the glove on demar

**'trane** · 03-05-2013, 08:10 PM

MacKenzie on Raps: DeRozan's ace in the hole - Sportsnet.ca

Quote:

Gary Payton wants you to know how much DeRozan cares about the game and how hard he works to respect it.

“That’s my man,” DeRozan said, when asked about Payton. “I love that dude, man.”

In typical DeRozan fashion, the news that Payton has been working with him during the offseason and mentoring him since he was in high school was revealed nonchalantly. First mentioned in a feature written by Sportsnet Magazine’s Dave Zarum, DeRozan kept his Hall of Fame finalist mentor under wraps for the first three seasons of his career.

“DeMar’s a great kid,” Payton said during a phone interview. “I’ve seen DeMar ever since he was playing in high school and he was coming to a lot of the Vegas things and I heard about a kid out of L.A. that was really, really good.”

Quote:

“What people don’t understand is, DeMar is nothing but a basketball junkie,” Payton said. “He can’t do anything else. He can’t sleep, he doesn’t sleep, he doesn’t do anything else and when he doesn’t sleep he wants to go work out. He works out two or three times a day. He has a great fiancee who is on him like a clock. They met at USC.”

DeRozan’s fiancee can be spotted at every Raptors home game, counting down the shot clock and calling out screens as though she was sitting on the bench. A former player herself, she shares DeRozan’s love for the game and, along with his cousin who is also here with him in Toronto, helps keep him focused on the goal at hand. She also keeps it real with him.

“He went out one day and practiced and his girl was over there and she was like…’You need to go and sit down because you’re not really here right now,’” Payton described. “She does that and I love that about her because she tells him that. He goes and looks and you know what he does? He says, ‘Okay, let’s do another hour.’ That’s just how it goes.”

Payton, who is as concerned for DeRozan’s off-court success as he is with how he’s doing on the floor, knows he doesn’t have to worry about who his protege is spending time with.

“Nowadays a lot of guys have dudes who are going to be with them just for their career,” he explained. “(DeRozan) has the group that’s going to be with him for his life. After basketball is over… he knows they weren’t just there for the ride of the NBA. He knows that.”

No longer the 19-year-old that was drafted to the Raptors, DeRozan recently discussed how his eating habits have changed as he becomes more aware of taking care of his body, doing whatever he can to try to gain an edge. First to go was soda, then he cut down on sugars and processed foods. While he admits to much less clean eating during the offseason, he said he’s realized how important it is to properly fuel his body during the season.

When the season started and DeRozan started showing off a post game that he hadn’t had before, Payton was sitting on his couch at home, tuning in to Raptors games and smiling.

“We watched a lot of tape me and him, how I used to do that and he learned how easy it can be,” Payton said. “When you’re guarding a little guy that’s only weighing about 170 pounds and you’re weighing almost 200 it’s really easy to do it.”

Quote:

“He asks a lot of questions about a ton of stuff,” Payton said. “He always sits there and listens as everything is being said. I talk about a lot of stuff and he’ll always be like, ‘Yeah, I heard about that. Is it true about this? Gary, did you do this?’ He knows a lot about the game which people don’t understand. He knows what to do and how to do it. When you tell DeMar something he doesn’t just put it in one ear and out the other. He takes that in and gets that knowledge and adds it to his game.”

Quote:

When DeRozan isn’t hounding Payton with questions about his days in Seattle, the two watch game tape. Whether they’re in L.A., Las Vegas or on a plane flying to China for a charity event, the two will watch tape of DeRozan in Toronto, tape of opponents Payton would like him to emulate and tape of some of the game’s greatest along the way.
“He likes to watch old school basketball,” Payton said. “He likes to do that anyway. He goes and watches people like Dr. J, Magic, Jordan. He likes doing that because he likes to study the game. He’s very intelligent about the game. That’s what I seen in him since day one.”

Nites · 03-05-2013, 08:13 PM

We should hire Gary so that he can stay with DeRozan during the season.

jeffb · 03-05-2013, 08:18 PM

I love reading stuff like this. Gotta love his attitude and his determination to get better.

