Former Blazers F Luke Babbitt signs deal in Russia
By Brad Rowland
The short-lived NBA career for Luke Babbitt may have come to a close.
Babbitt, the #16 overall pick in the 2010 NBA draft, has reportedly signed a 1-year contract with a team in Russia after finding no takers for his services in the NBA. He had spent the last 3 seasons with the team who drafted him, the Portland Trail Blazers, but in limited time, his efficiency was lacking on the court.
Through 126 career games, Babbitt averaged just 11.1 minutes per appearance, putting up 3.8 points and 2.1 rebounds per game. However, the damning stat for Babbitt was that his PER (player efficiency rating) stands at just 9.3 from an “average” baseline of 15.
Babbitt’s on-court struggles have mostly stemmed from his jump shot, despite a worthy college reputation as a big-time scorer. In his career, Babbitt has shot just 37.2% from the field, and while his 36.7% three-point shooting is top notch, he’s never been able to bridge the two with a mid-range or post game.
The former Nevada star doesn’t necessarily have to see his NBA fate ended here, but he’ll have to impress either in Russia or in next year’s workouts in order to get an NBA job. Babbitt has the talent of a player that should be in the Association, and I hope he lands on his feet.