It's hard to remember now, but back in 2023, many observers (including myself) thought Scoot Henderson was the second-best player in the draft class behind Victor Wembanyama. There's no denying that his first two seasons were underwhelming. After missing much of this season with a hamstring injury, it was unclear what to expect from Henderson when he returned to the court earlier this month.
Furthermore, after trading for Jrue Holiday and signing (an injured) Damian Lillard in the offseason, Henderson's long-term future with the Blazers looked murky. Thankfully, though four games into his third season, Scoot is showing plenty of positive signs.
I'll admit his averages of 14 points, 3 rebounds, and 5.5 assists aren't eye-popping. However, his efficiency (51.7 percent from the field, 36.8 percent from 3-point range, and 63.8 effective field goal percentage) is a notable leap. Plus, his nine-assist game against the Memphis Grizzlies and his 18-point game against the Minnesota Timberwolves were standout performances. More importantly, perhaps he looks more decisive and confident — something that's not easy to do coming off an injury.
Does he still need to work on things? Of course, but the upside is there, and his first four games back from injury have shown plenty of reason for optimism.
Scoot Henderson is showcasing his upside
As a draft prospect Scoot's bread and butter was his ability to attack the basket. His blend of speed and high-powered athleticism always gave me Russell Westbrook vibes. Some of this skill set was seen during his first two seasons. Nevertheless, his rim numbers were truly awful, and he didn't get to the line much. It's a small sample size, but Henderson is shooting a stellar 83.3 percent at the rim. For reference, he shot 55.4 percent at the rim last year and 47.3 percent as a rookie.
Additionally, Scoot is averaging a career-high 5.8 free throws. Keep in mind, he's only averaging 20 minutes a game. At his best, it's fair to expect that Scoot's slashing abilities will be central to his impact, and we are seeing signs of this becoming a reality. I can't stress how impressive this is coming off an injury.
Henderson needs to cut back on the turnovers. Regardless, he is capable of making a variety of different passes and shown flashes of being a high-quality lead playmaker — especially during the aforementioned Grizzlies game.
Distance shooting has never been a primary strength of Scoot's. Nevertheless, his 35.4 percent shooting on 4.5 attempts last year proved that he could be a league-average 3-point shooter. So far, he's followed this up with a respectable 36.8 percent shooting this season. Here's a nice example of Scoot hitting a tough 3 over Naz Reid.
GO SCOOT GO pic.twitter.com/eLFaIpb1v0
— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) February 12, 2026
If Scoot can consistently hit catch-and-shoot 3s, that would open up a ton for him offensively.
Defense has largely been a struggle for Scoot as he's adjusted to the NBA. Regardless, he has two-way upside given his athletic tools. Generally, his defensive positioning and activity have been solid since he's returned. Again, it's a small sample size, but it's not nothing that the Blazers' defense is 6.7 points better per 100 possessions with Scoot on the court, according to Cleaning the Glass.
Overall, Scoot still has plenty of upside at 22. Will he blossom into a true star like he was projected to be leading up to the draft? Probably not. However, in his limited minutes this year, Scoot has shown flashes of what made him so special as a prospect, and I think he'll eventually blossom into a quality lead guard.