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ccgeneral

Cody Zeller - Atlanta Hawks

By ccgeneral, in Hoosiers in the Pros

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djsalway    4,161

djsalway
Posted

With Vonleh to the Blazers now, does this mean Cody is safe in Charlotte?

I would say not yet, but he's more safe now than an hour ago. Ford just said the Hornets are most likely going to take kaminsky at 9 now.

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OliviaPope40    6,422

OliviaPope40
Posted

SI.com: How did you first get involved with Basketball Without Borders?

 
Cody Zeller: "It came out of the blue last year. This was my second year helping out. They went through my agency and asked if I’d be interested. Last year we went to Taiwan and it was a lot of fun to go over there with a great group of guys. It really is an awesome opportunity to see the world, but also to get a look at some of the best rising players in the world. We saw European players (this year) who were 15, 16, 17 years old. It takes you back to those days and reminds you what it’s like when you’re trying to achieve your NBA dream. It’s be tun be on the flip side and try and help players go through what I went through."
 
SI.com: Had you been outside of the country much prior to these trips?
 
Zeller: “Not at all. I hadn’t been out of the country once until I made it to the NBA. It has definitely been fun. We’re going to play preseason games in China this year. The NBA has definitely opened a lot of doors for me.”
 
SI.com: What’s it like chatting with campers during these trips? What do they want to talk about?
 
​​Zeller: “There was a pretty big language barrier in Asia, but a lot of the kids here in Europe speak at least a bit of English. It’s not too hard to relate to them, so we get along pretty well. They want to hear about the NBA and what it’s like playing in the top league. They love all of my stories about Kobe Bryantand LeBron James. When I was there age, I loved those stories, too.”
 
SI.com: Do they ask you a lot about (Hornets owner) Michael Jordan?
 
Zeller: "Not a whole lot, they might be too young to be fans. The other fun part about the trip is to see who they do love. Ricky Rubio is obviously huge over here, everyone loves him. Marc and Pau Gasol are both from Spain and are treated like heroes, too." 
 
SI.com: What’s it like having a trip like this during the off-season? Does it mess up your routine?
 
Zeller: “I’m still able to work out, but it is nice to get away from everything a bit. I’m still recovering from shoulder surgery, so I’m not doing a ton of on-the-court work. Mostly weight and strength training.”
 
SI.com: What’s been the best part of the trip so far?
 
Zeller: “Getting to hang out with a different group of people. There’s a couple of current NBA players on the trip, a handful of former ones. It’s fun to hang out with these guys off the floor in a non-basketball setting. I’ve gotten to know a few assistant coaches and also logged some good time with Gerald Henderson, my teammate on the Hornets. It’s a good bonding experience to go overseas with someone, get dinner every night with them. You get to know someone a lot better.”
 
SI.com: How many future NBA players have you seen in the camp?
 
Zeller: “There are definitely 2-3 guys that have a chance of playing in the NBA if they keep working hard. I know almost 40 players have come through the BWB program and made it to the NBA, which is pretty cool. It’s great to do a little early scouting, too.”
 
SI.com: Do you think there will be an NBA team in Europe one day? Would it make sense?
 
Zeller: “I think it’d be great for the game, but logistics-wise, I can’t see how it would work. It was an eight-hour flight over here and we had a five-hour layover, I think it was total around 20 hours of travel time. Realistically, that could be too much. Most of our flights in and out of Charlotte are an hour or two. I think it would be great for the game and we’re definitely taking steps forward with the preseason.”
Class of '66 Old Fart, ThompsonHoosier, ccgeneral and 2 others reacted to this

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OliviaPope40    6,422

OliviaPope40
Posted

Cody Zeller ‏@CodyZeller

Cody Zeller retweeted ZellerBook

My parents are such big celebrities! I'm just humbled that they asked me to join them!

Cody Zeller added,

CNSVdRgWUAEHkJX.jpg
ZellerBook @ZellerBook
Exciting news! @CodyZeller is returning to B-Town on Saturday to sign books w/his parents at Cook Hall! Come on by!
 

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maxwell    581

maxwell
Posted

My Awkward Phone Call With Michael Jordan

 

 

Cody in his humorous nature shares how his phone conversations went immediately after it was announced that Charlotte had drafted him.  He explains the high number of interviews held within a short three day span and then goes into notes from the actual interview experiences.  My favorite was number eight.

 

8) How’s your math?

“What’s two and two?”

That’s what one team’s executive said to me, really fast. Um, I stalled. There had to be a trick. I knew they liked to throw guys puzzles and riddles to see how we handle logic.

