PTRW #924 BILL BAYNO

Great stuff from an excellent coach:

What do you wish you could make every rookie understand before they ever play their first game?

That there are no shortcuts to success in the NBA and you have to put the work and time in. It’s everything from skill development on court, to studying film, to improving strength and agility and diet and rest. Changing your eating habits and even getting a chef so your body is in best position to deal with the travel schedule and grind of an 82-game season and getting sleep.

Source: http://www.canishoopus.com/2015/6/29/8864767/bill-bayno-q-a

PTRW #923 KRISTAPS PORZINGIS

Steve Serby of the New York Post sat down with New York Knicks rookie, Kristaps Porzingis:

I love what this kid says. What he stands for and his outlook.

Q: Tell Knicks fans why you won’t be a bust.
A: I think what sets me apart from those busts is that I love the game so much. However my career’s gonna start — I’m gonna be playing, not playing — I’m gonna have my mentality, just my work ethic, keeping that same discipline every day, just working until my moment comes. … I’m a student of the game. I will try to make my career as long as possible, for me it’s not about money, so, I just love playing the game.

Q: What is your definition of greatness?
A: Being a professional for a long time on and off the court. Not just being a professional, but you gotta be a great player on the court, and then just doing all the right things off the court. Just interacting with your fans, just having a fan base. … How you carry yourself off the court, that’s very important. And then the dedication on the court … those hours when nobody’s watching you when you’re working by yourself in the gym — that’s what separates good from great.

Q: Describe your mentality on the court.
A: How I prepare myself for the games is I want to be aggressive, I want to attack, I want to get fouled. That’s the thing I always go through before a game. But then I think about: If it doesn’t go my way, what are the things that I can do to help a team, get rebounds, get blocks, stuff that just working on the court you can get even if you’re not making shots.

PTRW #922 MAGIC JOHNSON

Came across this quote from the greatest point guard of all-time.

36 years ago, Magic was the first player taken in the NBA draft.

Here are his words after officially becoming a Los Angeles Laker.

“I hope I can come in and be a floor leader. Get everybody to work as a unit. That’s what it takes to win – team basketball.”

Keep in mind, Magic was 19 years old at the time.

PTRW #921 DRAYMOND GREEN

From his high school coach, Lou Dawkins:

“He has the perfect mentality to continue to improve. He has the willingness to listen to criticism and the ability to let all the accolades coming to him now go in one ear and out the other.”

PTRW #920 TRAVIS TRICE

On his NBA pre-draft workouts:

“Michigan State’s done a great job preparing me for this.”

PTRW #919 MIKE MALONE

On what he looks for in players:

“I love guys that play hard every night, and that may sound very simple, but playing hard is a skill in the NBA, and people don’t realize that. We look at shooting, or passing, and rebounding, as skills. The ability to play hard every night as an individual and as a team is very very important. So, I want guys that take that to heart and bring the effort every night. I don’t want to have to sit there and have to motivate you 82 nights a year. I don’t want to have to sit there and hope you’re going to show up and play hard. I want to know every night, whether you’re going to make or miss a shot, I know for a fact that you’re going to bring your A-game and you’re going to give great effort. So, I love guys that work hard.

“I love unselfish guys. Guys that are willing to give up their body. Guys that are willing to make plays for their teammates. Unselfish. I think that does a lot for team chemistry. Nothing really eats away at team chemistry, and unity, than selfishness – guys that look people off and shoot the ball, and take bad shots. That divides a team so quickly, and I don’t want that on our team.

“Hardworkers. I want guys that are tough. Not only physically tough, but also mentally tough. Can we go on the road and win a game in overtime, when all the odds are stacked against us? Toughness. A lot of times, even when I was recruiting in college, I would prefer a tougher guy than a guy who may be more skilled because I know that guy is going to allow us to win some games when the going gets tough. And those guys are worth a lot in the NBA.

“And you always like guys that have a high basketball IQ. Guys that know the game, have a feel for the game, and are able to pick things up quickly. I like guys that play with a passion, to be real simple, that love the game of basketball, and go out every night and play with a passion. Because I think the fans can relate to that, and that they are very proud of a team that goes out there and plays hard and plays with a passion that they should.”

PTRW #918 ANDRE IGUODALA

“I was always studious. I was always good in school. I knew how to study. I knew how to remember stuff. I knew how to prepare. So you apply the same things to basketball. After a while, it’s natural. This is what I love to do. I love to watch it. I’m always around it. You see it millions of times.”

PTRW #917 LUKE WALTON

Assistant coach, Golden State Warriors:

“When we don’t do stupid [expletive], we’re really [expletive] good. We feel like when we do what we do, with a focus and a discipline, there’s not a lot of teams that can beat us. The issue is that it’s just not that simple, where if you’re focused you’ll win, because at the same time we want our guys running and playing fast and Steph [Curry] and Klay [Thompson] being gunslingers. We want that, but with a fine line of, when that’s not there, recognize it and get into a motion offense, where we’re constantly putting pressure on the defense. You get 20,000 screaming fans, and they love the behind-the-back pass and all that stuff. So it’s not as simple as it sounds, but … that’s kind of the blueprint we see for our guys being able to win a championship.”

PTRW #916 LEBRON JAMES

After losing to Golden State 108-100 in Game 1 of the NBA finals:

“We all have to be better. I don’t think I was great. I’ve got to do better things out on the floor to help us be more precise offensively … It’s not about me. It’s not about the next guy. It’s about all of us.”

PTRW #915 JEFF HORNACEK

On a few college players at the PHX Suns Pre-draft workout:

“Sometimes you go to these workouts and guys just want to show, ‘hey, what can I do? I want to show the coaches or I want to show the GM what I can do.’ These guys just want to play basketball. They played the right way, moved the ball. They competed against each other, they didn’t care who made what in terms of scoring, they just wanted to win, and that’s the type of players you’re looking for.”