Grading the Jazz: Why Simone Fontecchio’s first year in the NBA was such a ‘weird season’

Utah Jazz’s Simone Fontecchio passes the ball as the Jazz play Denver at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on April 8, 2023.

Utah’s Simone Fontecchio passes the ball because the Jazz play Denver at Vivint Area in Salt Lake Metropolis on Saturday, April 8, 2023.

Scott G Winterton, Deseret Information

Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley hugs forward Simone Fontecchio after Fontecchio hit the game-winning dunk vs. Golden State.

Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley hugs ahead Simone Fontecchio after Fontecchio hit the game-winning dunk to provide the Jazz a 124-123 win over the Golden State Warriors at Vivint Area in Salt Lake Metropolis on Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022.

Spenser Heaps, Deseret Information

Editor’s observe: Fifth in a collection evaluating and grading each participant that was on the Jazz’s ultimate 2022-23 roster.

This was a season of development and discovery and growth for most of the Utah Jazz’s gamers. However one participant had extra of a rocky and turbulent path than others.

Simone Fontecchio — Grade: C+

After enjoying professionally in Italy, Germany and Spain for the final 10 years, Fontecchio lastly made the leap to the NBA, which was a dream come true for the 26-year-old. But it surely didn’t take lengthy for him to see that this dream wasn’t going to be all puppies and rainbows.

Fontecchio was preventing for a spot within the rotation, whereas catching as much as the pace and physicality of the NBA recreation versus what he was used to in Europe.

He would be the first one to inform you that issues had been tough this season and I feel Fontecchio did a very good job summing up what the early days in Utah had been like for him.

“It’s been a bizarre season,” he mentioned. “Initially it felt like each time I had an actual alternative to play I had one thing like COVID. Then I hit a game-winning shot after which I twist my ankle and keep out for a month. So it hasn’t been simple making an attempt to remain prepared.”

Because of sickness, damage and the Jazz teaching workers experimenting with completely different lineups, Fontecchio didn’t begin getting common and constant minutes till mid-February. And that’s when a capturing hunch hit him like a ton of bricks. He completed the month capturing simply 13.3% from 3-point vary, which is meant to be his specialty.

“I didn’t shoot so good this yr, particularly like February — I shot so unhealthy,” he mentioned, shaking his head. “That type of messed me up however all I did was preserve working and I’m pleased with the work I’ve been placing in.”

In the event you don’t embrace February, Fontecchio shot 36.6% from 3-point land this season, which isn't unhealthy, however as a profession 40% shooter, it wasn’t as much as his ordinary requirements.

Fontecchio is extremely dedicated to his capturing kind and he believes that all the things begins with the toes. So, when he tweaked his ankle early within the season, it began to mess with him a bit that he wasn’t feeling proper on the basis of his shot. From there, it was a psychological battle. Each miss made him overthink all the things.

As mentioned, Fontecchio struggled with the pace and magnificence of play. That in all probability went hand-in-hand along with his troubles with turnovers and fouls. However there’s one thing to be mentioned about his means to drag himself out of his February capturing hunch and the flashes of actually excessive degree basketball we noticed from him over the course of the season.

Fontecchio is effectively conscious that he has issues he must work on this offseason — rebounding and protection being on the high of the checklist, in addition to decreasing his launch time. He seen that due to the variety of unbelievable athletes within the NBA, he was getting caught by guys closing out when he thought he had time to breathe earlier than a shot.

As all of this is occurring, you need to keep in mind that Fontecchio, his spouse and his younger daughter all needed to adapt to a brand new lifestyle and a very new setting. For Fontecchio it was a yr of immense change and was actually eye-opening.

He’s beneath contract with the Jazz by subsequent season, which provides him the chance to point out that he’s internalized the teachings from this season and is ready to modify to all the things and be extra ready.

Subsequent season will seemingly determine the trajectory of his NBA life.

Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley hugs forward Simone Fontecchio after Fontecchio hit the game-winning dunk vs. Golden State.

Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley hugs ahead Simone Fontecchio after Fontecchio hit the game-winning dunk to provide the Jazz a 124-123 win over the Golden State Warriors at Vivint Area in Salt Lake Metropolis on Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022.

Spenser Heaps, Deseret Information

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