Nuggets second-round pick Jarred Vanderbilt: Michael Porter Jr. pushed me during rehab

For all of the intrigue that surrounds Nuggets first-round pick Michael Porter Jr., there’s additionally big optimism regarding second-round selection Jarred Vanderbilt.

Both have sat out the first 45 games of the season while rehabbing various ailments, but Vanderbilt is getting closer to his debut after being plagued by foot and ankle injuries during his lone season at Kentucky. What does it take to get him back to the court, either with all the Nuggets (31-14) or in the G League?

“Consistency,” he said Tuesday while speaking to the press for the very first time this year. “Being able to play and create consistently with no with no pain. Additionally, only the mental part, having more trust (with) my feet. ”

Vanderbilt, a 6-9 forward, is a rebounding fiend, but that wasn’t exactly what captured the interest of Nuggets trainer Michael Malone.

“I’ll be honest, the night of the draft I didn&; rsquo;t know anything about Jarred Vanderbilt,” Malone stated. “When they told me he could shield multiple places, I was sold. ”

Malone explained Vanderbilt as a “point-forward” and said if he could add a consistent jump shot to his arsenal, “he’ll have no flaws in his match. ” He has worked diligently on the latter with shooting trainer Mark Price and has just engaged in parts of clinic.

“It began when I first got here,” Vanderbilt explained. “When I could hardly move, we began doing sort shooting, and I feel each week and each month we’ve only gotten better and much more consistent with my jump shooter. ”

Vanderbilt admitted there were days when his rehabilitation became a mill, and that’so Porter Jr., whom he’s known since the third grade, became invaluable.

“It’s always some days that you just don’t want to take action, where you just don’t actually want to be here,” Vanderbilt explained. “Just having him, knowing that he’s moving through exactly the exact identical thing that I was moving through, we could help pick up each other. ”

There’s comfort in knowing that the Nuggets have a lengthy track record of spotting and growing second-round talent. Nikola Jokic and Monte Morris were second-round steals, and Denver never shied away from acquiring second-rounders Paul Millsap, Will Barton and Isaiah Thomas.

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“You see men like Nikola and Will and other men that come in the next round and they now ’re obtaining big contracts and getting big minutes and starters,” Vanderbilt explained. “It’s quite inspirational. That only shows the great program and development system that the Nuggets need to spot out a great second rounder and develop them to be great players. ”

R&R:” Malone said the Nuggets’ routine break was “much-needed and well-deserved. ”

The Nuggets wrapped up a grueling stretch of 11 games in 19 days last Saturday against Cleveland, completing 8-3 during that span. They’ll head to Utah for Wednesday’s national TV matchup against the division-rival Jazz. The Nuggets remain undefeated (6-0) from their Northwest opponents, however they’re only 2-2 on the year with three days’ rest.

“This period of the year, all these will be the pet,” Malone stated. “You could ’t place a dollar sign on rest, both mentally and physically, so I think that it was good timing in that regard. ”

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