Multi-Billionaire Posted June 20, 2010 Report Share Posted June 20, 2010 The kid outta Compton is at the beach. His shoes are off, but he’s not there for the sun and sound of the surf. The sand under his feet is a training tool. He is there to work. After taking a month off following a breakout season with the Nuggets, Arron Afflalo started his offseason conditioning program this week. Every day starts with a brisk run on the Santa Monica beach, well before the summer crowds begin arriving with their ice chests and umbrellas. “I don’t use it to tan,” Afflalo said. “I use it to work.” He wants to be more of a playmaker, creating shots for teammates. He wants to do a better job of finishing around the rim. He wants to bring more physicality on defense. Whatever I add to my game, I don’t plan on losing anything,” Afflalo said. “I’m all about improving and maintaining.” In addition to an intense workout regimen, Afflalo is adopting a better diet. Junk food, candy and red meat are all among the list of banned consumables. “With the type of training I’m doing, I have to look at food more as fuel,” he said. “It ain’t about taste anymore and what you love. If I eat garbage food, all the training I put in would go to waste.” http://www.nba.com/nuggets/features/nuggets_afflalo_20100618.html He's a true "pro" in every sense of the word. I love this guy. His hard work can only be matched by that Kobe guy. He's very dedicated to his profession and very detailed in hitting what area specifically he has to get better. He's an inspiration to me He should be a role model to his peers and even those not in basketball/ sports profession. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Multi-Billionaire Posted June 20, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2010 (edited) I do think he's a great influence on Melo (indirectly) because Afflalo is about leading by examples, not talk. Melo has less and less games where he plays like he's in pyjamas/ dragged out of his bed in the middle of his long sleep... just playing with true pros like Billups and Afflalo who bring it every night... which is great. --- Regarding his improvement as a player, I believe he can really improve to a 15 ppg guy next season. He's more than just a "very good defender, 3 pt shooter" role player. He showed flashes he can be a threat inside the three pt line, with some post game and off the dribble shots and finishes around the rim. I do think he has to develop:- Mid-range game: posting up this means getting stronger.- Mid-range game: shooting off the dribble- Passing off the dribble- Rebounding help: helping the big guys box out opponents and rebounding (it was good but can be better)- Defense: excellent but can even be better... he's imo the best "clean" perimeter defender... he's the anti Dahntay Jones who will cheap shot players, he won't knee/ elbow/ hurt the players he defends, he just locks them down., including Kobe I do think 15 ppg is within the reality of Afflalo's ability. You guys might think I'm crazy I do believe he can elevate his game to that level. Mark my words, he's going to be an 18ppg player, essentially becoming Melo's legitimate Robin on this team, within 2-3 years... and becoming an All Star within 5 years. Edited June 20, 2010 by Snake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magicbalala245 Posted June 20, 2010 Report Share Posted June 20, 2010 (edited) http://www.nba.com/nuggets/features/nuggets_afflalo_20100618.html His hard work can only be matched by that Kobe guy Is this a joke? Only match by Kobe. It's not even close. Kobe is the hardest working guy in the NBA that guy name afflalo is not even in the same training shoes as Kobe. Shoot I can name more people who work harder then this afflalo guy. Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, Kevin Durant, Kevin Garnett, Deron Williams, Chris Paul the list keeps going on. Compare what afflalo does to these guys is just warm-up. Edited June 20, 2010 by magicbalala245 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Multi-Billionaire Posted June 20, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2010 If you don't think Afflalo's in the same league (work-wise) as the elite ones, you haven't heard his name often enough. Wade, LeBron work hard, but they aren't known as "gym rats" like Kobe. Only a few guys are true gym guys... KG was one in his younger days, but he's no longer one. Deron? Never heard of his work ethic. He may work hard, but it doesn't stand out. Durant may become a true gym rat one day though. Get to know AAA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newman Posted June 20, 2010 Report Share Posted June 20, 2010 Not only superstars like Wade, LBJ are hard working players. There are probably numerous other players working hard in the gym at the moment besides Afflalo but just not getting recognized. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magicbalala245 Posted June 20, 2010 Report Share Posted June 20, 2010 If you don't think Afflalo's in the same league (work-wise) as the elite ones, you haven't heard his name often enough. Wade, LeBron work hard, but they aren't known as "gym rats" like Kobe. Only a few guys are true gym guys... KG was one in his younger days, but he's no longer one. Deron? Never heard of his work ethic. He may work hard, but it doesn't stand out. Durant may become a true gym rat one day though. Get to know AAA. This guy again making no damn sense. Wade is a gym rat. Haven't you heard the stories of him just to get back in the top 3 conversation how hard he had to work to over come his injuries and shake off all that rust? And what about LeBron is it me or that dude seems to get better every year? That's because I constantly read that LeBron is always in the gym working on his game. In fact you should read on this then Snake http://www.dwyanewade3.com/news/81-behind-the-scenes-of-dwyane-wades-offseason-workout-regimen.html I'm not saying afflalo doesn't work hard but to put him up there with the elite's is ridiculous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magicbalala245 Posted June 20, 2010 Report Share Posted June 20, 2010 Not only superstars like Wade, LBJ are hard working players. There are probably numerous other players working hard in the gym at the moment besides Afflalo but just not getting recognized. I know there are others hard working but to say afflalo is up their with the elite's is ridiculous. If he was that much of a hard worker he would've been more of a contributor to his team beside a 3 pt shooter and a very good defender. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Multi-Billionaire Posted June 20, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2010 ^You're judging how hard a player works by how good they are as an NBA player. You don't think he works as hard as Wade/ LeBron because he's not as good as them. That one is obvious. But if he's on your team, you'd know he's about work. He's from UCLA, you should know him better. His hard work is reflected by every possession he's out there. He's one of the few players I've seen that never take a single possession off. From Day 1 since Nuggets acquired him from Pistons, he flew straight to meet George Karl to ask questions and what was expected of him. Within one week, Nuggets news had him work in the Pepsi Center facility. By stating his work ethic is at an elite level, doesn't mean I say he's an elite player... if you don't think he's at that level (work-ethic wise), I'm just gonna say you don't know AAA enough. Nuggets die-hard as I am, I am not a homer of any player, anyone here can tell you that. So what I'm stating in this thread is not an exaggeration... or a slight to Kobe's own work ethic, which I admit is legendary. But Kobe (if he knows AAA, and I'm sure he knows him) and NBA players who know AAA will not fail to mention his work ethic when they're talking about him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Multi-Billionaire Posted June 20, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2010 I know there are others hard working but to say afflalo is up their with the elite's is ridiculous. If he was that much of a hard worker he would've been more of a contributor to his team beside a 3 pt shooter and a very good defender. See? I knew it you're judging his work ethic based on how good he is as an NBA player. Which is safe to say, you don't know what you're talking about, at least when it comes to a player you don't know. What do you expect? He played so little in his Pistons stint... and could never develop rhythm to be a consistent contributor. This season was his first as a full time contributor as a starter and he improved his numbers across literally ALL categories: - 8.8 PPG from 4.9 PPG- 3.1 RPG from 1.8 RPG- 1.7 APG from 0.6 APG- 46.5 FG% from 43.7 FG%- 43.4 3PT% from 40.4 3PT% And this is only done in 27 MPG. You'll see the real improvements when he averages 30+ MPG and you'll see my predictions come true: 15 PPG scorer and lock down defender. Just because you're not Kobe, Wade, LeBron or one of those superstars doesn't mean you cannot have "their" work ethic. Many role players keep blossoming from nothing to a star by constantly working hard, like Ben Wallace. This is AAA's first season as a full-time contributor. Give him and me a break. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Multi-Billionaire Posted June 20, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2010 (edited) Not only superstars like Wade, LBJ are hard working players. There are probably numerous other players working hard in the gym at the moment besides Afflalo but just not getting recognized. I agree with your comment here. Not all's work ethic gets noticed... which makes AAA's work ethic (pretty much a "known fact" if you're in Colorado or a Nugget fan)... even more impressive. Because he's not a star by any means and isn't under microscope like them. But the first thing people say about AAA (if they know him) is his work ethic. By contrast, the first thing people say about him if they doN'T know him is "he's only a three pt shooter and a pretty good defender". As far as I'm concerned his work-ethic was so great it was known since his Pistons days. Billups was the one who lobbied the Nuggets FO to get him... I mean, he was just an insignificant 4.9 PPG scorer right? There are hundreds like that, also can be had for cheap in NBA. Why would Billups specifically mention his name? Let me answer that, because if you know AAA like Billups does, it's hard not to see him as a player that stands out although at the time his stats were anything but impressive. magicbalala245, you're a Kobe fan, who's used to 40 points, 15 assists, 15 rebounds, 10 blocks... it's kind of hard to talk with "you people" because you can't see anything else beyond the numbers. Edited June 20, 2010 by Snake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Multi-Billionaire Posted July 13, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2010 Hoping the result will be a newer, better player, Nuggets guard Arron Afflalo said he is changing his normal offseason workout routine in order to build strength and stamina. Afflalo watched the first few Nuggets summer league games in Las Vegas and said he has begun working out for the 2010-11 season with the idea of being on the court longer. His goal is to be able to play suffocating defense and still have the energy to be effective on offense. "I'm just trying to get a little more defined, because I want my conditioning better," Afflalo said. "I've always been strong and things like that, but I want to be able to play both ends of the court at a high level." Afflalo averaged 8.8 points and 3.1 rebounds per game last season and was one of the NBA's best 3-point shooters at 43.4 percent. http://www.denverpost.com/nuggets/ci_15501683 N I C E Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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