False Confidence

Good article on the Florida b-ball team and their struggles from last year.

Coach Billy Donovan thought that his team had a sense of entitlement last year. Here are some pieces from the article:


"More than anything, more than the sense of entitlement from those two trophies and false hope brought on by a fast start, that was the crux of Florida's problem last year: Billy Donovan talked and no one listened.

No one heard a man with three Final Fours to his credit when he said they weren't practicing hard enough. No one listened when a guy who coached seven NBA first-round draft picks suggested their defense was awful. No one believed the first coach to win back-to-back national titles in the last 15 years when he told them their offense wasn't nearly as good as they believed.

The Gators' ignorance was short-lived bliss and their ultimate downfall. "It's what you buy into and that's where I was really disappointed in myself, that I wasn't able to get them to buy into what the truth was," Donovan said.

For 21 glorious games it looked easy. Florida rolled to an 18-3 start and a No. 19 ranking. The dynasty was intact, the freight train running smoothly, chugging directly back to the NCAA tournament.

Donovan didn't see it that way. He hated the way his players practiced, and was less thrilled with the way they acted before a game. They weren't focused or intense. For four years his practices were like turf wars -- David Lee pushed Noah; Anthony Roberson schooled Taurean Green; Matt Walsh took it to Corey Brewer.

These guys weren't disrespectful or uncoachable, but no matter what Donovan said it was like they were pointing to that W-L mark and yelling back "Scoreboard."

"It was, 'We got this, Coach'," Donovan said. "It was overconfidence. You want your kids to be confident, to have that swagger, but these kids had the swagger without doing the work. If you had asked them in mid-January if they were in the NCAA tournament, they'd say, 'Oh, definitely.' I knew we weren't in, not even close."

Family Atmosphere

From Henry Abbott at TrueHoop:

He'd brought a suit on the road trip, just as all the Spurs had been told to do. And now he was on the charter with the others, flying during the night from Cleveland to New Orleans.

Anthony Tolliver, on the cusp of finally earning a place on an NBA roster, likely wondered if this was normal. The Spurs really go to funerals together?

The next day Tolliver followed his teammates into a church near Jackson Square. There they attended services for Simone Newman, the wife of Spurs assistant Don Newman, and this remarkable gesture earlier this month sums up Gregg Popovich and the culture he has established.

If Tolliver didn't fully appreciate the culture then, he will soon enough. Last week he was on another plane flying to another funeral.

His mother, Donna Lewis, 56, a single mother of three and a teacher, died of an apparent heart attack.

Tolliver will miss opening night, and he will miss much more. But just as the Spurs boarded their charter to support Newman, they will be there for Tolliver.

Specifically, Ime Udoka will be there.

Udoka had been around three other NBA teams before he came to San Antonio, and he says he immediately saw the Spurs were different. “Night and day,” is how he puts it.

This isn't just about funerals, and the Spurs aren't the first to mourn together, either. When the brother of Larry Hughes, then with Cleveland, died, the Cavaliers stopped to pay respects during the 2006 playoffs.

Still, perhaps no NBA team is more plugged into the human element than the Spurs are in this era. When Michael Finley isn't throwing a Thanksgiving banquet at his house, then there are quiet evenings.

Udoka, for example, dined at the Newman house last season.

Popovich always pushed for this, from family-friendly charters to watching presidential debates with his players. He's led them on field trips, too, including one a few years ago to the Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C.

Popovich wants to do the right thing, but there's strategy involved, too. His thinking: If he can get his guys out of the work place, and if they learn to be supportive, and if the young ones watch the old ones, then maybe this closeness translates to the court, too.

Again, it's sincere, and it was for Newman. The Spurs' plane arrived in New Orleans at about 1 a.m., and Popovich and some of his staff stayed up talking with Newman until 5.

Udoka embraces this sentiment, and that's because he has his own story. Two years ago, after playing around the world and being cut by several NBA teams, Udoka was trying to make the roster of his hometown Portland Trail Blazers.