“Four,” I said.

“Correct, what else is two and two?” They said.

Umm. More stalling.

“A .500 record … two wins and two losses?” I said.

“Good. We just wanted to see that you could come up with more than one.”

“Sweet, now you can draft me?”

 

 

SOURCE:  The Players Tribune:  

http://www.theplayerstribune.com/cody-zeller-nba-draft-2013-bobcats-michael-jordan/

WayneFleekHoosier reacted to this

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OliviaPope40    6,422

OliviaPope40
Posted

 

My Awkward Phone Call With Michael Jordan

 

 

Cody in his humorous nature shares how his phone conversations went immediately after it was announced that Charlotte had drafted him.  He explains the high number of interviews held within a short three day span and then goes into notes from the actual interview experiences.  My favorite was number eight.

 

 

SOURCE:  The Players Tribune:  

http://www.theplayerstribune.com/cody-zeller-nba-draft-2013-bobcats-michael-jordan/

 

This has been out for awhile but still good.

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OliviaPope40    6,422

OliviaPope40
Posted

Cody Zeller's second NBA season didn't go as he'd planned it.

The Charlotte Hornets center missed 19 of the team's final 20 games with a shoulder injury, which later was determined to be a smorgasbord of distinct but loosely related ailments. Zeller had a torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder, a bone spur, and a labrum that needed surgical repair.

Zeller said at media day that he's been able to practice with no restrictions for about four weeks, and that being unable to play, practice, and work out like he normally would was a difficult adjustment for him. Now, he's optimistic.

"(My shoulder is) doing great," Zeller said. "I don't think I realized how bad it was until I had a healthy shoulder."

Doctors took a big flap off of Zeller's right labrum to repair an abnormality Zeller said he's had since high school. The bone spur, too, was from back in high school.

Being unable to practice normally meant Zeller had to adjust his workout routine this summer and focus on his lower body. "For about a month and a half after surgery I couldn't do any upper body work but I could still run and lift lower body," Zeller said.

"Which is the worst stuff to do. Leg day was every day," he joked. "My lower body is probably the strongest it's ever been."

Now that restrictions have been lifted, Zeller's back to working on his game. Earlier this summer, head coach Steve Clifford suggested that Zeller would be working on his 3-point shot. While he's not a great shooter from deep, that isn't unfamiliar territory for Zeller.

"I shot 3's back in high school, just not necessarily in games," Zeller said. "I'm not reinventing the wheel."

Still, Zeller acknowledged that there's still a lot to learn. "It's just getting comfortable with the footwork and spacing the 3 off the pick and roll. It's been a huge adjustment," he said.

And it's an adjustment Zeller needs to make quickly. The Hornets have a glut of power forwards this season with similar skill sets, so if Zeller wants to find a spot in Clifford's rotation, he's going to have to prove his worth. The big man posted a VORP of 0.9 last season, meaning that while he's a slightly above average player at his position, he's still a ways from being "good."

Adding a consistent 3-point shot will help him find minutes over Frank Kaminsky, Marvin Williams, and Spencer Hawes, all of whom have shown the ability to knock down shots from behind the arc at a decent clip. Spacing the floor is crucial for the Hornets, and Zeller is aware of that.

"I think (3-point shooting) will help my game individually as well as the team," Zeller said. "It'll open up a lot of driving lanes for Kemba and post ups for Al."

However, Zeller believes his greatest strength, particularly over his competition at the four, is his defense. He sees his role as sort of a defensive anchor — the player who calls sets and instructs his teammates on where to go.

"My biggest strength on defense is probably my team defense and getting guys organized," Zeller said. "Especially when me and MKG played together — and I don't know the stats on this — but I think when we were playing together, we were the two to bring energy on the defensive end and getting guys organized in transition. At the end of the year, when both of us went down, I think our defense kind of lacked."

Zeller is right. According to 82 games, the Hornets allowed 0.8 fewer points per 100 minutes when he and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist shared the floor together. While that might not seem like a significant number, the Hornets were a relatively poor defensive team last season, especially compared to the year before. Any improvement on that end of the floor is welcomed.

Whether or not Zeller finds a role in the Hornets' rotation remains to be seen, though most analysts expect he'll start come Oct. 28, when the Hornets open the season against the Miami Heat in Florida. Preseason starts on Oct. 3, and that should give us a better picture of how Zeller fits into the rotation.

http://www.atthehive.com/2015/9/29/9410449/cody-zeller-charlotte-hornets-media-day-2015-nba

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