Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside is widely considered as one of the rising stars of the league today.
After his stellar play last season where he averaged an impressive 14.2 points, 11.8 rebounds, and a league-leading 3.7 blocks in only 29.1 minutes per game, the 27-year-old looks to build on the momentum he created last year and improve his game even more.
During the offseason, he has drawn inspiration from NBA legends who have mastered particular moves that he wants to add to his arsenal. The 7-foot big man also wants to be known not just as a back-to-the-basket player but also someone with great defensive skills. Speaking to Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press, Whiteside had this to say:
”I wanted to take Hakeem's shot-blocking abilities. I wanted to take Kevin Garnett's face-up jumper. I wanted to take Tim Duncan's bank shot. I wanted to take Kobe Bryant's work ethic. And Shaq's aggressiveness.”
”I can score and I can defend. You've got guys at the (center) position that can score but they can't guard a shoebox. And you've got guys who are really great defenders but they couldn't score on a shoebox. I just want to be balanced.”
The amount of work he has put in this summer has not gone unnoticed as the Heat's head coach, Erik Spoelstra, spoke highly about Whiteside and his continuous development.
”Each month he's been with us, he's gotten better. And I think that's a great statement to make. For two straight years, he's gotten better. Seems like each week, each game that he's played, he's understanding his role. He's playing with a great motor right now.”
With the dedication and hard work he has shown before the start of the season, it's only a matter of time before Whiteside gets to add more skills to his game. And with the Heat losing Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, he becomes the focal point of the team's offense as well their defensive anchor, which will help him eclipse his averages last season.
Follow Us
Subscribe