It wasn’t long ago that Lance Stephenson was regarded as a talented young player that had the potential to be an NBA star one day. Remember at the All-Star break last season when so many critics and bettors felt that he was an All-Star snub.
That appears to be a distant memory now that he’s with the Charlotte Hornets. The door was opened for him to take the lead when he signed with the Hornets in the offseason, but rather than emerging as a star, Stephenson has taken a major step back this season. He’s struggled with consistency and both his play and his demeanor have played a role in him being benched on a couple of occasions. When the Hornets signed him, he was supposed to be one of the key ingredients that would help this playoff team improve. Instead, both he and the team have regressed.
Pays Too Much Attention To The Criticism
Arguably the biggest problem that has hurt Stephenson is that he pays far too much attention to what is said about him rather than focusing on becoming a better player.
“To be fair, one of the things that’s made it difficult for him is that he came here and people proclaimed him as the next superstar,” Hornets head coach Steve Clifford said about Stephenson after benching him recently. “He’s not a star. He’s a guy that has the talent to become a star. To be a star in this league, you have to do it over years.”
It certainly hasn’t helped Stephenson that he seems to always be aware of what is said about him and seems – at times – to be looking to satisfy the outsiders rather than working on his own game and becoming a better player. The best players in this league are mentally strong but Stephenson has proven to be a tad frail.
New Team, New Role
It also didn’t help Stephenson that he had to find a completely new role on a new team that clearly isn’t as good as the one he played with in Indiana. Stephenson suffered through a number of preseason injuries that delayed his development in Charlotte’s offense and even when he did find the floor, he was constantly pointed out by Clifford as a player that didn’t perform at the level expected. Stephenson’s transition to a new team has been a lot more difficult than perhaps both he and the team anticipated. He was hoping for a big payday and freedom to show how much the Pacers would miss him.
It’s interesting that a guy who tried to get into LeBron James head with mind games has proven to be a little soft.
Peaked Last Season?
Another aspect of his failure to raise his game with the Hornets is the very real theory that he might have peaked last season. Stephenson parlayed a career year in to a three-year, $27 million contract with Charlotte and the chance to be a core player next to Al Jefferson and Kemba Walker.
However, after taking a clear step back, there have been plenty of rumors that he could be traded and that might ultimately be the best ending for both sides. Stephenson averaged only 13.8 points and 7.2 rebounds a year ago, and the fact that his numbers have declined has probably scared Charlotte management into questioning where his ceiling really is. He’s just 24 years old, but he’s proven to be a bit of head case and now there is a good chance that last year was an over-achievement, as he was playing for a new contract.
Stephenson could become a star in the right situation and with the right attitude. But that hasn’t been the case in Charlotte and it could lead to the two sides breaking off this engagement in the very near future.
