Kenny Atkinson pushed me to take my game to another level. Darvin Ham shared the tricks he picked up during his long NBA career to help me develop my skills around the basket. And then there was Quin Snyder, who was the first coach who took me under his wing while he was an assistant here.
Earlier this week I agreed to become a member of the Toronto Raptors.
The big difference between regular NBA players and superstars isn’t just talent, but the way they train. Quin and I just kind of clicked right away when I came to the Hawks, and he began working with me to develop skills that I hadn’t really touched before. His belief in me built up my confidence so much.
One thing he taught me during practice was this move where I dribbled between my legs into a spin move and then a step back jumper. It’s the type of shot you mostly see in video games. He told me that I could try the move during a real game, but if he got in trouble for it I’d have to wait until next year to try it again.
After working on it for a while, I felt like it was game-ready, so I gave it a try … and I missed. So next thing I hear is Coach Bud on his feet hollering at Quin, “What the hell are you guys working on during practice?” Quin just sort of shrugged, and told me after the game that the move looked good … I just needed to hit the shot.
Towards the end of the season, it felt right to try the move again and this time I made the shot. Then I heard Coach Bud yell, “Good job, Quin! That’s how you develop a player!” Coach Bud always had a way of coming around if you made a play.
I appreciated Quin because he encouraged me to take risks, and that really meant a lot because no other NBA coach had given me that opportunity.
I’m really going to miss the locker room. It’s a great group in there, and I know they’ll find success for a long time.
