Home Columns Donta Hall: Why the Brooklyn Nets center deserves a full NBA opportunity

Donta Hall: Why the Brooklyn Nets center deserves a full NBA opportunity

Photo: Kamil Krzaczynski/NBAE via Getty Images

With the Brooklyn Nets featuring a depleted roster going into the NBA restart in Orlando, the team looked to the NBA’s official minor league to fill in the gaps. One of the players called up was 22-year-old center, Donta Hall, who impressed during the 2019-20 G League campaign.

In 38 games, Hall averaged 15.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 1.4 blocks, for the Grand Rapids Drive. On 66.2% shooting from the field. He earned G League All-Rookie Team and All-NBA G League Second Team honors.

Donta Hall's Best Plays of The 2019-20 NBA G League Season

Hall’s Impressive G League Numbers and Nets Opportunity:

When scanning through the G League season leaders lists, it’s hard to miss Hall’s name. He sat 3rd in the entire league in total rebounds (403). Whilst placing 2nd in offensive rebounds and 5th in defensive rebounds, with 157 and 246, respectively. His 66.9% field goal percentage was the 5th-best in the league, as was his player efficiency rating (25.5).

That’s not all. The 6-foot-9 rookie took the top spot for offensive rating (134.1) and sat 4th in defensive rating (103.6).

On February 22, 2020, Hall was promoted to the Drive’s parent team, the Detroit Pistons. He was on a 10-day contract, which was extended by a further 10 days on March 3. However, he was not retained beyond that. For the Pistons, Hall featured in 4 games, averaging 1.5 points and 3.8 rebounds in 12 minutes per contest.

Hall appears to be one of many players that sits between both leagues. His performances in the G League show that he is elite at that level, but he hasn’t had much of an NBA opportunity yet. Although, his ability to dominate the paint at an undersized 6-foot-9 is impressive. He is mobile and can run the floor very well. His efficient production on the scoring, rebounding, and defensive fronts could very well translate over to the NBA with a number of teams.

In Orlando with the Nets, Hall has been putting his case forward, in limited minutes. He had 8 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 block in his debut with Brooklyn, on 3-3 shooting. In his second game, against the high-flying Bucks, he had 4 points (50% FG), 9 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 1 steal. He also had 11 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist against the Celtics. Again, on 100% shooting. However, he didn’t feature in the Nets’ last game against the Kings.

There are more flashy players out there, no doubt. But Hall does all of the little things that can swing a game in his team’s favor. In terms of a player that will provide that old fashioned grit and determination around the rim, Hall certainly ticks all the boxes. So much that he recently locked horns with reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo when the Nets and Bucks faced off. At just 22-years-old, there’s time for his game to develop further too.

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