The only Blazer who didn't play in the first preseason game that year, Udoka was told he would start the second. He informed his father, Vitalis, who made arrangements to attend. Hours before, Vitalis died suddenly of complications from diabetes and high blood pressure.

The date was Oct. 17. Two years later, on exactly the same date, was Simone Newman's funeral. Udoka shared this with his coach as he consoled him, as well as what came next for Udoka in 2006.

Udoka missed the preseason game he was supposed to start, but he returned for the next one. He says he was glad to have basketball to come back to.

“It was a safe haven,” he said.

It was too soon to be alone. And in a locker room, with an immediate task at hand, Udoka found a way to counter the grief.

“I wanted to use his memory as motivation,” he said. “The game freed my mind.”

The next game Udoka scored 16 points. He started the next and scored another 16. On the day of his father's funeral, he signed a contract and was officially a Blazer.

Udoka still can't believe the cruel timing. Couldn't his father have been around for just some of his success? Tolliver will ask the same questions.

Still, Udoka says he found a path. There was a way to grieve, and there was a way to play, and the two seemed to mix.

Udoka says he plans to talk about this again.

As soon as Tolliver comes back.

Can't get enough of KG....

Courtesy of the Boston Herald as the Celtics get set to start their run at a repeat against the Cavs tonight:

“We are so prepared,” Ray Allen said yesterday, “that in one-on-ones, it got to the point where guys get in fights. Nobody ever actually fights, but we have a lot of barking on this team, from everybody, and I think you see that machismo among the guys. Everyone wants to feel like the top dog. Ultimately, we take that and translate it to the team concept, and everything we do helps the team.

“I’ve been on teams where guys thought they were good but never showed that passion on the floor. Ultimately, if you care about what you are doing, it shows up on the floor.”

The aggressive tone is set defensively, usually starting with Kevin Garnett.

“[Garnett] is a lot more intense this year,” Paul Pierce said. “I didn’t think he could go to another level, but he has. It’s infectious and you see it in practice - it’s like we never won anything.”
Said Garnett, “My intensity rubs off on Paul and Ray a little bit. The young players are getting to understand the intensity we play with for 48 minutes, that when we play at home, we protect that; what practice is - we come here and we don’t go long but we go hard.”

“KG just brings an energy to life that has an impact on everybody, day in and day out,” Celtics general manager Danny Ainge said. “I’m not sure there’s an awakening. I think it’s more of a long-term consistency. Anybody can have that energy at times, but he has it every day.

“His presence has changed our culture in that way. It had a great deal to do with our success.”

If he bleeds, Xavier leads

Great article on Xavier junior B.J. Raymond and his struggles at the beginning of the year. This is from two years ago when Raymond was an underachieving freshman. Since then, Raymond has become a leader for the Musketeers, as seen in this game from last years Sweet Sixteen (he is the one hitting two clutch 3's at the end).

Courtesy of Cincinnati Post:

When Xavier University freshman guard B.J. Raymond soaks in the bathub after practice, he wants to feel his elbows and knees sting. If he jammed his finger, all the better. If he's bleeding, it's been a great day.

For Raymond, this is how he knows whether he's doing his job.

Raymond was asked to show the scars of his labor. He lifted his right leg and pointed toward his knee. Diagnosis: floorburn, caused from diving on the floor for basketballs in practice. "I did my job," Raymond said.

The last two weeks, that's true. Raymond has undergone a transformation. He's less cocky and more willing to sacrifice- hence the floorburns- for the Musketeers. The results have been noticeable. After logging only 3 minutes in the Miami University game and missing the entire Creighton contest, Raymond has played important minutes in the past three games. It starts in practice.

"I come in and make sure I have floorburns every day," said Raymond, who's averaging 1.8 points in eight minutes per game. "Make sure I'm bleeding or something like that to make sure I make my presence felt. I want to make sure I'm going hard. I want to assure myself that nobody can tell me I'm not going hard."

