Brooklyn Nets: Sean Kilpatrick Will Be Our Hero This Season

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Mar 24, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Sean Kilpatrick (6) drives to the basket during the third quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Barclays Center. Brooklyn won 104-95. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports /

We appreciate greatness, and Kilpatrick is getting there…

Greatness in sports is defined in many ways. There are the LeBrons, the Kobes, the Lillards, and this list can continue on with franchise players. But more often than not, there are players who impact their team in a quieter fashion.

Take Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan for instance. Both are pivotal players on the Toronto Raptors, but aren’t discussed in the same bubble as LeBron James, Stephen Curry, or Damian Lillard. Of course, individually speaking, their skillsets are not up to par with those greats, but Lowry and DeRozan are the superstars of the Raptors. They have become one of the most dynamic duos in the NBA, and Toronto has been a playoff contender for a couple of years now.

The Nets don’t have a superstar. They probably haven’t had one since Jason Kidd and Vince Carter. You could argue for Brook Lopez, but Lopez just doesn’t fit into the same conversation as even guys like Lowry and DeRozan. If there was a superstar building for the future on the Nets roster, it’d be Kilpatrick.

Kilpatrick has already begun establishing his presence in Brooklyn. There are some clear signs during Nets games that define who Kilpatrick is.

Every hissed “S….. K…..” at the Barclays Center for each of his field goals. Every drive to the basket that helps him draw a foul. Every dive for a loose ball.

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I hold onto every moment. Do you?

So far this season, I’ve seen two Nets games live, and was particularly amazed by Kilpatrick’s energy in last Friday’s loss to the Charlotte Hornets. There was the Kilpatrick that knocked down shot after shot, but then there was also the Kilpatrick that fought for every loose ball and opportunity to get his team back in the game. In the final minute of the game, it was Kilpatrick who kept hustling his way into the paint to draw fouls.

Ian Eagle calls him “Skillpatrick” for a reason. There’s hope for the Nets’ future, as long as Kilpatrick is a part of it.