Busting Brackets
Fansided

Butler Basketball: What can the Dawgs expect out of senior Paul Jorgensen?

By Lukas Harkins

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 30: Paul Jorgensen #5 of the Butler Bulldogs walks off the court after defeating the Villanova Wildcats at Hinkle Fieldhouse on December 30, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 30: Paul Jorgensen #5 of the Butler Bulldogs walks off the court after defeating the Villanova Wildcats at Hinkle Fieldhouse on December 30, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 4
Next
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – DECEMBER 30:  Jorgensen #5 of the Butler Bulldogs and  DiVincenzo #10 of the Villanova Wildcats. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – DECEMBER 30:  Jorgensen #5 of the Butler Bulldogs and  DiVincenzo #10 of the Villanova Wildcats. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

He may be flashy but he is rarely reckless

With Jorgensen pulling up for three from parking lots and dishing out flashy pass after flashy pass, many people have gotten the impression that he is a “reckless” player. But, when you dive into the numbers, this could not the truth. In fact, he averaged less than one turnover per game despite playing the third-most minutes on the team last season. Furthermore, his turnover rate of 10.3% landed him the 83rd-best mark in the country and his 12.5% rate in conference play put him at 10th in the Big East.

Related Story: Sean McDermott poised for a breakout season

Oh, and this is not a byproduct of a player shooting the ball every time he touches it. In reality, Jorgensen was also an above-average passer last season, finishing third on the Bulldogs in assists per game (2.5) and sporting the 22nd-best assist rate (16.0%) in Big East conference play. While shooting is often what people think of when Jorgensen comes to the forefront of discussion, his careful playmaking, even while flashy, is a valuable skill.

Lastly, he also does a solid job creating turnovers on the other end of the floor. Jorgensen might not be the best defender in general, but his gambles often pay off. He notched a 2.2% steal rate last season, which was third on the team behind excellent perimeter defenders in Thompson and Baldwin. He was 15th in the Big East in this category. In addition, he did this without fouling, as his 2.5 fouls committed per 40 minutes were also in the top-20 of the conference.