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SALT LAKE CITY — If he could have found a way to grow he would have.
Instead, "undersized" will forever be mentioned in front of his game.
Seven years into an NBA career that started as an unheralded 2nd round draft pick Paul Millsap has established himself as a NBA force.
His performance Monday night in Toronto capsulated his NBA career. At 6 feet 8 inches tall (there it is) he started as the power forward for the Utah Jazz matching up against former No. 1 pick 7-foot 1-inch Andrea Bargnani. The opening moments of the game were lucid example of why scouts were skeptical of Millsap in June of 2006 allowing him to fall to the 17th pick of the 2nd round.
Bargnani was simply too tall. He shot over Millsap. He reached over Millsap. He found a shooting window that Millsap couldn't impact. By the end of the first quarter Bargnani had 10 points the Raptors were on their way to a 30 point 1st quarter and the Jazz were on the ropes.
Had the kid from Louisiana Tech been satisfied just being a part of the NBA his night would have been over. The scouts would have been right his size prohibited him from becoming an NBA regular.
Today Millsap's game resembles nothing of the player who came to the NBA. The premier draft site NBA Draft Express referred to him as "bruising big man."
"Millsap has only one position and one position only at the NBA level: power forward," read the report. "He's clearly uncomfortable operating outside of 12 feet, possessing very basic ball-handling skills and not enough range on his jump shot, at least not on a consistent basis. His lateral quickness is just decent guarding big men on the perimeter."
They were right. That is who came to the Jazz.
Now the longest standing member of the Utah Jazz is a sleek 6-foot 8-inchplayer who can play the small forward or the power forward. His game has evolved from an around the basket hard worker with a range of 5 feet to an inside outside threat that can do damage at the rim or from the outside.
His height is still an issue. He struggles from 5 to 15 feet to get the shooting window. He has solved that issue by becoming well above average from 15 feet and beyond.
The height is still an issue when matched against a 7-foot 1-inch Bargnani. He has solved that problem by being able to play the small forward. For the final 20-plus minutes of Monday night's game Millsap was the Jazz small forward while Derrick Favors took the assignment on Bargnani.
Millsap proceeded to hit 3 three-point shots some of the most crucial baskets of the game. His shot is smooth. His release has accelerated allowing him to be a spot up shooter even when the defense is rotating toward him.
Defensively, he had one of the great plays of the evening. Reacting to the Jazz big line-up Raptors coach Dwane Casey slid the Raptors leading scorer DeMar DeRozan to the small forward for the final possessions of the 1st overtime. DeRozan was on fire.
The Raptors isolated DeRozan above the circle. Millsap came out to guard him. The perceived mismatch had been established. DeRozan lined up Millsap, went to work, but was stoned. Fading away after an awkward spin DeRozan shot an air ball and the game moved to a 2nd overtime.
No way the "bruising big body" could have made that play. But, that is not who Paul Millsap is at this point in his career. His tireless off-season efforts have transformed his body as well as his game. His lateral quickness is better. His feet are quicker and his offensive game has expanded to match this progression. Everywhere Millsap could improve his game he has.
Just not that extra inch, though you have to wonder if he could have added that inch would he be the player he is today.