Entering the year as the team's highest-rated freshman, Raymond came in as a cocky 18-year-old. He admits that now. "I saw that we struggled last year, and I felt I was a good player," said Raymond. " I came in with a cockiness. I soon realized you have to humble yourself. Not playing in games humbled me. I got into games, and I didn't produce. When I got out there, I wasn't working hard, and I'd come back to the bench with no sweat on me at all. That's when I realized if you want to play, you have to work."

Not just on the court or in practice. But in appeasing your elders as well. "He's really changed. He's gotten alot better," said junior Justin Cage. "He was aggressive when he was coming in, but he's really made a lot of strides and his game has come a lot further."

Two weeks ago, Raymond wasn't in this place. He wasn't being counted on by anybody for anything. He sat on the bench, no floorburns on his body, no sweat on his forehead, his freshman year wasting away.

Now it's different. When Raymond goes home and lies in the bathtub, he can feel the sting of his hard work. He knows he's doing his job.

"It was kind of disheartening," Raymond said. "But you have to go through something if you want to be somewhere. I have a saying that if you want to go to the sun, you have to go through a few blisters to get there. Right now, it's like a wall. If you keep knocking on the wall, one day the wall is going to break. When the wall breaks, you have to be ready for the opportunity. I feel like I've broken a piece of the wall. But I haven't broken it all yet."

Garnett's Work Ethic

LAS VEGAS - It's 8 a.m. in "Sin City." Many of the "what happens in Vegas . . ." tourists are either asleep or just getting to their hotels. As for Celtics new star forward Kevin Garnett, he's already up and working out on Labor Day.

Garnett is among more than 20 NBA players working out under the Abunassar Impact Basketball system at the Tarkanian Basketball Academy, but none may be taking it more seriously. For more than a week, the 10-time All-Star has been the first player to arrive for his six-day-a-week workouts. In fact, Garnett has been starting at 7 a.m. since arriving Aug. 27, and he began an hour later yesterday only because Joe Abunassar wanted his employees to have an extra hour of sleep on the holiday.

"I like my footprints to be the first in the sand," Garnett said.

Said Abunassar: "He's a [workout] freak and always has been. He likes to come in and get it done."

Abunassar has been working out Garnett for seven weeks this summer, the majority of the time in Los Angeles. The regimen includes about 90 minutes of weight training and 90 minutes of basketball drills and five-on-five scrimmages. While Celtics training camp doesn't begin until Sept. 30 in Rome, Garnett already seems to be in prime shape.

In one drill yesterday, Garnett showed how strong he is. Wearing a belt with a cable connected to it, Garnett was immovable as one man tried to yank him from the post with the cable and Abunassar tried unsuccessfully to steal the ball several times.

The 6-foot-11-inch, 253-pounder also sprinted while pulling a man with a resistance cable. After the drill, a sweat-drenched Garnett made the majority of his free throws while pumping himself up.

"C'mon Kevin. C'mon Kevin. C'mon Kevin," he said.

Garnett preferred not to talk much about his tough regimen. Abunassar said Garnett is private about it and doesn't like fanfare, and he could be the hardest worker of all the players Abunassar trains.

"He's so focused about getting ready," Abunassar said. "He's a leader by the way he is. That's why he's Kevin Garnett."

Celtics coach Doc Rivers would like his players to be in Boston for pre-training camp workouts by Sunday. According to Abunassar, Garnett is expected to arrive in Boston as early as tomorrow.

Celtics executive director of basketball operations Danny Ainge said Garnett and guard Ray Allen have been calling their new teammates to get in early for voluntary workouts. According to Ainge, 8-10 Celtics have been working out, voluntarily, at the Waltham facility on a consistent basis. Ainge also wasn't surprised to hear Garnett has been working out hard.

"He's looking forward to this year," Ainge said. "Work ethic isn't something he's lacked."

