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."
