard?
“He is terrific reading screens, both coming off screens and reading screens,” said Seth Greenberg, ESPN analyst and former head coach at Virginia Tech. “He is really, really good. He’s got a really good feel for the game in terms of playing the right way. The ball is not going to get stuck. He’ll get a little dramatic coming off the ball screen. He set a record in the ACC for getting to the foul line. He’ll flat attack the hitch defender. He’s got a very high basketball I.Q. He sees plays early. He sees plays develop. He’s can play off the ball. He can read all five defenders coming off a ball screen.
“He is addicted to the game. He loves to be in the gym or in the lab or getting back to work, as he would say. And he has a chip. He wants to prove everyone wrong. He’s a good player. He’ll be part of the solution. People are going to like how he plays and how competitive he is. … All he did was win everywhere he was.”
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