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Brooklyn Nets center Jarrett Allen made his first few impressions in the league as a rookie in 2017-18 late in the season, but he soon saw himself flourish into a capable starter during this season. His teammates even expect him to break through as one of the best centers of the league in the near future.
Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie called Allen “a future top-five center” during a recent episode of ESPN’s “The Jump,” and Jared Dudley raved about the big man:
“I look at [Clint] Capela, and you can’t tell me Jarrett can’t be just as good if not better than Capela. I think his shot-blocking is already better than Capela right now,” teammate Jared Dudley told SLAM. “I think he’s more mobile and active than Rudy Gobert… I think the high is him being an All-Star player, averaging around 19-20 points, 10 rebounds, and about 3-4 blocks.”
Others like coach Kenny Atkinson have seen Allen quickly grasp the direction of the league, seeing progress with his jump shot after every practice:
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“I still insist that when I look at his shot and see him practice that he can stretch the floor eventually,” said Atkinson.
Allen managed a modest 10.9 points and 8.4 rebounds with 1.5 blocks per game this season in a share of 26.4 minutes per contest under Atkinson. Those numbers could surely extrapolate to what Dudley has in mind if playing around 35 minutes per night, like most starters do.
The 7-footer played 80 games this season and continues to impress with his work ethic under Atkinson's culture, one that could soon see him reach a $100 million future once his contract extension comes up.