Winning is the point for Bluejay guard duo

*Great thoughts coming from the point guard position:

Put 10 Creighton basketball fans in a room, and it likely wouldn't take long before the conversation gravitated to who should start at point guard this season for the Bluejays.Josh Dotzler or Cavel Witter? Cavel Witter or Josh Dotzler?Save your breath, Dotzler and Witter would tell the fans. The questions of who starts and how the coaches divide the playing time do not distract the pair from focusing on more important things.

"Honestly for me, it really doesn't matter," said Dotzler, the senior from Bellevue West who has started 61 of 82 career games. "It's all about winning, and I think Cavel feels the same way, too."We're just going to try to do what the coaches ask of us. Obviously, we're totally two different kind of players."

Witter, who came off the bench 33 times last season, chuckled when the subject was brought up. He then echoed Dotzler's comments."Let's not worry about who's starting," he said. "All we're worried about is trying to win games. I'm going out there trying to do all I can with the minutes I get. The last thing I'm worried about is starting or anything like that."

For now, Witter's primary focus is on getting healthy. He sprained an ankle Tuesday and will likely miss at least a week of practice."Right now, there's not much to talk about because we don't know how long Cavel is going to be out," coach Dana Altman said.

When Witter is ready to play, Altman knows he'll have a pair of guards who bring decidedly different skills to the table. Witter, a 6-foot junior from Kansas City, is capable of providing instant offense. He scored 42 points — the most by a Missouri Valley player since 1999 — in Creighton's double-overtime win over Bradley last season.

Witter also hit the game-winning shot with 3.2 seconds to play that lifted the Bluejays to a 74-73 win over Rhode Island in the National Invitation Tournament. Overall, he finished his first season as a Bluejay fourth on the team in scoring with a 9.1 average. His 87 assists ranked second behind Dotzler's 118.Distributing and defense have always been Dotzler's strong points. Healthy last season after battling injuries as a freshman and sophomore, Dotzler ranked among the Valley leaders in assists (eighth, 3.6 per game) and steals (fifth, 1.6 per game).

But Dotzler's offensive skills frustrate some CU fans. He shot 30.4 percent from the field and 13 percent from 3-point range in averaging 3.4 points per game last season. He enters his senior season with a 3.9 career scoring average and shooting percentages of .340 for all field-goal attempts and .264 for 3-point shots.

"For three years now, I've never been a huge offensive guy," Dotzler said. "I'd like to be a little more aggressive offensively because it would help the team out, but that's not my main focus. Never really has been."Coming into my senior year, I'm going to try to do whatever it takes to win the game, whether that's defense, whether that's getting someone else the ball or whether that's being more aggressive offensively."

Witter and Altman say fans who solely focus on Dotzler's lack of offense are short-changing him."He's a really good general on the floor," Witter said. "He makes sure the other players are in the right place on the floor, and he does a lot of things that people don't talk about. I learn so much from Josh every day. I watch him to try to make myself a better player."

Altman wants the 6-foot-1 Dotzler to be more productive offensively this season."There's no one that wants to do it more than Josh, and no one that puts in any more time than he does," Altman said. "A lot of our fans don't see all the positives that he gives us. Offensively, he has to be more productive this year."He just has to relax, be patient, pick the ones (shots) he likes and knock 'em down."

Dotzler was productive on offense as a freshman, averaging 6.4 points and shooting 41.5 percent from the field and 39.5 percent from 3-point range in his first 23 games. He suffered a season-ending knee injury in mid-February 2006, underwent surgery in May and struggled throughout his sophomore season to regain his freshman form.A finger injury that required surgery in December 2006 didn't help.

"He's been through a lot," Altman said.

Dotzler started all 33 games last season and averaged 21.3 minutes per game. His court time diminished toward the end of the season when Witter put together six double-figure scoring games in CU's last eight games, including the 42-point night against Bradley.

