’Welcome Back’ (Melissa Majchrzak - NBAE/Getty Images)

Didn’t really have anything in particular to talk about in this entry. I’ll just share a few thoughts. Nothing right or wrong—just kind of what I’m feeling at the moment. I got a lot of great comments in my last post. Everybody’s feedback is greatly appreciated—even those from the haters! Anyways, thanks again.

I guess the biggest thing I’m focusing on now is just trying to not fall into a lull. Trying to finish the out the year strong. I’m still splitting time between playing games with the Utah Flash and working out and attending home games with the Jazz. I don’t think I’ve hit a ‘rookie wall’ or anything, but I’m definitely making a more concentrated effort to stay on course as the regular season winds down.

I feel like I’ve made the most of my stint with the Utah Flash in the D-League this season. I’ve had sort of a love-hate relationship with the D-League over the course of the 20 some-odd games I’ve played there. There are days when I’m appreciative of the league and the opportunities it gives me; and there are days when you’re ready to get back to your NBA team at all costs. When I was first assigned I just really wanted to make a statement during every game. I felt like I had to score 40, 50, or 60 points just to stay relevant in the NBA.

After a while, though, you realize that it’s not all about that, for a couple of reasons. Fifty point games, scoring records, and all that jazz (no pun intended) are not what’s necessarily going to get me into my NBA team’s rotation. They knew I could shoot and score before they assigned me. The intensity, the familiarity, and the nuances of the game and the system are what I could really improve on as a first year player. The D-League gives me a chance to hone those skills.

I’m on a good team, man. A contending team. I play for a Hall-of-Fame coach. The Jazz can’t really afford let me play through rookie mistakes and get comfortable through ups and downs and all that—the Western Conference is too tough and every game is too crucial. Can I contribute to a team right now? No doubt. But in the framework of last year’s Western Conference runner-up and a team in contention for a title run this season? I understand. And I believe it’ll make me that much better in the long run.

So in the meantime, I’ll continue to pay my dues and learn behind the scenes. When I said I didn’t want to fall into a ‘lull’ earlier in this entry—I just meant that I want to continue to find ways to challenge myself and improve despite playing in the D-League. It’s not even about scoring 50 every game or anything as I play out these last nine or ten games left in the Flash season. It’s easy to get content after a few big scoring games and whatnot. I still try and prepare myself as if I would be playing in the next Jazz game though. I try to work on making entry passes like I’m throwing it inside to Carlos Boozer. I try to gear myself up to stay in front of my man like I’m guarding Michael Redd or Rip Hamilton (because all the killers in the NBA are at that shooting guard spot). I try and get deflections on defense. Running the floor hard, even if it’s not a wide open fast break. Hit all my free throws. Little things like that, which separates an average player from a good player. Things that separate a mediocre team from a play-off team. I mean, I know what my identity is as a player, but I’m working on becoming a complete ball player, you feel me?

I really try to focus on being a professional and keeping a professional mindset regardless of what league I’m in, and regardless of whether I’m in the company of a teammate making $18,000 a year or $18 million. Whether I’m with a teammate who was a former NBA draft lottery pick or a teammate who made the squad through an open local tryout—my mindset should remain the same.

I mean, of course there’ve been days where you don’t feel like looking long term all the time, and you don’t feel like thinking rationally and you don’t feel like acting professional. There are days when you want to look at other players, and other rookies around you and throw a pity party for yourself. You want to skip all the ‘paying dues’ aspects and play right now.

But it’s all good man. I can’t complain. If I learned anything during my four years at Rice, it’s that patience is a virtue, and that the cream always rises to the top. My dad and one of my mentors from back home in Atlanta, David Morgan, told me that. I still keep that with me til this day. So we’ll ride with that and see where it takes us.

Before I close, I gotta give a shout out to my guy Mike Harris, who’s doing his thing with the Rockets right now as they streak through the Western Conference. Mike and I are fellow alums and were former teammates for two years at Rice University down in Houston. Hey Mike, we see you–keep representing Rice U. the way it’s supposed to be represented! Now, along with Mike Wilks up in Seattle, and myself—Rice is not only just producing top notch bio-chemists, engineers and political geniuses anymore. We’re slowly turning into an NBA factory as well–don’t sleep!

Quote of the Day
“I never fold, naw, I just take my chance,
I let life deal the cards—I just play my hand.”
–Jim Jones, “More Than Music”