Hassan Whiteside: Road To The Max

[NBADraft2003]

...Whiteside has been laser-focused since a 90-minute meeting with Spoelstra, in his office, during the All-Star break. So what happened in that meeting?

“He told me I'm a top-15 player talent [wise]. It's just if I'm willing to come out and play like it every night,” Whiteside said. “Spo's motto is 1 percent better. I can come out here and have 10 blocks. It doesn't matter.

"He talks about being a better defender, being a better offensive player, being a better teammate, being a better person. We have an understanding of each other. We talked for so long. Me and coach Spo, we worked our way up to get here. Spo is my guy.”

Teammates notice a difference. Dragic said Whiteside is more engaged, “more focused. Sometimes you tried to tell him something [previously] and he didn’t listen too much. Now he’s doing that. The communication goes both ways.

“It's not only about listening, it's about talking --- to give information out and receive information. He's listening to the players and coaches and he's doing his thing. It's the most relaxed I've seen him. He's just happy. He's found that last step he needs in his game.”

Wade said Whiteside came back from the All-Star break “a different person on the floor and really focusing and being dominant night in and night out."...

Link

I thought Spo hated him...

[QUIZ]

...Whiteside has been laser-focused since a 90-minute meeting with Spoelstra, in his office, during the All-Star break. So what happened in that meeting?

“He told me I'm a top-15 player talent [wise]. It's just if I'm willing to come out and play like it every night,” Whiteside said. “Spo's motto is 1 percent better. I can come out here and have 10 blocks. It doesn't matter.

"He talks about being a better defender, being a better offensive player, being a better teammate, being a better person. We have an understanding of each other. We talked for so long. Me and coach Spo, we worked our way up to get here. Spo is my guy.”

Teammates notice a difference. Dragic said Whiteside is more engaged, “more focused. Sometimes you tried to tell him something [previously] and he didn’t listen too much. Now he’s doing that. The communication goes both ways.

“It's not only about listening, it's about talking --- to give information out and receive information. He's listening to the players and coaches and he's doing his thing. It's the most relaxed I've seen him. He's just happy. He's found that last step he needs in his game.”

Wade said Whiteside came back from the All-Star break “a different person on the floor and really focusing and being dominant night in and night out."...

Link

He has so much talent. I've said all year even when the "analytics people" took shots at Hassan based on his on/off numbers. "The sky's the limit for a player who hasn't even spent a full seasons worth of games in a Miami Heat uniform."

Hassan will be ok and so will the Heat. In an ideal world those two things would happen at the same time, time will tell.

[Chalm Down]

Spoiler:

...Whiteside has been laser-focused since a 90-minute meeting with Spoelstra, in his office, during the All-Star break. So what happened in that meeting?

“He told me I'm a top-15 player talent [wise]. It's just if I'm willing to come out and play like it every night,” Whiteside said. “Spo's motto is 1 percent better. I can come out here and have 10 blocks. It doesn't matter.

"He talks about being a better defender, being a better offensive player, being a better teammate, being a better person. We have an understanding of each other. We talked for so long. Me and coach Spo, we worked our way up to get here. Spo is my guy.”

Teammates notice a difference. Dragic said Whiteside is more engaged, “more focused. Sometimes you tried to tell him something [previously] and he didn’t listen too much. Now he’s doing that. The communication goes both ways.

“It's not only about listening, it's about talking --- to give information out and receive information. He's listening to the players and coaches and he's doing his thing. It's the most relaxed I've seen him. He's just happy. He's found that last step he needs in his game.”

Wade said Whiteside came back from the All-Star break “a different person on the floor and really focusing and being dominant night in and night out."...

Link

I thought Spo hated him...

I think I heard on Skolnick's podcast a couple days ago that Whiteside is the player Spo has spent the most individual time in his head coaching career.

Of course, that could be a case of "keep your friends close and your enemies closer."