"Cavel has put in the hard work to make himself a better player," Dotzler said. "That's why I didn't have a problem with that. It would be hard to see someone else playing in front of you if you knew they weren't putting in the work. But that's not Cavel. He's dedicated to getting better and winning."

As far as Witter is concerned, he and Dotzler complement each other and complicate things for Creighton opponents.

"We're two different styles of players," Witter said, "and that makes it hard for a defense to adapt to either one of us."

-Courtesy of the Omaha World Herald

No gentle underdog: From USA Today

Found this article in the USA Today from two years ago when Southern Illinois was making their run through the NCAA tournament. Here is the story in full:

Some thoughts and quotes I liked:

"They invade your personal space," Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenberg was saying the other day. "I love their attitude. I think it's their mindset."

In a SportsCenter generation, when breakaway dunks own the highlight shows, Chris Lowery has sold his players on the honest labor of team defense, where each man relies on the Saluki next to him.

SIU Head Coach Chris Lowery, "I don't think we sell them on defense. We sell them on winning," Lowery said. "Defense is a part of that."

"Anything time you drive," Virginia Tech's Zabian Dowdell said, "you can expect to be cut off by another defender."

That's the whole idea. Ruin passing angles, interfere with flow, be ready to help, never quit. Not until the shot clock runs out, or a brick clangs off the rim. "The biggest thing is," Lowery said, "they trust each other."

On its weekly notes, Southern Illinois includes testimonials from past victims. This from Missouri State coach Barry Hinson, on preparing to play the Salukis:

"We run down to the police station and we get all the German Shepherd attack dogs and we just bring them onto the floor, and we rub meat juice all over our arms, and we just get ready to practice."

The NBA Top10 Hustle Plays (til 1999)

Rip Hamilton "Marathon Man"

Newspaper article on Richard Hamilton titled "Marathon Man" refering to the Piston guards' great work ethic. Here are some excerpts:

During the season, conditioning coaches are responsible for keeping players in top shape; in the off-season it's the players' job. Hamilton takes his conditioning seriously. His off-season training day usually begins at 9 a.m. with a run near his home in Washington, D.C, with his pit bulls, Shark and Diamond. He runs five times a week until they're all dogtired. "I just go out there and sprint," Hamilton says. "Once I know they're tired, I know I've done my job."

After a run he hits the gym for an hour of individual basketball drills, which he does six days a week. "As soon as I step on the court, I go hard," he explains. "Everything is moving, coming off screens, no stationary shots. I just shoot till I'm tired." He also lifts weights four times a week for strength and flexibility, focusing on the core muscles.

He boosts his endurance and recuperative powers by following a strict diet. "My dad is a health freak," says Hamilton, a Coatesville, Pennsylvania, native. "When I was young, he had me drink V8 juice." Hamilton's father still cooks for him during the summer, and Hamilton remains an avid and dedicated vegetable and fruit drinker.

In the off-season, Hamilton typically downs six egg whites, oatmeal and some fruit for breakfast. During the season, his usual pre-game meal, two hours and 10 minutes before a game, consists of whole-wheat pasta smothered in mariana, grilled chicken breasts and vegetables. "What you put into your body is what you get out of it," he says. Being fit is "a lot more than just working out."

Most athletes regard their bodies as investments; Hamilton treats his as a temple. "I've never drunk alcohol or smoked cigarettes in my life," he says.

"He's in the top 1 percent of NBA players when it comes to fitness," says Arnie Kander, the Pistons' conditioning coach. "He's very aware of what's required to keep his body healthy. He's always looking for that edge that can help take his body to the next level."

Chauncey Billups, Hamilton's teammate, once marveled, "He doesn't ever get tired." But what does a tireless pro with monklike devotion to fitness have to teach weekend warriors wanting to stay in game shape?

Hamilton's advice is direct: Respect your body and believe in your abilities. "Sometimes when you think your body can't go to a different gear, push it to the limit," he urges.

