Post by John on Aug 21, 2006 10:00:19 GMT -4
From the Oklahoman...
Remember Desmond Mason at Oklahoma State when he was a hard-nosed highlight-waiting-to-happen?
Or when Mason played the role of invaluable glue guy in Seattle and Milwaukee during his first five NBA years.
Those days seem a distant memory after Mason’s campaign with the Hornets last season, when he set career lows in nearly every statistical category. But expect Mason to return to his old form this season, because there are plenty of reasons to believe he’ll do just that.
For starters, that jerky hitch that defined Mason’s jump shot last season is a thing of the past, according to his San Antonio-based agent, Roger Montgomery. Mason has been working out relentlessly with a shooting coach in San Antonio and in his off-season Portland home.
The primary goal has been to remove the hesitant hitch that formed after a shoulder injury a few years back and became more pronounced last season. And the primary hope is that its elimination forces an increase in his 10.8-point average and 39-percent shooting from the field and 68-percent shooting from the free-throw line, both career-lows.
“When you look at him shoot the basketball now you’re going to say, ‘My goodness,’ ” Montgomery said. “We’re excited about where he is because it’s a lot better than what it was. And I think that teams are going to have to start respecting him a little bit more when it comes to his outside shot. I think it’s going to make him better and it’s going to make the Hornets better.”
And Mason should be assisted in his bid to rebound with the Hornets sporting a bolstered roster. With scoring threats Peja Stojakovic and Bobby Jackson, defenses won’t be able to focus on limiting Mason’s offensive strengths - attacking the basket and scoring in transition. Stojakovic, Jackson, Chris Paul and David West will command enough attention that Mason will have tons of chances to show off his refined jumper.
“Last year, that was not the same player that you’re going to see this year,” said Montgomery. “You’re going to see the Desmond Mason that everybody was excited about when he was just getting started in the league.
“Desmond is a competitor. He was not happy with the way that he played last year. His numbers were all-time lows, and he wants to play better because he has pride and he understands that he’s a better player than what he showed.”
Mason understands this, too. He’s in a contract year, and players historically have played some of the best ball of their lives when millions of dollars are at stake. It’s no coincidence that Speedy Claxton engineered a Sixth Man Award runner-up season last year then cashed in on a new $25-million deal with the Atlanta Hawks this offseason.
Be it pride or riches, Mason has plenty of incentives to return to the player we knew only a short time ago. And rest assured the Hornets are that much closer to playoff land if Mason reincarnates his game to the four-year stretch from 2001-05 that saw his scoring average increase each year from 12.4 to his career peak of 17.2.
Bank on the Mason of old resurfacing in November. Chalk up last season’s struggles to a nasty one-year hitch in his career.
Remember Desmond Mason at Oklahoma State when he was a hard-nosed highlight-waiting-to-happen?
Or when Mason played the role of invaluable glue guy in Seattle and Milwaukee during his first five NBA years.
Those days seem a distant memory after Mason’s campaign with the Hornets last season, when he set career lows in nearly every statistical category. But expect Mason to return to his old form this season, because there are plenty of reasons to believe he’ll do just that.
For starters, that jerky hitch that defined Mason’s jump shot last season is a thing of the past, according to his San Antonio-based agent, Roger Montgomery. Mason has been working out relentlessly with a shooting coach in San Antonio and in his off-season Portland home.
The primary goal has been to remove the hesitant hitch that formed after a shoulder injury a few years back and became more pronounced last season. And the primary hope is that its elimination forces an increase in his 10.8-point average and 39-percent shooting from the field and 68-percent shooting from the free-throw line, both career-lows.
“When you look at him shoot the basketball now you’re going to say, ‘My goodness,’ ” Montgomery said. “We’re excited about where he is because it’s a lot better than what it was. And I think that teams are going to have to start respecting him a little bit more when it comes to his outside shot. I think it’s going to make him better and it’s going to make the Hornets better.”
And Mason should be assisted in his bid to rebound with the Hornets sporting a bolstered roster. With scoring threats Peja Stojakovic and Bobby Jackson, defenses won’t be able to focus on limiting Mason’s offensive strengths - attacking the basket and scoring in transition. Stojakovic, Jackson, Chris Paul and David West will command enough attention that Mason will have tons of chances to show off his refined jumper.
“Last year, that was not the same player that you’re going to see this year,” said Montgomery. “You’re going to see the Desmond Mason that everybody was excited about when he was just getting started in the league.
“Desmond is a competitor. He was not happy with the way that he played last year. His numbers were all-time lows, and he wants to play better because he has pride and he understands that he’s a better player than what he showed.”
Mason understands this, too. He’s in a contract year, and players historically have played some of the best ball of their lives when millions of dollars are at stake. It’s no coincidence that Speedy Claxton engineered a Sixth Man Award runner-up season last year then cashed in on a new $25-million deal with the Atlanta Hawks this offseason.
Be it pride or riches, Mason has plenty of incentives to return to the player we knew only a short time ago. And rest assured the Hornets are that much closer to playoff land if Mason reincarnates his game to the four-year stretch from 2001-05 that saw his scoring average increase each year from 12.4 to his career peak of 17.2.
Bank on the Mason of old resurfacing in November. Chalk up last season’s struggles to a nasty one-year hitch in his career.