Houston Rockets: ESPN 2013 NBA Player Rankings

Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

The ESPN NBA Player Rankings have made it to the top 51 – 60 players in the NBA. Coming in at number #58, is the Houston Rockets small-forward Chandler Parsons. Last year Parsons was ranked #152! Gaining nearly a hundred spots in this year”s ranking is a great accomplishment. Averaging a tad over 15 points per game and 5 boards last season, Parsons has proven key to the Rockets success. Not to mention a contract that’s less than $1 million each year, Parsons is clearly Houston’s biggest bargain.

Space City Scoop writer Sarah Breuner has done the complete breakdown of Parsons, breaking down the 3 things he needs to work on. Here is an excerpt:

Get Stronger: Increased strength would also largely help improve his defensive game. After putting so much focus on his offense last season, Parsons seemed to forget about the other side of the ball. He will need to put on more muscle to be a bigger force on D.

Get Faster: Parson’s defensive play took a serious downturn last season, averaging only 0.17 steals and 0.33 blocks per game. He has the smarts, the accuracy, and the versatility across the court, but he must improve his lateral quickness in order to make more plays for himself. Real stars in today’s league have the ability to create off the dribble offensively as well as be explosive on defense.

Chandler Parsons ultimately needs to become a better defender, getting faster is nearly impossible. Also worth noting that Parsons is in a contract year. Contract year basketball is the best basketball.

#NBArank 58: Chandler Parsons (@ChandlerParsons) http://t.co/11i2OtubGn

— The NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) October 10, 2013