LeBron James takes on different role for Team USA

Courtesy of Xavier Basketball (from 2007)

In his third pro season, Cleveland's LeBron James became one of the NBA's most prolific scorers, averaging 31.4 points per game and 30.8 in the playoffs.

Then he went to Japan and became......a point guard? In the FIBA world championships, James has averaged 12.5 points per game. He's third among the Americans in scoring, behind fellow captains Dwyane Wade (20.0 points) and Carmelo Anthony (19.7).

James isn't lighting up the scoreboard. But he's making his teammates better simply by being on the court. As the U.S. prepares to meet Germany in the quarterfinals Wednesday night,

James is second on the team in assists, with 3.5 per game. That's fifth among the tourney's remaining players. "I still think that's the best thing he does -- his presence, especially the passing," coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "He and Wade are incredible passers."

It would be natural fora world-class scorer to fret over his point production. But James said he's not concerned with his numbers.

"If anybody knows my game, they know I don't play like that," James said after a Team USA workout this week. "I play just to help our team win. Whatever our team needs for us to try and win ballgames, that's what I'm going to do.

"I can go out there and take no shots, but if I can rebound and assist and play defense and help our team win, that's what I'm going to be," James said. "I never cared about personal statistics. Never. Never in my life."

2007 Season Theme San Antonio Spurs

1.) Expect nothing. Ask for nothing

2.) Do not give in

3.) Do not be in a hurry to win. Win in 48 minutes. Trust our system

4.) Support and play for your teammates

Adrian Peterson: Heart of a Champion

Expectations are something Adrian Peterson knows a little about. He is only a few weeks into his second season as a pro but is already legendary. Not because of his records (rushing for an NFL all-time single-game-best 296 yards against the Chargers) or resume (Pro Bowl MVP, Rookie of the Year, Heisman runner-up at age 19) or even his supernatural physicality (able to race 100 meters in 10.3 seconds & able to leap in 38” in a single bound). No, Peterson is a legend because he is being talked about. By his fans, of course, but also by his colleagues (teammates).

“When he’s not around, we tell stories about the things he’s done,” says Vikings wide receiver Sidney Rice. “Like the time I saw him after a hard practice, in full pads, running full speed, trying to get somebody to run gases with him. You don’t see anybody like that.”

Moments after rushing for 160 yards in his team’s heartbreaking 18-15 loss to the Colts, he doesn’t fixate on the team’s QB struggles or its vulnerable secondary. He blames only himself. “Without the win, 160 yards doesn’t mean anything,” he says, tossing a towel into his locker. “I left plays out there. I left a touchdown out there. I take it personally. I feel responsible. I do. I got tripped up. I need to do a better job picking my feet out of the hole. I can’t make mistakes like that.”

His despair surprises no one. His teammates have come to know this side of Peterson well. “Adrian’s never happy with himself,” says receiver Aundrae Allison. “He doesn’t understand his accomplishments.” Of course, from this humility flows his greatest strengths. “Adrian is different,” Childress explains. “He’s 100 MPH every day. He’s never looking for the break. He’s not looking to hide. We’re always asking him to slow down. Because frankly, the other players can’t go that hard.”

Rice remembers the first time he spied Peterson. “Adrian was alone in the gym doing pull-ups. I just stood there and watched him, lifting himself up over and over. Everyone else had gone home. But he was still there.” Since that day, Rice has witnessed more miracles. Players dragged 15 yards, defensive clusters blown out like confetti, speed that blurs the eyes. “I can’t remember ever seeing him exhausted. He’ll tell us not to bend down when we’re tired. He’ll say, ‘There’s no air down there. Stand up. Lean me.’ “

Before the season started, when all was promise and optimism, Peterson explained how his own expectations came to be. “When I was young, I had the dream of the NFL, and my mom put it in my head, ‘Don’t settle for less’. “ To achieve his dream, he made a list of goals and posted it on his door:

1) Get on top of my grades
2) Get in my Bible more
3) Stay out of trouble
4) Be the best I can be

“Believe it or not,” he says, “some of the same things I did last year on the field (in the NFL) I’ve been doing since middle school. I push myself harder. I do extra drills. NO matter how tired I am, I make sure I’m first. I got a long way to go, but I figure if I just keep doing the things I have been doing, I should be all right.”

