I believe having an option of a jump hook will only help when he takes jump hooks. Meaning, there’s no change in scheme the defense has to employ (the coach isn’t saying to deny Rudy position to prevent a jump hook). Now, I don’t think it would be bad if he could make those, but I don’t think him being a threat to make them changes anything — if his ability to hit them increases the frequency at which he attempts them, he’s losing efficiency.
Two things that I think would pay dividends in terms of the defense having to adjust for would be 1) being able to hit an open 15 footer and 2) be able to muscle in a smaller defender when they go small. Those would actually change things. Regarding #1 I don’t want him shooting many jump shots, but if he’s wide open at the top of the key with an eternity to get the shot off, hitting those at a 45% clip changes things in terms of what the defense is allowed to do (or not do). Regarding 2, if it’s known he can muscle down and dunk over small- all 5s, then the other team doesn’t have the luxury of trying to scheme him off the floor because they’ll get punished on the other end. Those two things change the game in ways that I believe a hook shot does not.
