Fratello’s Fantasy Pick: Gerald Henderson

Sophomore shooting guard Gerald Henderson is shaping into a future franchise star for the Charlotte Bobcats. A very athletic player who can run and defend, Henderson does a little bit of everything. And he’s a terrific team member.

Henderson hails from Duke University’s prestigious basketball program. During his junior year he led the Blue Devils in scoring with16.5 points per game on the way to a First-Team All-ACC award and ACC tournament championship. Henderson entered the 2009 NBA draft after his junior year and was selected 12th overall by the Charlotte Bobcats.

When Henderson first entered the league, people questioned his ball handling skills and his ability to make shots from the perimeter. Henderson has worked very hard to make significant improvements in both areas. Inserted into the Bobcats’ starting lineup after Gerald Wallace was traded to Portland, Henderson’s minutes have nearly tripled since last season, and so has his productivity. Henderson is up from 2.6 to 8.2 ppg this year. He’s pulling down 2-3 rebounds per game on average this month and dishing out a couple assists.

Henderson struggled in last week’s loss to the Thunder, hitting just 2 of 7 shots. ‎But he ended the week on a high note, scoring 19 points against the No.1 Spurs on Saturday. With Stephen Jackson sidelined due to a hamstring injury, Jackson took over the reigns and hit 9 of 14 shots from the field. He also recorded four rebounds, one assist, and two steals in 37 minutes. The Bobcats have dropped 9 of their last 11 games. But they still remain in striking distance for the eighth playoff seed in the East, currently held by Indiana. The Bobcats will host the Pacers at home on Wednesday. Top scorer Jackson is listed as doubtful to play against the Pacers, so Henderson will likely have another opportunity to score in the double digits.