For all his physical dominance, Peterson plays a head game. “You can tell yourself anything.” He explains. “If mentally you don’t cave in, if you push yourself beyond where you thought your body could go, you can do almost anything. A lot of people lack ambition. I figured that out pretty early. I’ve been full speed since I was little.”

From ESPN the Magazine, October 2008 issue

UCLA Bruin Attitude- John Wooden

1. Go to class
2. Compete (no excuses)
3. Be on time (no excuses)
4. Listen
5. Play through the referees' calls
6. No more "no look" passes
7. Huddle up as a team on free throws
8. Run to the bench when substituted for
9. Run to timeouts
10. Run to the locker room
11. No cussing on court
12. no hanging head
13. Never quit on a play, never!
14. No poor body language
15. No pointing figures (unless for good pass)
16. Root for you teammates while on bench
17. Study during study hall
18. Attitude of gratitude- say "thank you"
19. Look people in the eye when communicating
20. Be a role model off the floor
21. Be humble in victory- gracious in defeat
22. Share the juices and the basketball
23. Keep the locker room clean

-Coach Wooden

Scoring hasn't been Miller's priority with Wolves, yet

Good article on how Mike Miller is being a great teammate this preseason in his first year with the Minnesota Timberwolves. I have posted before on his attitude and work ethic being tremendous over his 9 years in the NBA.

Miller is trying to get his teammates involved during this preseason, choosing to defer to his teammates offensively. Miller knows he can score, which is one reason he is allowing others to do so. (This is evidence of his ability to score)

"I've done it a long enough time now," he said. "I've had years when I've scored a lot of points. There are going to be times when I'll score a lot of points this year. We've got enough scorers. That's not going to be a problem. Passing is contagious. My job right now is to get the ball hopping. I'll get the ball in the hole when they need me to, but I'm going to make plays for other people because that's going to be my job a lot this year."

Teammate Randy Foye says:

"I come down and pass the ball to him: I want that assist because he's wide open at the three and he passes the ball to Big Al," Foye said, smiling. "I know what he's trying to do. He's trying to build a relationship with all of us. During the season, I think he'll take those shots.

"Right now, he's trying to learn us and at the same time we're trying to learn him."

Koufos impresses with attitude, work ethic

Here is an article on 1st round draft pick Kusta Koufos & his impressive attitude and commitment to excellence. Here is the article in full. Some excerpts from the article:

As unlikely as the marriage might have seemed at first, the early returns for Koufos and the Jazz have been encouraging. Jazz coach Jerry Sloan, for starters, said his rookie 7-footer's attitude was "as good as you could get."

After playing in the Rocky Mountain Revue in July, Koufos returned to Canton, where he worked on his shooting, conditioning and strength. He was back in Utah by early September and paid visits to the Jazz's practice facility at all hours. Sometimes he was there, shooting and lifting weights by himself, well after midnight. "It's a 24/7 facility," Koufos said, "so I'll just use it to the max." How much time did he put in? "A lot," he said. "Let's just put it that way. A lot."

O'Connor said Koufos' work ethic was at a different level than most players that he'd seen come to the NBA out of high school or after one year of college.

"He's going to hit a wall somewhere along the line, I'm sure, and go through some stuff, but so far he's worked extremely hard," O'Connor said. "And if you're that size and you work hard and you've got some skills, you usually succeed."

Koufos' shooting is his greatest strength, but his focus for right now is on the defensive end. Sloan's praise suggests that Koufos might be able to contribute as a rookie, even though his age would suggest otherwise.

"He doesn't get to the back of the line and stay there," Sloan said. "He's willing to step up and get after it."

