Don’t Expect Hassan Whiteside to Join NBA’s Stretch-Center Revolution

MIAMI — Hassan Whiteside is no stranger to the NBA’s stretch-center revolution.

With bigs following the league-wide trend of letting it fly—16 different centers have double-digit threes—the Miami Heat’s 7-footer has seen the impact firsthand.

“I won’t get as many blocks,” Whiteside told Bleacher Report, “because I’m away from the paint.”

One might assume, then, the 27-year-old could use that intel as motivation to expand his own offensive range and pull opposing shot-blockers away from the basket. To a small extent, he has, though his long-range forays have occurred away from the public eye.

“He shoots them in practice,” swingman Josh Richardson said. “He hits them in practice sometimes.

“He doesn’t shoot them when we’re scrimmaging, but he’ll mess around and shoot them.”

The idea of that hobby becoming a hardwood asset isn’t entirely far-fetched.

While most know Whiteside for his above-the-rim antics at both ends, he’s proved capable of burying jumpers. His 24 mid-range makes are tied for 12th among centers, and his 42.1 percent conversion rate outpaces stretch bigs Marc Gasol (35.2), DeMarcus Cousins (36.5) and Karl-Anthony Towns (35.0). 

“He has continued to improve on the offensive end,” Boston Celtics coach Brad Stevens said. “I would consider him to have a pretty consistent mid-range shot.”

But, despite hitting a career-best 50 percent from 16 feet to the three-point line, Whiteside isn’t interested in further expansion.

He knows his bread is buttered underneath, as he’s hit at least 72 percent within three feet each season since landing in Miami. And he’d prefer to keep it that way.

“I like to get down and dirty in the paint,” Whiteside said. “I like to be close to the rim.”

It’s hard to question his approach given the havoc he creates there.

He’s averaged at least 17 points per 36 minutes while shooting better than 53 percent each season with the Heat, a feat no other NBA player can claim. He’s also one of only four players with top-10 rankings in both restricted-area field goals (123, sixth) and offensive rebounds (4.3 per game, second).

If widening his range required lessening his interior impact, that’s probably a sacrifice the Heat are unwilling to make.

“When he has a foot in the paint, he’s a handful down there,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.

Share Tweet As Whiteside sees it, he plays the way centers were meant to.

“As a center, I think you should always shoot over 50 percent,” he said. “That’s standard as a center. If you’re shooting in the 40s, that’s not productive to me.”

While his basketball role models come in all shapes and sizes—he counts everyone from Kobe Bryant to Shaquille O’Neal—he follows the footsteps of centers who banged in the rough-and-tumble paints of yesteryear.

“I grew up watching Shaq and Hakeem [Olajuwon],” Whiteside said. “Those guys …

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