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I don't know what I missed but I haven't been reading about Shad and how he has behaved behind the scenes. For the last couple of months I have been reading about people repeatedly talking about his horrible attitude problems.

What is he doing? Is he talking trash in the locker room? Calling out the coached? What? I haven't come across any of this information so I want to know what his issues are before I decide if I like the idea of possibly trading him for various reasons.

I think it was really a combination of his arrogance and stubbornness. Then the fact that he just kinda blew off Witt and ignored what he had to say during a game in the final week where Witt pulled him.

I think its blown a little out of proportion but still the problem is there.

I wonder how much of it is us making assumptions.

I don't think its anything major, but he's somewhat uncoachable in that he's sensitive to criticism and prone to feeling like people are picking on him

Most coaches aren't good at being patient with guys like that. Its why we shouldn't sign Kwame Brown.

I could care less what McCants attitude is. My issues with him are his defense-by-fouling and his passing-by-turnover.

I am also kind of wondering what's really the issue here. I think it has more to do with Wittman than anything else.

It's not even defense by fouling that bothers me because a young team with young players aren't going to get the calls much. What bothers me is how he always complains and that leads to a downward spiral.

People want to paint him with the broad stroke of being that spoiled young professional athlete we see everywhere. I don't think that fits him, because those guys always lack work ethic, and McCants has as much work ethic as anyone on this team.

One example I saw in person at a game last year (probably not caught on TV).

Rashad commits a reach in foul, ends up with the ball in his hands after the whistle. The ref on the near side of the court (who called the foul on him), standing 2 feet away from him, motions for the ball so they can take it out on the side. Rashad looks at him, ignores him, turns and throws the ball about 30 feet to the other ref in the far corner on the baseline, who has to get it back to the other ref.

That in a nutshell is the kind of juvenile disrespect that has earned Rashad his reputation. That and clapping and yelling for the ball all the time and his patented "stare into space" look every time Wittman is talking to him.

Tim Duncan is one of the biggest whiners in the league. The difference is he doesn't disrespect the refs (other than joey crawford I guess) or his coaches.

^^^ he would have been whistled for delay of game if that was the case.

Everyone is down on him because he still plays like a rookie sometimes. He thinks he had to do to much on the floor and gets in trouble for for lots of little mistakes. That being said as the talent level increases around him I believe he will get past some of these minor mistakes.

He does have some issues with Wittman but they should have had plenty of time to work on that in the off-season. Wittman threw him under the bus numerous times and Mccants didn't react well to it. Im sure they can mend fences rather easily though.

Just random stuff I found regarding McCants
http://www.startribune.com/sports/wolves/16486821.html
http://youtube.com/watch?v=KQwS6SJED40
http://youtube.com/watch?v=nIkndsaBmLY

delux55 wrote:^^^ he should have been whistled for delay of game if that was the case.

Everyone is down on him because he still plays like a rookie sometimes. He thinks he had to do to much on the floor and gets in trouble for for lots of little mistakes. That being said as the talent level increases around him I believe he will get past some of these minor mistakes.

He does have some issues with Wittman but they should have had plenty of time to work on that in the off-season. Wittman threw him under the bus numerous times and Mccants didn't react well to it. Im sure they can mend fences rather easily though.

Fixed it for you. Players get away with crap like that all the time.

The only reason McCants still got any playing time after all the crap he pulled with Wittman is because McHale is so high on him and they were also concerned with maintaining his trade value. To say Wittman threw him under the bus is pretty unfair when he received steady minutes all season, even if he (rightfully) was made to come off the bench. If you disrespect your coach and the officials, you shouldn't be on the floor, period.

I've always been high on McCants' talent level, but he's been in the league 3 years now, if he can't handle things mentally yet, why do you expect anything to change? [/b]

A major thing in rebuilding is being easy on guys and letting them develop. Wittman was very tough on McCants, but he still let him play through his mistakes. McCants didn't respond well to the tough love, but he did start learning from it, because in my opinion Wittman was fair and treated McCants respectfully throughout the process.

Yes McCants has an attitude we all know that, but it is what gives him the potential to be great.

There are quite a few superstars that have "attitude" problems if you can even call them that. To name a few: Kobe, Duncan, Sheed, etc.
My point is that just because you have a few attitude problems doesn't mean you can't play or succeed in the NBA. I think Mccants DOES have somewhat of an attitude problem. However, I see it as WAYY overblown on this board. If Mccants tones it down just a little bit I'll be happy. If he does that I think the stupid foul thing will get better on its own anyways cuz he won't be totally dissin' refs so they won't feel the need to get revenge.

Except those guys have succeeded in the NBA. One of the many things they all have in common is that they work hard on D.

(And Duncan? Seriously?)

Maybe its all mental with Rashad. He obviously has all the physical tools to succeed. He just needs stuff figured out upstairs. He needs to dedicate himself to being a good player 100% of the time, not just most of the time on offense.