Let’s get defensive for a moment.
NBA fans around the world can only meet Gary Trent Jr. for his unique photo shoot on the Blazers team plane.
Yes, that photo shoot took place in the plane’s bathroom as the Trail Blazers crossed the country to enter the Orlando bubble for the 2019-20 reset.
Those photos of Trent Jr. were priceless. Comments on the photos and social media posts that followed were headlines.
But, for those NBA fans who don’t know much about Gary Trent Jr. other than the fact that he will pose next to an airplane toilet; He was one of Portland’s promising players this season, specifically on the defensive side, before the NBA was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Having a future hall of fame on the team also helps.
Carmelo Anthony has been a mentor to the sophomore and since Trent Jr. is now expected to gain a few minutes of backup in third place, he can look to Melo for even more guidance.
But remember, Anthony doesn’t care if he’s playing all three or all four, or if Trent Jr. is playing both all or three.
For Melo, NBA positions are a thing of the past.
The 17-year-old vet highlighted Trent’s work ethic and training ability above all else during Zoom’s Sunday interview from Orlando.
The positions … are just positions in today’s game, so you should be able to play multiple positions. Someone like Gary, the way he works and how hard he works when he’s on the court, the little things he does, is very beneficial to him and to us as a team. The way he breaks up, the way he cuts, the way he moves, the way he defends, the way he wants to learn. I think the most important part is your willingness to learn and how to improve, I want to know how to improve. . – Trail Blazers veteran Carmelo Anthony
It’s the little things that Melo will continue to help Trent Jr. develop during the Blazers’ three-week training camp.
“So that’s what I’m going into, just how to teach him and help him understand the structure of the game … When to do something, when not to do something, when to be patient, when to go, these are little things that he’s still young, but Those are the things that he will begin to learn and is doing from now on, ”added Melo.
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In 53 games played this season, the 21-year-old Duke standout averaged 7.7 points, 1.7 rebounds and 0.9 assists in just his second year in the league, while averaging 20 minutes per game.
But where his teammates, the Blazers coaching staff and the Trail Blazers fan base saw the biggest jump was in his defense. In early February of this year, Trent discussed the importance of gaining more minutes by focusing on that side of the ball, saying, “When you’re a young player in this league, when you hit the ground you have to be able to defend. Last year I They said to work on my defense and I took it very seriously and I saw part of my defense with the coaching staff to continue improving on that. ”
There is no doubt that Trent Jr. will continue to be a valuable piece from the bench for the Blazers, especially on the defensive end.
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One missing piece Portland is excited to get back to that end of the court during this reboot is Trail Blazers big man Jusuf Nurkic, who says “everything is fine” after Portland’s first two bubble practices. from Orlando.
After seeing Trent Jr. from the bench while rehabilitating his broken left leg, Nurkic has noticed a big change in young Trent Jr.
But one thing that hasn’t changed in Nurk’s mind has been Trent Jr.’s work ethic.
Of course Nurkic also had to talk about Trent Jr.’s unexpected photo shoot.
He works. He takes off his ass, apart from taking photos in cabinets and things … Everything else changed. He understands what it takes to be on the floor, protect and be ready when his number [is] called. – Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic on Gary Trent Jr.
Nurkic added that both Trent Jr. and Anfernee Simons have worked hard over the past year and have been able to make a difference, saying, “When they had a chance to get ready, especially with all the injuries we had this year, that’s them he gave even more minutes and they deserve it. ”
With a four-month layoff, it’s a concern for any player who needs to shake off the rust, particularly with a young player.
But, that doesn’t seem to be the case with Gary Trent Jr.
At least, Blazers coach Terry Stotts doesn’t believe it.
He has picked up where he left off. We were talking about it with him before practice. The difference for him compared to a year ago, he accelerated during the season, he is in excellent shape, defensively he is where he made the biggest jump. I think offensively, he was shooting the ball well. He is not playing so much one on one. It moves well without the ball. He knows the sets. So, I think it was obvious to everyone this year the jump he made from his rookie year to the following year … But yes, he resumed right where he left off. – Trail Blazers Coach Terry Stotts
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One thing Trent Jr. showed us throughout this season was that he’s not afraid to sacrifice his body to fight for a ball on the floor or if the ball was out of bounds, he was there. And most of the time, he was lying on the court.
Sacrificing his body is something that Trent Jr. knows how to do very well.
Take, for example, Trent Jr.’s flu game in Oklahoma City on January 18, for example, his teammates described him as flushed and with hardly any energy to raise his head during the team meeting that morning.
“I didn’t think I was playing today at all,” Carmelo Anthony laughed at the thought of how Trent Jr. barely moved at the team meeting on January 18.
But, Trent Jr. not only played, he dropped 30 pieces.
With injuries and a trade that sent Kent Bazemore and Anthony Tolliver to Sacramento, the Blazers had the league’s required minimum of eight players on the active roster.
One of those eight was Trent Jr., who was still dealing with a “flu-like” illness.
Portland fell to the Thunder 119-106 despite Trent Jr.’s career and Damian Lillard’s 34-point performance.
But the sophomore made the most of his minutes during that game, despite feeling like shit.
There was no time when I didn’t think it wasn’t going to be good to go. You know, your job is to play basketball. Some people go to work still sick, you still have to work, you still have to do your work in a sense. I was always going to be available regardless of my status. – Trail Blazers shooting guard Gary Trent Jr. said after the game after the Blazers’ loss to OKC
January 18, 2019 will always be known as Gary Trent Jr.’s birthday flu game.
The 2019-20 NBA reboot could be known by Trent Jr. putting his name on the map, not just in Rip City.