0nekhmer · 03-05-2013, 08:22 PM

That's awesome. I'm still a believer in demar!

pzabby · 03-05-2013, 08:23 PM

and people said trade him for millsap

psh we have a winner on our hands boys. now if only gay could do the same as demar and learn to use his magical physical tools more effectively

**Ball Don't Lie** · 03-05-2013, 08:25 PM

We should lock him in a gym with Gary and pay him 100k to teach Demar how to defend.

Dark Knight · 03-05-2013, 08:26 PM

Hard work is cool and all, but it means nothing if it doesn't bare fruit in the end. We'll see if DeMar can put his ethic to use next year and blossom into a top SG in the league.

jeffb · 03-05-2013, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pzabby

and people said trade him for millsap

psh we have a winner on our hands boys. now if only gay could do the same as demar and learn to use his magical physical tools more effectively

mehh, i would still consider trading him for the right deal.

Superjudge · 03-05-2013, 08:37 PM

Can't argue with DD's work ethic. I honestly think he could be a late bloomer, he played half a year of college right out of HS and the the NBA. He is just learning the game right now. He has made huge steps this year, and if he can learn to set his guys up a little better, which he will, he could really turn into a special player.

Shooting the three is reps. He has improved every year so far. In 2-3 years he might be just awesome.

carp · 03-05-2013, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ball Don't Lie

We should lock him in a gym with Gary and pay him 100k to teach Demar how to defend.

might take a few extra zeros...

carp · 03-05-2013, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pzabby

and people said trade him for millsap

some of us advocated for Favors and others said he's nowhere near his level.... this story doesn't change that either.

It's good to see that Demar is thought to be a hard worker, but he's got a long way to go. Rudy has helped his game tremendously, we got lucky to get Rudy here for Jose and Ed.

**Ball Don't Lie** · 03-05-2013, 09:14 PM

Both Favors and Millsap are much better players than Demar currently. Only difference is Favors has the potential to be one of the leagues best bigmen, so he's essentially an untouchable for the Jazz, but Millsap can be had because of Favors.

pzabby · 03-05-2013, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ball Don't Lie

Both Favors and Millsap are much better players than Demar currently. Only difference is Favors has the potential to be one of the leagues best bigmen, so he's essentially an untouchable for the Jazz, but Millsap can be had because of Favors.

sure, but I think demar will have a better trajectory to look forward to than millsap. I think millsap is what he is and what he'll ever be at this point. demar on the other hand due to his limited handles and 3 pt shot still has so much room to grow offensively, as well as defensively, and since he's shown to put the work in, if he can get even average in all those 3 areas, he will be a prime sg in the league. millsap on the other hand is too physically limited to ever be a true defensive stopped which is what you want to see from your back court

carp · 03-05-2013, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pzabby

sure, but I think demar will have a better trajectory to look forward to than millsap. I think millsap is what he is and what he'll ever be at this point. demar on the other hand due to his limited handles and 3 pt shot still has so much room to grow offensively, as well as defensively, and since he's shown to put the work in, if he can get even average in all those 3 areas, he will be a prime sg in the league. millsap on the other hand is too physically limited to ever be a true defensive stopped which is what you want to see from your back court

But Millsap is still much better right now.... but I understand your concern there. Demar does have a ways to go, but Millsap is just so damn good right now and would fit a much bigger need for us. We're not trading Demar, but it's not without merit.

pzabby · 03-05-2013, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carp

But Millsap is still much better right now.... but I understand your concern there. Demar does have a ways to go, but Millsap is just so damn good right now and would fit a much bigger need for us. We're not trading Demar, but it's not without merit.

Is he really THAT much better right now than demar? U also have to think what the impact of losing demar will be on this team. Not one of our backup wings is capable of starting at SG (yet) but amir can definitely start for this team. A lot of things to consider aside from just players' skill levels

jeffb · 03-05-2013, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pzabby

Is he really THAT much better right now than demar? U also have to think what the impact of losing demar will be on this team. Not one of our backup wings is capable of starting at SG (yet) but amir can definitely start for this team. A lot of things to consider aside from just players' skill levels

Derozan is perplexing at times. He goes through stretches where he's more aggressive, other times where he settles for fadeaway's far too much. He often holds onto the ball far too long and doesn't pass out of doubles and his defense is at times ok, other times his D awful. Part of me loves him part of me dislikes him. Do i think he'll ever be an all-star? Maybe........consistently....no. I honestly can see this guy bing dealt within the next couple years, he can be frustrating.

