Entertaining Lionel Hollins interview

[mogrovejo]

Recommended reading:

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2010/may/13/geoff-calkins-lionel-hollins-talks-mike-conley-oj-/?partner=RSS

Some comments:

- I'm worried about Thabeet. I think his elite athleticism is deceiving. He needs work on some athletic traits that aren't always visible at first sight. For example, he's a great shot-blocker and can jump really high. However, he's not very quick leaving the floor, he needs time to gain some momentum to leap. That leads to a very poor/slow second bounce, which really impacts his rebounding. They need to work him on these aspects quickly, if they succeed he can become a valuable player.

- Hollins should give Mayo a real opportunity for him to prove he can play PG. Two Summer League games? That's absurd. As a 2-guard, Mayo will always be an average player at best. He just lacks the size there. As a PG, then yeah, he could be a valuable contributor.

[HarlemHeat37]

Wow, that was possibly the most honest interview I've ever read from an active coach or active figure in the NBA..respectable stuff from Hollins, kept it real..even saying which players are the hardest workers/most humble players on the team..

I'm not a big fan of Mike Conley though, I think they might get stuck if Hollins likes him too much, which appears to be the case..

[SomeCallMeTim]

Wow, that was possibly the most honest interview I've ever read from an active coach or active figure in the NBA..respectable stuff from Hollins, kept it real..even saying which players are the hardest workers/most humble players on the team.

I like him a lot and was really glad to see he didn't end up the loser in the great Hollins/Iverson war of 2009. Under the wrong circumstances, he could've been totally tossed under the bus there. Instead Iverson was the one to go and Lionel stuck around to help turn the team around.

Now the team actually has hope for the future and some great young pieces all under a coach who seems to have a clue and is a good guy to boot.

[mogrovejo]

Yeps, it seems he really keeps his faith in Conley. The kid does some nice stuff occasionally, shows glimpses of being a really good player, but he just isn't assertive enough out there. Plays too scared to be a good NBA PG. I find Hollins' faith in him a bit puzzling. I'd already have tried Mayo at the point last season.

Yeah, I was impressed by his candor. Quite unusual.