The New York Knicks made a splash at the trade deadline with the acquisition of point guard Dennis Smith Jr. However, it appears head coach David Fizdale feels he is still far from a finished product.
The Knicks have relied heavily on their new additions since the All-Star break. According to Marc Berman of the New York Post, Fizdale says he spoke to Smith about his conditioning.
“The biggest message was to him — his conditioning level,’’ Fizdale said. “I challenged him to get in much better shape. I felt like the game before [against Minnesota], he was making a lot of mistakes out of fatigue. So, that was my big challenge to him.
“How we do things here, we really want to jump-start him on educating him about nutrition and what he’s putting in his body and how we go about getting in better shape at this type of year so we don’t crush his legs. And how’s his sleep? We had a good long talk about that, and I spent a lot of time with him trying to educate him on the importance of all this stuff. He really took it to heart.”
It is difficult to believe that an athlete as explosive as Smith has trouble with his endurance. However, that appears to be the case as noted by his performance against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Fortunately, it gives the young star something to focus on moving forward.
Many of David Fizdale's comments often go unnoticed when it comes to a player's development. Younger athletes are not as prone to taking care of their bodies as veterans are. However, superstars that have enjoyed sustained success like Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James are proof of what happens when a player invests in their lifestyle off the court.
Speaking of investments, the Knicks made a huge one when they decided to part ways with big man Kristaps Porzingis in exchange for Smith and another player on an expiring contract in center DeAndre Jordan. They are hoping that Dennis Smith Jr. could help justify the decision moving forward.
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