Not Your Typical Factory Tour: Examining the Weaknesses of Boston Celtics’ Semi Ojeleye

As Celtics forward Semi Ojeleye enters his second year in the NBA, which areas of his game need improvement?

Andrew Fine
Sep 3, 2018 · 5 min read

If you have never watched Boston Celtics forward Semi Ojeleye play before and only browsed #NBATwitter, you would think his appearance is akin to Jorgen Von Strangle. And guess what: you’re not entirely wrong.

From the moment Ojeleye entered the league, he impressed many with his chiseled physique. Usually, it takes players a few seasons before they join the NBA’s summer “muscle watch” and “[insert player name] is in the best shape of his life” list. Well, Ojeleye bucked the trend, earned a cult following, and landed in an ideal situation with the Celtics, a team who welcomed his physical presence and defensive instincts, which most first-year players lack.

In his rookie season, Semi found his way into Boston’s rotation not only by earning head coach Brad Stevens’ trust, but also courtesy of the barrage of injuries that ravaged the team. Despite his encouraging first year, the 23-year-old faces difficult path — barring a roster overhaul and major injuries (knock on wood) — to earn consistent minutes next season. He must continue to display the elements in his game that excited Stevens and the organization as well as adapt by addressing his weaknesses, namely his poor perimeter shooting.

For a player who attempted two-thirds of his total shots from deep, his three-point percentage was underwhelming, although not to a Smart-ian degree. Ojeleye shot 32.0% from three overall, and that’s with 49.6% of his shots coming from the corners at 37.1% — a solid mark, yet lower than desired from that part of the court. Moreover, his three-pointers were not heavily contested: 52.3% were “wide open” and 15.5% were “open” per NBA.com’s tracking data. Opposing defenders sagged off Ojeleye and he could not capitalize on the extra space. Players with this limitation usually do not fare well in the postseason when shrewd teams exploit this weakness repeatedly by giving the player plenty of space to shoot.

While operating from behind the arc, Ojeyele displayed trepidation, uneasiness, and lack of awareness at times, all of which deleterious for a “three and d” player. Even when a possession did not end in a three-point attempt, his decision-making was sometimes questionable, especially when an opposing defender closed out hard on him. Ojeleye would barrel into a fortress of defenders eagerly awaiting his arrival underneath the basket.

The blunders featured in the above reel fall well within the “rookie growing pains” umbrella, so it’s reasonable to hope Semi can put some of these mistakes behind him in year two.

And in fact, it appears he recognized what parts of his game require improvement and has attempted to address these areas in the offseason. When asked at the Vegas Summer League where he needs to get better, Ojeleye candidly revealed: “definitely knocking down open shots. Just gotta do a better job being consistent with that.”

During the same session with reporters, Ojeleye continued to pull back the curtain and spoke to some other areas he’s working on. “I think it’s [the game] just slowing down for me,” he stated. “Coaches do a good job of just helping everybody be comfortable in the right positions…you know what to expect now, you know what they expect out of you, so you play more free.” It sounds like Semi is more comfortable playing at the professional level — almost like when a player completes his rookie season.

In fairness to Ojeleye, his situation in Boston thus far has vastly differed from his role in college. At SMU, Semi was an integral part of the Mustangs’ offense. He lead his team in usage (25%), whereas he is a cog (9.1% usage) in Boston’s offense. Since Ojeleye cannot command the ball as frequently in the NBA, he must learn how to effectively operate in a less ball dominant role.

At times last season, he would attempt to replicate some of the physical plays featured in college, which do not carry over into the NBA. He had a tendency of aggressively attacking closeouts — sometimes without a plan — and matchups he perceived advantageous only to discover that there was no advantage.

Ojeleye shot just 44.7% (17/38) in the restricted area per NBA.com. That mark falls considerably below the league average of ~63%. In that zone, opponents blocked eight of his 21 misses, which a less than desirable amount.

Although assertiveness is an important trait of any NBA player, there is a fine line between decisiveness and recklessness. “Last year I kinda just focused on defense and offensively just kinda let guys do what they needed to do. But I think when it comes to me, just being assertive and making a quick decision — whether that’s moving it or driving or shooting,” Ojeleye admitted to reporters. Implied within his quote is making the right decision in a fast-paced environment. Indecisiveness and recklessness both have consequences. As a result, players must make calculated decisions at NBA speed, which is a difficult task for most entering the league.

On offense, Ojeleye can better utilize his strength and physique by becoming a better three-point shooter. By extending his range and convincing defenders to aggressively closeout, Ojeleye will create opportunities to punish overeager defenders using his underappreciated athleticism. (You didn’t forget about his thunderous put-back dunk against USC in the 2017 NCAA Tournament, right?)

We saw a glimpse of what this would have looked like earlier this year, except his failed dunk attempt spoiled an opportunity to appear on highlight reels.

Ojeleye moves towards Kyrie Irving and slips the screen. Two Nuggets attempt to trap Irving, who darts past them and rifles a pass to Ojeleye. Denver’s Juan Hernangomez overaggressively closes out on Semi, who recognizes the advantage, jukes the defender, and tries to stuff a monster jam on Kenneth Faried.

Although this particular play wasn’t fodder for most basketball thinkers, it demonstrates Semi’s savviness and his potential to unlock this new gear, assuming he becomes a more efficient three-point shooter, of course. Smarter defenders typically will not closeout like this on a 32% three-point shooter. With that said, if he becomes a better long range shooter, Ojeleye will have the chance to appear on highlight reels as long as he finishes the dunks.

There is not an easy path for extended minutes on this iteration of the Celtics; however, should Ojeleye show noticeable improvements, he can make the team’s decision more difficult. For starters, Ojeleye will need to display calculated decision-making on offense and a refined three-point shot, the latter of which can be a tall task for young players. Semi looked noticeably more at ease in this year’s summer league, but he will need to continue putting in his hours at The Factory to further his development.

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https://twitter.com/AndrewRGFine; Inquiries: andrewrgfine@gmail.com

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