The professional relationship between Oklahoma City Thunder center Steven Adams and the team’s assistant coach Darko Rajakovic is somewhat unique.
Adams is shooting 78% from the free throw line this year, after never shooting better than 58% in previous seasons. He attributes his success to the tactile approach of Rajakovic, as per Fred Katz of The Norman Transcript:
“He’ll come and, like, punch me in the stomach. Like, no joke. I swear to God,” Adams said. “He’ll come punch me in the stomach or slap me on the arm really hard, and he’ll just say like, ‘Make a free throw. Make two free throws.’ And I’m just like, ‘Uhhhh, OK.'”
It may seem like an extreme case of tough love, but Adams feels as though it helps him feel comfortable in stressful situations:
“You shoot a high percentage [in practice] and then you shoot a low percentage in the game,” Adams said. “It’s just strictly mental from there. You kinda have to simulate the same sort of flow or whatever.”
“It’s mostly a comfort thing, but it’s mostly just repetition,” Adams said. “Just trying to stay focused. It's definitely a mental thing.”
Not everyone would take kindly to Rajakovic’s antics, but Adams is seemingly comfortable with his unpredictable nature:
“[Rajaković is] just like one of those dudes you don’t know what to expect,” he said. “You don’t know whether he’s happy, sad, or just like amped up or nothing. He’s just always wired. So, when he’s trying to teach you something, he’s real serious and then he’s just like, boom! Just crack you. Yeah, he’s crazy.
“It’s no fun. I didn’t say it was fun, mate,” he said. “Getting beaten by a little Serbian. Not good, man. Not good.”
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