[QUIZ]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/790friedo/status/706672452051591169[/tweet]

[NBADraft2003]

Spoiler:

I thought Spo hated him...

I think I heard on Skolnick's podcast a couple days ago that Whiteside is the player Spo has spent the most individual time in his head coaching career.

Of course, that could be a case of "keep your friends close and your enemies closer."

That's what he said which surprised me because I thought that he spent the most individual time with Dwyane when he was younger.

[Chalm Down]

I thought Spo hated him...

I think I heard on Skolnick's podcast a couple days ago that Whiteside is the player Spo has spent the most individual time in his head coaching career.

Of course, that could be a case of "keep your friends close and your enemies closer."

That's what he said which surprised me because I thought that he spent the most individual time with Dwyane when he was younger.

Yeah, I think he spent more time with Dwyane as an assistant coach and with Hassan as the head coach.

[RexBoyWonder]

I've been paying attention for a while and I noticed Wade and Whiteside barely talk, never High 5, don't look eye to eye. I understand they are professional and professionals don't necessarily have to be friends.
However, the Heat really pushes the family environment and the players get along. It doesn't seem that Whiteside gets along with some of the veteran leaders of this team. Consequently, I find it very hard to believe he'll be a Heat player next season.

That used to be true pre Allstar break, but Wade himself is on record praising Hassan new found focus saying he's bringing what the team needs much more consistently lately.

I don't think Wade ever disliked Hassan per se, it's more that he grew tired of the attitude. He's beyond the babysitting stage of his career, he just wants to win. And he Knows a focus Hassan is a major key to winning big.

[dubasilva]

I've been paying attention for a while and I noticed Wade and Whiteside barely talk, never High 5, don't look eye to eye. I understand they are professional and professionals don't necessarily have to be friends.
However, the Heat really pushes the family environment and the players get along. It doesn't seem that Whiteside gets along with some of the veteran leaders of this team. Consequently, I find it very hard to believe he'll be a Heat player next season.

That used to be true pre Allstar break, but Wade himself is on record praising Hassan new found focus saying he's bringing what the team needs much more consistently lately.

I don't think Wade ever disliked Hassan per se, it's more that he grew tired of the attitude. He's beyond the babysitting stage of his career, he just wants to win. And he Knows a focus Hassan is a major key to winning big.

Wade is the ultimate professional in front of the camera. In addition in the business of the NBA, he needs to praise a teammate.
Just saying, this is still Wade's team. Hassan wants to be a star... bad...Probably easier in the Lakers.

I want Hassan to stay, but if not, I hope we get something back. I don't think we will.

[RexBoyWonder]

I've been paying attention for a while and I noticed Wade and Whiteside barely talk, never High 5, don't look eye to eye. I understand they are professional and professionals don't necessarily have to be friends.
However, the Heat really pushes the family environment and the players get along. It doesn't seem that Whiteside gets along with some of the veteran leaders of this team. Consequently, I find it very hard to believe he'll be a Heat player next season.

That used to be true pre Allstar break, but Wade himself is on record praising Hassan new found focus saying he's bringing what the team needs much more consistently lately.

I don't think Wade ever disliked Hassan per se, it's more that he grew tired of the attitude. He's beyond the babysitting stage of his career, he just wants to win. And he Knows a focus Hassan is a major key to winning big.

Wade is the ultimate professional in front of the camera. In addition in the business of the NBA, he needs to praise a teammate.
Just saying, this is still Wade's team. Hassan wants to be a star... bad...Probably easier in the Lakers.

I want Hassan to stay, but if not, I hope we get something back. I don't think we will.

There are very few bigs that would be a good long term replacements and none of them are available to us via trade or free agency, we have to make it work with Hassan and that's why Spo made the effort to work with him during Allstar break and get his head right.

Whatever Spo told him during that seat down, it seems to be working.

Also strangely Bosh going down might be a blessing for Hassan, the bigger role he's getting is helping him in a bunch of ways.