pzabby · 03-05-2013, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffb

Derozan is perplexing at times. He goes through stretches where he's more aggressive, other times where he settles for fadeaway's far too much. He often holds onto the ball far too long and doesn't pass out of doubles and his defense is at times ok, other times his D awful. Part of me loves him part of me dislikes him. Do i think he'll ever be an all-star? Maybe........consistently....no. I honestly can see this guy bing dealt within the next couple years, he can be frustrating.

we agree to disagree then. I think DD is the absolute base of this new core of ours, and if he goes our chemistry will fall off a cliff, and I think management thinks the same thing

DonMughal · 03-05-2013, 10:47 PM

I just can't stand the fact that none of our starting wings can hit a three. It makes our offence so much harder.

LET'S GO RAPTORS!!!!! · 03-05-2013, 11:05 PM

DD for Millsap and follow that up with LF + TR for Affalo. Just throwing it out there.

JoeyJoJo Shabbadu · 03-06-2013, 12:08 AM

Most humble guy, hardest worker and slowest learner.

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03-05-2013, 08:13 PM	#2 (permalink)
Nites is the King of the Streets Can't knock the Hustle Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Vancouver Posts: 13,258 Representing:	We should hire Gary so that he can stay with DeRozan during the season.

03-05-2013, 08:18 PM	#3 (permalink)
jeffb lol at puckheads Banned Join Date: May 2008 Location: YO MAMMA Posts: 67,931 Representing:	I love reading stuff like this. Gotta love his attitude and his determination to get better.

03-05-2013, 08:22 PM	#4 (permalink)
0nekhmer excited for this season! Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Brampton Ontario Posts: 2,839 Representing:	That's awesome. I'm still a believer in demar!

03-05-2013, 08:23 PM	#5 (permalink)
pzabby and a 1, and a 2, and a 1,2,3,4! Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: toronto Posts: 6,403 Representing:	and people said trade him for millsap psh we have a winner on our hands boys. now if only gay could do the same as demar and learn to use his magical physical tools more effectively

03-05-2013, 08:25 PM	#6 (permalink)
Ball Don't Lie praying Drummond doesnt haunt us forever. Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 9,962 Representing:	We should lock him in a gym with Gary and pay him 100k to teach Demar how to defend.

03-05-2013, 08:26 PM	#7 (permalink)
Dark Knight waiting for the sun to come out so he can let his guns out. Jamario Moon! Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Electric Avenue Posts: 15,302 Representing:	Hard work is cool and all, but it means nothing if it doesn't bare fruit in the end. We'll see if DeMar can put his ethic to use next year and blossom into a top SG in the league.

03-05-2013, 08:37 PM	#9 (permalink)
Superjudge is pounding the rock! Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 17,593 Representing:	Can't argue with DD's work ethic. I honestly think he could be a late bloomer, he played half a year of college right out of HS and the the NBA. He is just learning the game right now. He has made huge steps this year, and if he can learn to set his guys up a little better, which he will, he could really turn into a special player. Shooting the three is reps. He has improved every year so far. In 2-3 years he might be just awesome.

03-05-2013, 09:14 PM	#12 (permalink)
Ball Don't Lie praying Drummond doesnt haunt us forever. Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 9,962 Representing:	Both Favors and Millsap are much better players than Demar currently. Only difference is Favors has the potential to be one of the leagues best bigmen, so he's essentially an untouchable for the Jazz, but Millsap can be had because of Favors.

03-05-2013, 10:47 PM	#18 (permalink)
DonMughal the boss Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Mississauga Posts: 3,776 Representing:	I just can't stand the fact that none of our starting wings can hit a three. It makes our offence so much harder.

03-05-2013, 11:05 PM	#19 (permalink)
LET'S GO RAPTORS!!!!! trying to figure out what MU is stirring up Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Posts: 6,803 Representing:	DD for Millsap and follow that up with LF + TR for Affalo. Just throwing it out there.

03-06-2013, 12:08 AM	#20 (permalink)
JoeyJoJo Shabbadu payin Dwyane Wade Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 3,457 Representing:	Most humble guy, hardest worker and slowest learner.