The value of Syracuse guard Nate Kingz extends beyond his shooting: ‘He does all the dirty work’

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Syracuse, N.Y. - Nate Kingz came to Syracuse with a reputation as a 3-point threat.

The 6-foot-5 guard from Oregon shot 44.4% on 126 attempts last season for Oregon State.

So when Kingz struggled to make deep perimeter shots earlier this season, there were rumblings.

On Tuesday, in SU’s narrow win over Monmouth, Kingz went 3-of-7 from 3. It was his best performance from that distance in four SU games.

Some guys struggle with depth perception at the JMA Wireless Dome because the deep background provides a weird sightline. (Although Justin Ray, the Monmouth guard, made 4-of-7 from 3 in his first appearance in the dome. Many players have torched SU from 3 in the Dome over the years.)

Sometimes, it takes players a bit longer to acclimate.

“You know, I never try to give myself excuses in terms of where I’m shooting or how, but I think it’s all just mental,” Kingz said Tuesday in SU’s postgame locker room. “It’s all a mindset thing.

“You got to be confident in shooting that thing. And I really give credit to my teammates and coaches who really encouraged me to keep on shooting, even though I’m struggling. Like, they still feed me great energy and in that regard it helps out a lot.”

And while Kingz started slow from the 3-point line, he has been an invaluable contributor for the Orange thus far. He is a tough, dogged defender. He’s rebounded from that wing spot. And he’s taken his defender off the dribble and finished at the rim.

Kingz is shooting 64.3% on 2-point shots. He’s 5-of-19 from 3 (26.3%).

He’s SU’s third-best defensive rebounder. His turnover rate and his foul rate rank in the top two among SU players.

His usage rate of 13.5 ranks eighth on the team, which is a bit of a head-scratcher.

Adrian Autry said the Orange needs to take more 3s going forward. Naithan George and Kiyan Anthony are so far SU’s best 3-point threats. But maybe Tuesday’s game will get Kingz going from that distance.

His ability to contribute without making 3s has been critical. Kingz said, in general, it helps to make easier shots at the rim to establish a shooting rhythm.

Autry praised his play after Tuesday night’s game.

“Nate, obviously, is a very good shooter,” Autry said, “but defensively, you know, he just does the job. He does all the dirty work. He’s a very versatile defender. He’s important to this team, not only because of his shot-making, but his defense.”