Hassan Whiteside on elevated production: 'Don't mean nothing if you don't win'
Hassan Whiteside's renaissance has been incredibly fun and entertaining, capturing the NBA's attention like no breakout since Jeremy Lin.
Unbelievable as Whiteside's been, his production has not coincided with a strong stretch of play for the Miami Heat, something that seems to be blocking at least a little bit of his shine. In his eyes, anyway.
"It's tough," Whiteside said after dropping 24 points and grabbing 20 rebounds in a loss Wednesday. "It's tough that we lost like that. I mean, having 20 and 20, it looks good, but if we lose, it really doesn't mean anything. It's records and all, but it's really nothing. It really don't mean nothing if you don't win."
Whiteside isn't pumping his own tires when referring to the rarefied air his performances have put him in. With only 442 minutes on the season, Whiteside doesn't yet qualify for any leaderboards. If he did, his offensive productivity, rebounding and shot blocking would all be historic.
| White(side) Hot Heat | Value | 2014-15 Rank | All-Time Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pts/36 | 18.4 | 54 | N/A |
| Rbs/36 | 15.6 | 2 | 73 |
| Blk/36 | 4.6 | 1 | 25 |
| Rb% | 26.5% | 1 | 4 |
| Blk% | 11.1% | 1 | 1 |
| PER | 28.9 | 2 | 34 |
He's blocking a higher percentage of opponent field-goal attempts than anyone with at least 400 minutes played since blocks were first recorded, including Manute Bol. Only Dennis Rodman and Reggie Evans have grabbed a larger percentage of available rebounds.
Whiteside's story is incredible. A second-round pick in 2010, he quickly flamed out with the Sacramento Kings, requiring stints in Lebanon, China and the D-League before he could get another NBA look. Multiple teams had a chance to sign him: he played in summer league with the Toronto Raptors and the preseason with the Memphis Grizzlies.
He's now set as a foundational member of the Heat through at least 2015-16.
Despite all of his individual success, the Heat continue to struggle. They're 21-28 overall, 7-16 when Whiteside plays, 7-12 since Dec. 27 when he first began playing consistently and 2-6 when he starts - even though the team has been eight points per 100 possessions better when he's on the floor.
His 2K rating is rising - and he's hoping it goes even higher - but the Heat aren't climbing up the standings. That may be frustrating for Whiteside and the Heat, but it doesn't make the story any less incredible.