[Rich2Hassan]

#glorified making NBA headlines, star in the making. Even Shaq a HOF'er reached out and talked to this role player.

[cyclix]

I hope Hassan leads us to a title this season and he wins FMVP... I want him in the all time talks by 2018 so we can stop comparing him to Deandre Jordan.

[QUIZ]

I don't even care about the DeAndre Jordan comparison, I want Hassan to be recognized as the best center in the East. better than 49.8TS% Drummond.

Since the all star break:

Drummond: 14.9pts 15.9rebs 1.6stls 1.1blks 6.1/11.3 53.8FG% 2.7/7.2 36.9FT% 31.7mpg

Whiteside: 18pts 15.2rebs 0.7stls 4.2blks 6.8/11.8 57.5FG% 4.4/5.7 78.4FT% 31.4mpg

[Rich2Hassan]

I hope Hassan leads us to a title this season and he wins FMVP... I want him in the all time talks by 2018 so we can stop comparing him to Deandre Jordan.

True, but it's not most HEAT fans comparing him to Jordan, only a few. Regardless, Hassan is better than Jordan. When you have a HOF'er Shaq reaching out to mentor you, you are more than just a "role player" as some call him.

[Heat3]

Where does Hassan rank as an alltime Heat player (in terms of skill/talent/ability not accomplishments)?

[cyclix]

Where does Hassan rank as an alltime Heat player (in terms of skill/talent/ability not accomplishments)?

Behind LeBron and Wade for sure, with 99-00 Mourning & 05 Shaq tough to beat, peak-wise.

[Heat3]

Where does Hassan rank as an alltime Heat player (in terms of skill/talent/ability not accomplishments)?

Behind LeBron and Wade for sure, with 99-00 Mourning & 05 Shaq tough to beat, peak-wise.

agree.

Lebron
Wade
Shaq
Mourning
Bosh
Rice
Hardaway


my list so far. think he's right behind Bosh, but continued improvement and consistency can push him up. crazy!

[RexBoyWonder]

I hope Hassan leads us to a title this season and he wins FMVP... I want him in the all time talks by 2018 so we can stop comparing him to Deandre Jordan.

True, but it's not most HEAT fans comparing him to Jordan, only a few. Regardless, Hassan is better than Jordan. When you have a HOF'er Shaq reaching out to mentor you, you are more than just a "role player" as some call him.

You don't seem to understand the difference between a player's role in a certain situation (like next to HOF Bosh) and a player's potential (like without Bosh, and with a better attitude, in a faster paced game).

Jordan, while a very effective max player, has a lower celling then Hassan because he's not as talented with the ball, but what he had over Hassan earlier in the year is that he totally bought in to his role and had a perfect attitude.

Hassan without Bosh is tapping more into his offensive potential, and getting a bigger role, but also showed lately his attitude is improving (playing hard despite struggling to score against Philly, not pouting, accepting coming off the bench).

Attitude is what kept him out of the league, it was much bigger issue for him then raw talent.

[Mars]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/flasportsbuzz/status/706861364086763520[/tweet]

[Rich2Hassan]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/flasportsbuzz/status/706861364086763520[/tweet]

WOW that's really good! Hassan story is an amazing one! Keep up the great play big fella, make em respect ya!

[Chalm Down]

I've been paying attention for a while and I noticed Wade and Whiteside barely talk, never High 5, don't look eye to eye. I understand they are professional and professionals don't necessarily have to be friends.
However, the Heat really pushes the family environment and the players get along. It doesn't seem that Whiteside gets along with some of the veteran leaders of this team. Consequently, I find it very hard to believe he'll be a Heat player next season.

That used to be true pre Allstar break, but Wade himself is on record praising Hassan new found focus saying he's bringing what the team needs much more consistently lately.

I don't think Wade ever disliked Hassan per se, it's more that he grew tired of the attitude. He's beyond the babysitting stage of his career, he just wants to win. And he Knows a focus Hassan is a major key to winning big.

Heh