TRACKING INTELLIGENCE · TRACKING PROFILE
Sam Merrill
CLE · Guard · NBA 2025-26
TRACKING PROFILE
Movement, touches, creation and control — beyond the box score
2025-26 · Regular season
MOVEMENT
sample: 52 games · SpeedDistanceCovers more court per minute than most: one of those who never stops.
- distance3.38km#90/414
- on offense1.77km
- on defense1.61km
- average speed7.3km/h
- speed on offense7.8km/h
- speed on defense6.8km/h
- km per minute0.13km per minute#69/414
- meters per minute128.0meters per minute
- minutes per game26.5minutes
NBA optical tracking · leaguedashptstats (PlayerOrTeam=Player, PtMeasureType=SpeedDistance) · SpeedDistance · data as of 2026-09-20
TOUCH ECOSYSTEM
sample: 52 games · PossessionsTouch and go: he barely dribbles before deciding.
- touches40.9per game
- front-court touches24.5per game
- % of touches in the frontcourt59.9%
- touches per minute1.5per minute
- paint touches1.0per game#246/414
- elbow touches0.7per game#154/414
- post touches0.0per game
- of his game goes through the inside6.9%
- seconds per touch1.7s
- dribbles per touch1.23
- minutes with the ball1.2minutes
- points per touch0.31#113/342
- points per paint touch0.87
- per possession— · No individual possessions in tracking: not estimated
NBA optical tracking · leaguedashptstats (PlayerOrTeam=Player, PtMeasureType=Possessions) · Possessions · data as of 2026-09-20
PASSING & CREATION
sample: 52 games · PassingHe produces similarly both ways: neither dependent on the pass nor living off isolation.
- passes made29.5per game
- passes received31.2per game
- passes received per pass made1.06
- assists2.4per game
- potential assists4.3per game
- secondary assists0.3per game
- free-throw assists0.4per game
- points created6.2per game#167/414
- % of passes ending in a basket8.1%
- points created per point scored0.48
- assisted / unassisted— · The provider publishes it, but it is not in our database
DRIVES
sample: The provider does not publish this data point's sample. · DrivesWhen he drives, he looks for the pass as much as the rim.
- drives2.7per game#228/414
- points1.1per game
- passes made1.6per game
- assists0.5per game
- turnovers0.1per game
- shooting foul0.1per game
- attempts0.8per game
- free throws0.2per game
- FG%51.2%
- passes58.3%
- % ending in a turnover4.3%not stable year to year
- % ending in a foul4.3%
- points per drive0.41
NBA optical tracking · leaguedashptstats (PlayerOrTeam=Player, PtMeasureType=Passing) · Passing · data as of 2026-09-20
HOW IT CREATES ITS SHOTS
sample: 52 games · CatchShootHe lives off the pass: he produces more off the catch than creating his own shot.
- HOW IT CREATES ITS SHOTS67.5%
CATCH & SHOOT
sample: 52 games · CatchShoot- points7.1per game
- attempts5.4per game
- made2.4per game
- FG%43.8%
- effective FG%65.3%
- threes attempted5.3per game
- 3P%44.0%
PULL-UP
sample: 52 games · PullUpShot- points2.5per game
- attempts2.6per game
- made0.9per game
- FG%35.8%
- effective FG%48.9%
- threes attempted1.9per game
- 3P%35.7%
SHOOTING BY DEFENDER PRESSURE
| attempts | frequency | FG% | effective FG% | threes attempted | 3P% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| very tight (0-2 ft) | 0.3 | 3.3 % | 50.0 % | 53.1 % | 0.1 | 33.3 % |
| tight (2-4 ft) | 2.3 | 24.4 % | 48.3 % | 57.6 % | 1.1 | 38.6 % |
| open (4-6 ft) | 3.8 | 40.3 % | 41.5 % | 57.9 % | 3.3 | 37.2 % |
| wide open (6+ ft) | 3.0 | 32.0 % | 49.7 % | 72.6 % | 2.8 | 49.7 % |
| all shots | 9.3 | 100.0 % | 46.1 % | 62.4 % | 7.2 | 42.1 % |
NBA optical tracking · leaguedashptstats (PlayerOrTeam=Player, PtMeasureType=CatchShoot) · CatchShoot + PullUpShot · data as of 2026-09-20
REBOUND CONTROL
sample: 52 games · DefenseRIM DEFENCE
sample: 52 games · Defense- shots defended1.9per game#239/414
- made on those shots1.4per game
- opponent FG%74.2%not stable year to year
- rim shots defended per minute0.1per minute
REBOUND CONTROL
sample: The provider does not publish this data point's sample. · Rebounding- rebound chances5.4per game
- rebounds secured2.5per game
- offensive chances1.3per game
- defensive chances4.3per game
- conversion rate47.2%#268/283
- offensive conversion42.4%not stable year to year
- defensive conversion47.7%
- contested21.8%
- average rebound distance9.2ft
- average rebound distance (m)2.8m
DEFENSE BY ZONE
| frequency | attempts | made | FG% allowed | those shooters' normal FG% | effect on the shooter | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| less than 6 ft | 33.3 % | 3.1 | 2.1 | 67.3 % | 64.3 % | 3.0 % |
| less than 10 ft | 44.4 % | 4.1 | 2.4 | 59.9 % | 59.5 % | 0.5 % |
| two-pointers | 65.1 % | 6.0 | 3.3 | 54.7 % | 54.3 % | 0.3 % |
| more than 15 ft | 43.7 % | 4.0 | 1.4 | 34.9 % | 36.9 % | -1.9 % |
| three-pointers | 34.9 % | 3.2 | 1.1 | 34.1 % | 36.4 % | -2.3 % |
| all shots | 100.0 % | 9.2 | 4.4 | 47.5 % | 46.8 % | 0.7 % |
Box-score events: NOT on-ball defense
NBA optical tracking · leaguedashptstats (PlayerOrTeam=Player, PtMeasureType=Defense) · Defense · data as of 2026-09-20
HUSTLE
sample: The provider does not publish this data point's sample. · player_hustle- overall effective FG%62.4%
NBA optical tracking · leaguehustlestatsplayer · · data as of 2026-09-20
NOT AVAILABLE: assisted/unassisted (The provider publishes it, but it is not in our database) · por posesión (No individual possessions in tracking: not estimated) · game-level de drives, C&S, pull-up, toques por zona (Not available game by game)