Over the past four seasons, DeMar DeRozan has helped guide the Toronto Raptors to the playoffs each year, and, over that stretch, was the NBA's ninth-highest scorer, credentials that have earned him recognition league-wide as one of the game's top offensive threats.
But that alone doesn't complete the profile of the player, and, according to Sports Illustrated, is not the whole story. In its latest, annual ranking of NBA players, DeRozan came in at No. 36, a valuation the Raptors guard was none too pleased about.
F SI... #ProveEm
— DeMar DeRozan (@DeMar_DeRozan) September 12, 2017
DeRozan rose 10 spots from a year prior, when SI tabbed him at No. 46 on its list. His teammate and backcourt guard, Kyle Lowry, ranks 19th on the list; SI released Nos. 30-11 on Wednesday .
In its explanation of DeRozan's ranking , SI not only cited a lack of other dimensions to his game, but a lack of versatiltiy in his one strength:
Our verdict comes down to this: DeRozan is a refined, impressive scorer whose limitations create real problems. His best skill—and his only one that is above average—is one we’ve seen repeatedly stifled in a postseason setting, leaving us with lasting concerns about the ceiling DeRozan imposes on his own team.
A lengthy analysis goes on to cite that while the Raptors numbers were much better with Lowry and some of Toronto's best bench players, the same isn't true of DeRozan and the second unit.
You can’t surround him with lesser supporting talent because DeRozan does so little to elevate the play of his teammates and his own efficiency is so subject to playoff-level scheming. But pairing him with other creators compromises some of what DeRozan does best and shackles his teammates to his unreliable spacing.
The explanation also addresses DeRozan's more glaring perceived shortcomings: his inability to shoot three-pointers (26 percent on them a year ago, with less than a half a make per-game) and his defensive struggles ("If he were any kind of helpful defender, a portion of the negatives might come out in the wash," reads the write-up).
MORE: Raptors' DeRozan gets first Canadian NBA 2K cover
It's not the first time DeRozan has disagreed with the magazine over its annual ranking: A year ago, DeRozan also took to Twitter to voice his opinion of his placement.
FOH. 46
— DeMar DeRozan (@DeMar_DeRozan) September 16, 2016 >Also cracking the top 100 on the Raptors was center Jonas Valancunias, who came in at No. 80.