From North Dakota State Basketball

Three Kinds of People in this World
1. Those that make things happen

2. Those that watch things happen

3. Those that wonder what happened

Greatest Attitude In the World! (Click on the box to see it)

This is the note posted from a 25 year old Navy SEAL outside his hospital room. He had been shot 8 times in Afghanistan, has had 22 surgeries, and will need at least 8 more. With all of these problems, he still plans on going back and serving his country. This guy is a true hero.

RIGHT CLICK ON THE PICTURE AND CHOOSE OPEN PICTURE

A Real Work Ethic

Story from the Washington Post:

When Kobe Bryant voiced his desire that the Los Angeles Lakers trade him last summer, and even in the weeks leading up to the preseason, his chief concern was that the players around him couldn't help him contend for a championship.

Coach Phil Jackson said Bryant's belief stemmed from the rest of the Lakers struggling in the second half of last season. When that happened, Jackson said Bryant grew frustrated and tried to do it all, and the Lakers fell in the first round of the playoffs for a second straight year.

But once Bryant came to grips with the fact the Lakers wouldn't trade him, he met with Jackson to figure out a way to get more out of his supporting cast.

"When we met earlier this fall, we resolved that it wasn't going to happen again like [the second half of last year] to us," Jackson said of Bryant shouldering the load and seeing no payoff. "So he's been really inclusive and encouraged his teammates even to the point of getting guys going late in the ballgame when he feels guys need help or support to pick their game up. So that's been the key for us this year."

Bryant's new approach caused his teammates to pay attention more closely to how he approached games and practices. They began to understand how and why he did things the way he did.

With his teammates responding in a positive way and showing a desire to make sacrifices similar to his own to improve, Bryant felt encouraged. That encouragement help him trust his teammates even more both in practices and in games - even in pressure situations.

Here are some of Kobe's and his teammates thoughts:

He's very demanding," guard Sasha Vujacic said. "And at the beginning, my first year, I had to understand his way of being competitive and the way things are."

"You try to compete against him, and there's no competing against him," forward Lamar Odom said. "If we have a 10 a.m. practice, Kobe is there at 8:45 preparing to be the best. And some of that has rubbed off on me and my teammates, and that's why I'm sitting here talking to you today."

I think it was just an evolution," Bryant said of the improved relationship between him and his teammates. "The most important step towards trusting my teammates was seeing that they wanted it as much as I do. So by me seeing them work hard ... I saw they wanted to put for that effort. It made it a lot easier."

A Dedication To His Teammates

There is no doubt that Carmelo Anthony is one of the most talented players in the NBA. However, questions have come up in the past and present about his commitment to the defensive end of the floor and his overall commitment to his teammates. Anthony's goal this year is to make those conversations go away:

Courtesy of the Denver Post

A little more than a week after Carmelo Anthony proclaimed to be a changed player -- a new-and-improved version ready to truly make the team his -- there is tangible evidence he is headed in the right direction. His teammates say Anthony has been more vocal in practice, particularly in directing defensive traffic. He's encouraged players and has been an active participant in running, not something many star players are concerned with. Anthony has taken his biggest hits for an inconsistent commitment to playing defense and not grasping control of the team as its unquestioned leader. "All I can say is you will see a different me," Anthony promised prior to the start of training camp. "Not so much from an offensive standpoint, but just making that commitment to make my teammates better, to make my team better on the defensive end. . . ."

Ganon Baker Basketball - 42 Advanced Ballhandling Drills

Fast-forward to the :50 second mark. The energy level that this guy brings is incredible.....

Ganon Baker training the triple threat Basketball coaching

Good thoughts on the triple threat position!

Failure to Reach Potential

Hall of Fame basketball coach Hubie Brown's five problems that stop players from reaching their potential

1.) Low pain threshold (can't fight through fatigue)

2.) Low IQ for what they are doing

3.) Selfishness (not being a team player)

4.) Won't do the little things (screen, dive on the floor, sprint back on defense, etc.)

5.) Drugs or Alcohol