The Secret Behind Davion Mintz's Success
[caption id="attachment_339578" align="alignnone" width="2560"]
Photo: SEC[/caption]
Davion Mintz is on fire.
In his last two games alone, Mintz hit nine 3-pointers on 56 percent shooting from outside. For a little perspective on that hot hand, he didn't hit his ninth 3-pointer of the season until seven games in when he hit a season-high four 3-pointers as part of his career-high 19 points against Louisville. Now he has nine in two games, both wins, and looking very confident in his abilities as Kentucky's offense finds some rhythm.
We also can't forget his biggest 3-pointer of the season from the final minute of Kentucky's first win over Vanderbilt, Mintz's first dagger on record in UK's third win all year:
https://twitter.com/stoolbenchmob/status/1346638572426829829
So what's the secret behind Mintz's emergence as Calipari's best dagger thrower?
To use one of Coach Cal's own lines for his Basketball Bennys: "you probably didn't notice if you're just someone who only watches the basketball go in."
Take one more stab at it:
[caption id="attachment_339578" align="alignnone" width="2560"] Photo via SEC[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_332955" align="alignnone" width="1707"]
Photo by Chet White | UK Athletics[/caption]
You see it? It's the Nike Zoom Kobe 6 ‘Grinch’ and Kentucky has a winning record (5-4 vs. 3-9) when Mintz wears them.
Before you pass this off as some joke, please take a look at the numbers, where no lies are ever told. In games with the Kobe Grinches, Mintz averages over 13 points per game. In games with shoes that aren't as bright, Mintz scores only 8.5 points per game.
Let's go further and look at his 3-point shooting. The best he's done in games without the green shoes is three made 3-pointers in a game. In the Grinches? Mintz has three games with four 3-pointers and one half of basketball at Tennessee with five 3-pointers.
Still doubting the Grinch magic?
Jacob Toppin hasn't dunked like this in any other shoe.
[caption id="attachment_339696" align="alignnone" width="667"]
Photo by Elliott Hess | UK Athletics[/caption]
Toppin has worn the Kobe Grinches in a couple of his best games too, like this past Saturday and the win at Vanderbilt before that.
This raises the question: how do we get those shoes for everybody?
Photo: SEC[/caption]
Davion Mintz is on fire.
In his last two games alone, Mintz hit nine 3-pointers on 56 percent shooting from outside. For a little perspective on that hot hand, he didn't hit his ninth 3-pointer of the season until seven games in when he hit a season-high four 3-pointers as part of his career-high 19 points against Louisville. Now he has nine in two games, both wins, and looking very confident in his abilities as Kentucky's offense finds some rhythm.
We also can't forget his biggest 3-pointer of the season from the final minute of Kentucky's first win over Vanderbilt, Mintz's first dagger on record in UK's third win all year:
https://twitter.com/stoolbenchmob/status/1346638572426829829
So what's the secret behind Mintz's emergence as Calipari's best dagger thrower?
To use one of Coach Cal's own lines for his Basketball Bennys: "you probably didn't notice if you're just someone who only watches the basketball go in."
Take one more stab at it:
[caption id="attachment_339578" align="alignnone" width="2560"] Photo via SEC[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_332955" align="alignnone" width="1707"] Photo by Chet White | UK Athletics[/caption]
You see it? It's the Nike Zoom Kobe 6 ‘Grinch’ and Kentucky has a winning record (5-4 vs. 3-9) when Mintz wears them.
Before you pass this off as some joke, please take a look at the numbers, where no lies are ever told. In games with the Kobe Grinches, Mintz averages over 13 points per game. In games with shoes that aren't as bright, Mintz scores only 8.5 points per game.
Let's go further and look at his 3-point shooting. The best he's done in games without the green shoes is three made 3-pointers in a game. In the Grinches? Mintz has three games with four 3-pointers and one half of basketball at Tennessee with five 3-pointers.
Still doubting the Grinch magic?
Jacob Toppin hasn't dunked like this in any other shoe.
[caption id="attachment_339696" align="alignnone" width="667"] Photo by Elliott Hess | UK Athletics[/caption]
Toppin has worn the Kobe Grinches in a couple of his best games too, like this past Saturday and the win at Vanderbilt before that.
This raises the question: how do we get those shoes for everybody?
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