OT: 2018-19 NBA Thread.

[jacobslide]

Originally Posted by Jaybee

“Board man gets paid”

This oral history of SDSU era Kawhi is nuts.

https://theathletic.com/1007038/2019...-college-days/

He’s a basketball Terminator, sent to destroy us all.



* The Athletic is a pay site, but they have a few free trial options. If you like sports journalism, a lot of the best writers in whatever sport are working there.

What an absolute amazing weirdo.

[FlashUNC]

Originally Posted by Jaybee

“Board man gets paid”

This oral history of SDSU era Kawhi is nuts.

https://theathletic.com/1007038/2019...-college-days/

He’s a basketball Terminator, sent to destroy us all.



* The Athletic is a pay site, but they have a few free trial options. If you like sports journalism, a lot of the best writers in whatever sport are working there.

Its a short list of guys who come into the league with no real shot to speak of, like him, and turn it into a weapon from everywhere.

He's not of this Earth and that laugh is proof.

[jtakeda]

Originally Posted by FlashUNC

Its a short list of guys who come into the league with no real shot to speak of, like him, and turn it into a weapon from everywhere.

He's not of this Earth and that laugh is proof.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yf35s55Uyg

[msl819]

Originally Posted by jtakeda

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yf35s55Uyg

Some people have entirely too much free time on their hands!

[FlashUNC]

Originally Posted by jtakeda

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yf35s55Uyg

I didn't know I needed my two favorite things -- Kawhi's laugh and Roundball Rock -- combined, but I'm glad the Internet exists for things like this.

[msl819]

Originally Posted by FlashUNC

I didn't know I needed my two favorite things -- Kawhi's laugh and Roundball Rock -- combined, but I'm glad the Internet exists for things like this.

Kevin Hart’s reaction is GOLD!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yFEXYKIvpfQ

[joosttx]

Originally Posted by jacobslide

Exactly, and he's like "there was a lot of contact" I don't think Klay tried to kick his legs out, I think the bump did it. But, c'est la vie.

I think there is a bit of both going there.

[XXtwindad]

Originally Posted by FlashUNC

I didn't know I needed my two favorite things -- Kawhi's laugh and Roundball Rock -- combined, but I'm glad the Internet exists for things like this.

Pro athletes, like everyone else, run the gamut of personality types. Some (Barkley, Magic) are natural extroverts. Some have an innate charisma (Kobe) that allow them to handle the Dog and Pony Shows. And some (Kawhi, Klay Thompson and - from another era - DiMaggio) are inherent introverts.

I bet facing a phalanx of post-game reporters is scarier to Kawhi than a Thompson/Green double team with the clock running down ...

[msl819]

Originally Posted by XXtwindad

Pro athletes, like everyone else, run the gamut of personality types. Some (Barkley, Magic) are natural extroverts. Some have an innate charisma (Kobe) that allow them to handle the Dog and Pony Shows. And some (Kawhi, Klay Thompson and - from another era - DiMaggio) are inherent introverts.

I bet facing a phalanx of post-game reporters is scarier to Kawhi than a Thompson/Green double team with the clock running down ...

This idea is actually pretty fascinating to me. I was talking to a Psychologist one time and he made the comment that professional athletes are disproportionately introverted. Of course there are outliers but his commentary was that of all the ingredients it takes to rise to the level of being a professional athlete, being an introvert seems to be one - or at least a helpful one. This allows for introverts to spend long hours alone committed to improving their craft and also allows them to not be pulled into some distractions that others fall prey to. He didn’t give me a percentage but he said even guys that we think are more extroverted are often really introverts who have developed a skill with people. Part of his point was that people think of extroverts as people likers and introverts as people haters. Introverts, as he described don’t not like people, people just take energy from them and being alone gives them energy, and vice versa for extroverts. According to him charisma, as we call it, is neither an introvert or extrovert attribute. And most of us have learned how to adapt and function in social settings regardless of our base personality. It is all about base levels of what motivates us and allows us to spend time and energy in certain places.

It has also fascinated me that some athletes, like Deion Sanders, seem to craft an alter ego to deal with the demands of being famous when outside of the spotlight they may not at all be like their alter ego.

[FlashUNC]

Originally Posted by XXtwindad

Pro athletes, like everyone else, run the gamut of personality types. Some (Barkley, Magic) are natural extroverts. Some have an innate charisma (Kobe) that allow them to handle the Dog and Pony Shows. And some (Kawhi, Klay Thompson and - from another era - DiMaggio) are inherent introverts.

I bet facing a phalanx of post-game reporters is scarier to Kawhi than a Thompson/Green double team with the clock running down ...

There's introvert, and then there's Kawhi. The Athletic story sums it up nicely. The guy barely speaks at all. Ever. And his trash talk is the kind of clipped language you'd find in Morse code transmissions.

[Jaybee]

Originally Posted by FlashUNC

There's introvert, and then there's Kawhi. The Athletic story sums it up nicely. The guy barely speaks at all. Ever. And his trash talk is the kind of clipped language you'd find in Morse code transmissions.

I can’t imagine how demoralizing it must be to have Kawhi sizing up your dribble while saying “nope. Nope. Nope”. You just know your getting picked for an easy dunk on the other end.

He is actually a pretty refreshing if short interview. No athlete platitudes, just direct to the point answers.

[XXtwindad]

Originally Posted by msl819

This idea is actually pretty fascinating to me. I was talking to a Psychologist one time and he made the comment that professional athletes are disproportionately introverted. Of course there are outliers but his commentary was that of all the ingredients it takes to rise to the level of being a professional athlete, being an introvert seems to be one - or at least a helpful one. This allows for introverts to spend long hours alone committed to improving their craft and also allows them to not be pulled into some distractions that others fall prey to. He didn’t give me a percentage but he said even guys that we think are more extroverted are often really introverts who have developed a skill with people. Part of his point was that people think of extroverts as people likers and introverts as people haters. Introverts, as he described don’t not like people, people just take energy from them and being alone gives them energy, and vice versa for extroverts. According to him charisma, as we call it, is neither an introvert or extrovert attribute. And most of us have learned how to adapt and function in social settings regardless of our base personality. It is all about base levels of what motivates us and allows us to spend time and energy in certain places.

It has also fascinated me that some athletes, like Deion Sanders, seem to craft an alter ego to deal with the demands of being famous when outside of the spotlight they may not at all be like their alter ego.

This theory probably has a lot of validity to it.

On a related note: "A Day in Hell" rookie sportswriter edition. It's the eve of the 2014 NBA championships. On the podium: Popovich, Kawhi Leonard, and Tim Duncan. Your job: turn in a first-rate story...

[retrofit]

Originally Posted by Jaybee

I can’t imagine how demoralizing it must be to have Kawhi sizing up your dribble while saying “nope. Nope. Nope”. You just know your getting picked for an easy dunk on the other end.

He is actually a pretty refreshing if short interview. No athlete platitudes, just direct to the point answers.

Took a page out of Coach Pop's book.

[FlashUNC]

Originally Posted by Jaybee

I can’t imagine how demoralizing it must be to have Kawhi sizing up your dribble while saying “nope. Nope. Nope”. You just know your getting picked for an easy dunk on the other end.

He is actually a pretty refreshing if short interview. No athlete platitudes, just direct to the point answers.

Bucket. Bucket.

Board man. Board man.

If anything it's even more frightening how clinical is all is.

[Jaybee]

Nearing the end of the first Q, and Steph is having to do everything. His is going to be a tough ask for GSW, and I shudder to think of what happens in the Steph rest minutes.

Also, Klays absence is most obvious on the defensive end. Toronto is getting all kinds of easy shots.