Stephon Citadel is coming off of an excellent rookie 12 months.
The San Antonio Spurs guard received Rookie of the Yr after averaging 14.7 factors and 4.1 assists per recreation. That was following a 12 months after he received a nationwide championship in his lone season at UConn.
He says the largest adjustment to the NBA was the “pace” of the sport.
“I’d in all probability say the pace of the sport,” Citadel instructed ESports Insider in an unique interview. “It took me slightly minute to catch as much as it, particularly with how good gamers are within the NBA. It’s arduous to cease guys. The offense is basically missed with how good gamers are within the league. You could have the eighth man on the bench coming in and it’s arduous to cease him as effectively.”
Probably the most difficult issues of creating the adjustment from school to the professionals — for each the NFL and NBA — is discovering a technique to fill all of the free time in your fingers between observe and video games. Citadel attributes that as one of many greatest changes.
“Simply catching as much as the pace of the sport, the physicality of it, after which discovering issues to do,” says Citadel. “Exterior of basketball, you understand how a lot free time we now have after we’re not on the courtroom, not figuring out. We have now a variety of downtime to simply sit and take into consideration these video games. That’s the place a number of the older guys on my group final 12 months type of helped me with getting my thoughts off of basketball.”
Citadel Needs To Enhance Taking pictures Effectivity
The important thing a part of his recreation that Citadel needs to enhance upon is his capturing. His effectivity can undoubtedly be improved contemplating he shot 42.8% from the sphere and 28.5% from past the arc. His efficient subject aim share was additionally the bottom on the group at 47.6%.
“With reside reps, I really feel like that’s one of the best ways you may be taught is to maintain seeing completely different defenses,” says Citadel. “Completely different variations, choices, and on a distinct possession. Simply repping it out, actually with a variety of defenders, simply getting a variety of capturing reps.”
The Spurs confirmed substantial enchancment over the prior two seasons final 12 months, profitable 34 video games. Throughout the earlier two seasons, that they had received simply 22 video games every year.
They’ll totally usher in a brand new period with Gregg Popovich not getting into the season because the group’s head coach for the primary time since 1996. Popovich had been the group’s head coach since December of 1996, rising as the most effective ever by main the franchise to 5 championships.
San Antonio promoted Mitch Johnson because the full-time head coach after he went 32-45 because the interim coach.
“Simply to take my time with issues, don’t rush something,” says Citadel. “I solely performed 5, six video games with Coach Pop. However on that quick scale, I really feel like I discovered quite a bit from him. Making an attempt to run my technique to issues, not dashing my technique to issues, simply taking time with it and simply letting it come. I really feel like that’s what I did final 12 months within the exercises.”
Citadel Talks Dan Hurley, Paige Bueckers
Though Citadel is simply 20 years outdated, he’s already performed with two legendary coaches. One is clearly Popovich and the opposite is arguably the most effective coach within the school recreation right this moment in Dan Hurley. Hurley led UConn to back-to-back nationwide championships, with Citadel being there for the latter one because the group’s second-leading scorer.
“I’ve spoken to him not too long ago, I used to be up there and performed with their new group this 12 months not so way back,” says Citadel. “From Coach Hurley, I really feel like the largest factor I discovered enjoying underneath Coach Hurley was hearken to the message that he was giving out, and probably not the tone that it was coming in. I don’t know for those who watch any Coach Hurley practices, but it surely’s a variety of screaming that occurs. Simply with the ability to take a take a message from that, apply it to our recreation and probably not let it shake us might be what I discovered from him.”
Citadel occurred to play at UConn similtaneously certainly one of their biggest basketball gamers ever, Paige Bueckers. The 23-year-old was the No. 1 general decide within the WNBA Draft this 12 months and not too long ago received the Rookie of the Yr award after profitable the nationwide championship — which is the very same components as Citadel.
“Yeah undoubtedly, I’m tremendous cool with Paige,” says Citadel of his relationship with Bueckers. “She texted me after I received Rookie of the Yr, and I instructed her she was subsequent and right here we’re. We each received it. Tremendous pleased for her, I used to be pleased she truly acquired out of UConn with a natty too. We’ve been on the identical path.”
He says that the 2 crossed paths their “justifiable share” throughout his lone season at UConn.
“I’ll say our justifiable share,” says Citadel of how usually him and Bueckers crossed paths. “Our observe facility was break up up, so we didn’t see one another as a lot except we had been within the coaching room or getting meals. However we’re nonetheless tremendous cool.”
