Top Ten Reasons Andrea Bargnani Is a Good Basketball Player

Most power forwards and centers aren't good at shooting from outside, free throws, three-pointers, passing, or ball handling. Bargnani excels at all of these! That's what makes him not only a good basketball player, but a special one too.

Andrea Bargnani can really do a little bit of everything on offense. He can dribble, shoot, and pass too. He was the first overall pick for a reason, you know!

Bargnani is a really good shooter, despite what all the critical Toronto fans think. He can shoot from almost anywhere on the court: inside and out, from the free-throw line, and especially from the three-point line. He used to average 21 points per game in 2010!

Bottom line, he is a great shooter.

His help defense and rim protection are below par. His rebounding is very poor for a big man, but often he allows others the defensive rebounds while he is busy blocking out players. Offensive rebounds are alien to him.

His man defense is pretty solid, though, and he is difficult to push aside. He is a strong, massive presence at center (more than at power forward).

Like most PFs, Bargnani can really play defense. He can defend his man and block shots, even blocking Dirk Nowitzki's "unblockable" shot. This is another reason why he is such a great basketball player.

In a game against Charlotte on November 8, 2013, Bargnani finished with 25 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 blocks. He was the first Knick to ever achieve that!

This guy can obviously shoot, but what about driving and layups? He's good at that too! He can not only make his jump shots but can also take his defender off the dribble and drive in for a dunk or layup. Another great aspect of his game.

Yes, he can because he is defended by jumpy power forwards or centers too far from the basket. His first step is pretty fast and "long," giving him an edge over most slower-moving big men.

All you have to do is look at "Andrea Bargnani Top 10 Plays as a Raptor" to see the proof. He is especially fast when dribbling the ball and driving right past a defender. This is especially good for a power forward/center.

His first step is pretty quick (and therefore surprising) for a big man.

He has never made it to a dunk contest, but you have to admit he's a really good dunker! He can dunk while driving or standing still, on alley-oops, and especially on people.

When he's about to dunk, there's nothing you can do to stop him. He has dunked on two people at once before. My favorite is his nice reverse one-handed dunk. His dunks are always exciting to watch.

A few of his dunks were memorable, but overall his dunks are "polite," so to speak, for a seven-footer.

Besides his 7-foot height, AB also has a high release. That makes it difficult even for big men to block his set or jump shot. Length can be beneficial depending on your position. However, a 7-foot playmaker will make headlines for all the wrong reasons, just as a 6.5 center would.