Washburn Eager to Learn From Coach
It was center Jason Washburn's turn to endure coach Jim Boylen's fury at practice yesterday, getting yelled at and banished to running stairs for all manner of shortcomings -- from not positioning himself well to not competing hard enough.
But he's cool with it.
The 7-foot freshman told me recently that he "loves" Boylen in large part because of the coach's ability to teach and get more out of his players. "He's just a great motivator, if I've ever seen one," Washburn said. "The best that there can be. It's what he's good at. It's what makes him a two-time NBA champion. He's the best at it."
Washburn -- never at a loss for words -- has known Boylen since he was a freshman in high school and the coach began recruiting him while at Michigan State. The Battle Creek native remembers attending Spartan games and watching Boylen as much as the players.
Players would "come off the court, Boylen would tear them apart, then leave them alone for two minutes and go back down there and give them a hug," Washburn recalled. "I'm not going to say that's something I'm not used to, in a coach. But it's something I rarely see and something that I really never got."
Washburn said he's not sure whether he will wind up redshirting or not this season, though he would fine either way. Judging by the workouts so far, Washburn is going to have to put some weight on his 210-pound frame and get stronger -- particularly in his lower body -- to hold his own in the college game.
Still, he has the skills -- he was rated the best center prospect in the Mountain West Conference by Rivals.com -- and he's excited to be here.
"My freshman year, no matter how much I play, it has so many more ups than downs," he said.
But he's cool with it.
The 7-foot freshman told me recently that he "loves" Boylen in large part because of the coach's ability to teach and get more out of his players. "He's just a great motivator, if I've ever seen one," Washburn said. "The best that there can be. It's what he's good at. It's what makes him a two-time NBA champion. He's the best at it."
Washburn -- never at a loss for words -- has known Boylen since he was a freshman in high school and the coach began recruiting him while at Michigan State. The Battle Creek native remembers attending Spartan games and watching Boylen as much as the players.
Players would "come off the court, Boylen would tear them apart, then leave them alone for two minutes and go back down there and give them a hug," Washburn recalled. "I'm not going to say that's something I'm not used to, in a coach. But it's something I rarely see and something that I really never got."
Washburn said he's not sure whether he will wind up redshirting or not this season, though he would fine either way. Judging by the workouts so far, Washburn is going to have to put some weight on his 210-pound frame and get stronger -- particularly in his lower body -- to hold his own in the college game.
Still, he has the skills -- he was rated the best center prospect in the Mountain West Conference by Rivals.com -- and he's excited to be here.
"My freshman year, no matter how much I play, it has so many more ups than downs," he said.
posted by www.sltrib.com @ 9:18 AM |
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