It’s a little premature to reserve space in the basketball Hall of Fame for 23-year-old Al Jefferson but his name is already being mentioned more frequently with one guy who is in the Springfield, Massachusetts shrine and another who is a cinch to one day be inducted. The Timberwolves’ young star, one of the few players in the NBA to be averaging 20-plus points and 10-plus rebounds, is being compared with Hall of Famer Moses Malone and Kevin Garnett, who at 31 has enough on his resume to qualify for Springfield.
Jefferson turned 23 on January 4. He’s been making this a memorable month with career highs of 39 points against Phoenix on January 23 and then 40 versus New Jersey earlier this week. The 6-foot-10 forward-center is averaging 21.1 points per game and 12.4 rebounds this season.
In and around the lane Jefferson dazzles with footwork, fakes, power, quickness and scoring. He draws comparisons to Malone who made a reputation as one of pro basketball’s most effective inside scorers and relentless rebounders including on the offensive end where he commanded rebound after rebound until the ball went through the basket.
Similar in size, style and talent, Jefferson and Malone also have this in common: both went directly from high school to pro basketball. At 23 Malone was averaging 15 rebounds per game and 19.4 points in the NBA.
Jefferson was the prize possession in the trade last summer that sent Garnett to Boston for five players. Last fall it would have been considered blasphemy to suggest Big Al is as valuable to the Wolves as Garnett. Now it seems like common sense.
Jefferson is a much more accomplished low post player, plus more reliable scorer and clutch basket producer than Garnett. The latter led the NBA in rebounding the last four seasons, but now Jefferson’s 12.1 is better than the 31-year-old Garnett’s 9.9 rebounds per game. Jefferson will never match Garnett’s shot blocking and defensive effectiveness, but he’s a capable defender.
At 23 Garnett’s stats included the following: 20.8 points per game and 10.4 rebounds. It’s an argument as to which player you would rather have this season, but given the difference in their ages there’s no doubt Jefferson is your man for the long run. That makes Wolves executive Kevin McHale, who plotted the Celtics deal, look good because Jefferson is a potential superstar for the Wolves to build around.
Jefferson looks good, too, when comparisons are made to McHale, another Hall of Famer whose deft moves and footwork made him so difficult to guard that Charles Barkley said for years that McHale was the best player he ever played against. Jefferson’s teammate, Ryan Gomes, played with him for three seasons in Boston before coming in the trade here. Gomes said Jefferson has been improving his offensive skills “each and every year since I’ve been with him.”
“He’s playing so well,” Gomes said. “He’s one of the top five low post players with his back to the basket in this league.”
Asked specifically about Jefferson’s well publicized footwork, Gomes brought up Tim Duncan’s name. He said the San Antonio center’s footwork is the best in the league right now. Oh, yes, that’s another future Hall of Famer mentioned in the same breath with Jefferson who, by the way, is still young enough to be playing college ball. The Wolves, 8-36 with the worst record in the NBA, are thrilled he’s not.