Videos from Day 5 of Houston Rockets Training Camp, 12/13/2011: When we were called in it sounded like we were going to see some more scrimmage action, which I was looking forward to. Instead the team was being instructed and running walkthroughs on plays they will be running this year. J.B. Bickerstaff is the most vocal coach there and Kevin McHale is instructing as well. Since a lot of the players were on that side of the floor, it was a bit crowded so I had to move around to find better angles. This is a couple of pieces of video put together. <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/IUxkYh3VNyY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> I got a lot of footage of Marcus Morris yesterday, but I have to take what is given and Marcus was again doing a lot of shooting work on our side of the court. Here he's shooting mid-range and some free throws, but he's also doing one dribble burst and pull-up jumpers. He looks pretty good... I'm looking forward to seeing how he grows this year. <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/lI1-ABq1hC8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> I got to speak with Goran Dragic after practice. Here he talks about the failed Pau Gasol trade, his ankle injury and the new coaching staff. <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/mUWXw4fqITY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Here's Hasheem Thabeet being asked about the Rockets pursuit of a center and him possibly being waived (amnesty clause). He's a soft spoken guy -- bit hard to hear with so much going on around that spot. I don't know how to best describe Thabeet... he is flat out the nicest guy you'll want to meet. The problem is the Rockets need competitive fire and he doesn't really have it... he's more like Andre the Giant in Princess Bride. <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/fUBArWCsmQA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> I <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/clutchfans/status/146654106587635712">tweeted this earlier today</a>, but here is McHale with the funniest moment in his session. He's asked what the biggest difference now, in switching to two-a-days, is compared to before. He says now he finally has 10 guys... funny how he puts it. <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/bWw5v9p91jQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> More 2011-12 Houston Rockets Training Camp Videos: <UL><LI> Day 5: <a href="http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=212015">Houston Rockets Training Camp Day 5</a> <LI> Day 4: <a href="http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=211928">Houston Rockets Training Camp Day 4</a> <LI> Day 4: <a href="http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=211901">T-Will wins three-point drill, then drops shout out to ClutchFans</a> <LI> Day 3: <a href="http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=211857">Houston Rockets Training Camp Day 3</a> <LI> Day 2: <a href="http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=211687">Hasheem Thabeet, Jordan Hill go to work on post drills w/ Kevin McHale</a> <LI> Day 1: <a href="http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=211631">Terrence Williams shooting drills, Marcus Morris warming up</a> <LI> Day 1: <a href="http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=211611">Courtney Lee on the trade veto, Chuckwagon and Kevin McHale</a> <LI> Day 1: <a href="http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=211604">Houston Rockets First 2011-12 Practice (final 5 minutes)</a> <LI> <a href="http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=211296">Chandler Parsons on return to Rockets</a></UL>
Love the stop and pop shots of Morris. Hope he can integrate them in the game! He should be very good!
You never fail to impress clutch. Thanks for the videos. Speaking of Thabeet, what's the point of waiving (amnesty) him? Who are we creating cap space for? We've heard Nene going back to Denver already.
Why in the world is Morris practicing moves to the basket without a body to help him envision getting around the defender? The angles he was taking were angles that won't be available very often in the NBA game. If you put a coach in his way for the various ways he's defended, he will be more prepared for the real deal. I don't need to see rough practices, but you have to practice real-ish world scenarios. Hasheem has some serious unteachable talents. Soft touch and size aren't learned. I like him. I hope he gets a mentor that teaches him drive. I imagine his potential is way higher than what we saw last year if he just had someone showing him proper NBA aggression.
It seems that Thabeet doesn't know the magnitude of his potential and current opportunity. He comes off nice, but not really hungry. He is probably going through a sort of existential crisis in the sense that basketball is likely not his biggest passion, so he doesn't have a solid foundation on which to build up his purpose on the court. Hopefully he appreciates the opportunity he has in front of him and seizes it before its too late. Regardless of what happens, I think he will make his presence felt on the court just by his sheer size and athletic ability, but unless he focuses more and realizes his motivation to play, his play and body language will seem mostly apathetic.
I just watched an interview with a certain long curly haired member of the Stealers in which he admitted that he does NOT wake up every morning wanting to play football and that he knows it's his talent and he has learned to do his job to the best of his abilities... Just a fun fact..
Maybe the Rockets should try to get him to talk to Thabeet about how to go about being successful in your job even though its not what you might be most passionate about :grin:
Probably because he's already won 2 championships and is only teaching now instead of playing. Just joking, on a lighter note, I really hope he gets some motivation into him. Regardless of whether or not we keep him, there are teams willing to sign him I'm sure at a discounted rate just based on his size alone. I wish the preseason would start already, I really want to see the impact of our players. Chuck won't be here anymore so it'll be interesting to see how every who gets stuck playing Center responds to it.
For me, it was a bit painful to watch Thabeet's interview, because he was trying to sound that it was okay, you could read in his facial expressions that he felt it was happening all over again to him--rejection. Could some part of his demeanor and come-what-may stance be cultural? I just want him to get angry at some point in time and play angry. Great work, clutch. At the end of everyday, I look forward to logging on and finding out the progress of our team. Our plays have very creative names btw.
He does but I'm concerned about his motor in general. If you don't go hard in practice, in a game situation it's not going to be any easier. He just seems to go at his own pace instead of pushing himself.
Of course it is cultural and confidence. Remember the Yao Ming bits where people questioned his competitiveness? I too would like Hasheem to fight back, but right now he seems like a gentle giant. Hopefully one that is sleeping and will wake up all that potential he has.....whomever can tape into that and get through to him will get a beast of a player....if anyone can of course. DD
He will never be a beast! Just watch how he walks. Sometimes I think some teammate prank'ed him and pus something up his ass. It's like he's got hemorrhoids! He's soft and slow. Anyhow, he may learn how to use his height, and be an useful player. I hope!
