LOS ANGELES – An NBA career is, for obvious reasons, completely inconsistent with the vast majority of careers pursued by the average person.
Not only do the money, fame and pressure crowd out other jobs, but NBA athletes survive on much shorter playing time than any typical professional career.
Although a person may have been a doctor, lawyer, artisan or craftsman for half a century or more, NBA players only make it a decade, as evidenced by the average career length just 4.
5 years.
Entering his fifth season, Cam Reddish looks like he might be just average – by NBA standards.
The Lakers are already his fourth team and he hasn’t played more than 50 games for one franchise since his rookie season as the Hawks’ No.
10 overall pick in 2019.
And, from the outside, after missing a three-pointer at the end of regulation in Miami – a shot that would have given the Lakers their first win of the season but resulted in their second loss their back-to-back – it seems, for Cam’s life in the NBA has come to an end.
From inside the locker room, however, the other Lakers pointed out to Cam that his reality was anything but.
As Reddish tells it, Austin Reaves and LeBron himself, the elder statesman and team leader, approached Cam in the locker room immediately after he missed the layup and said: “That was a good cut.
Do [or] miss, no problem, we want you to take this photo again and again.
While words of encouragement can be especially meaningful during these difficult times in Miami, this certainly isn’t was the only time the Lakers outwardly expressed confidence in his talent.
“I don’t think that’s fair to [LeBron],” Reddish said. “I felt like all my teammates did a great job of pouring in on me and telling me how much they believed in me. I don’t think I’ve ever had an atmosphere like that in my entire NBA career. Cam went on to tell his locker mate, D’Angelo Russell: “He just keeps pushing me and believing in me. It’s come a long way because I’ve been through hell and back, so it feels good. I feel good. It was great. It was great. Austin also shared the audience’s praise for Reddish. “I think a lot of times people forget how good Cam is,” Reaves said. “The talent he had didn’t just disappear. “[Something] Bron and AD, D’Lo, did a great job [sic] with him keeping his energy high. ” Head coach Darvin Ham shared similar ideas in his presser, discussing his transparent and supportive approach with Reddish during their first interaction. “I just told him to take things one day at a time,” Ham said, “and I told him straight up, ‘I’ll always be clear with you, you’re always gonna know where you stand,’ when we signed him. He and I had some beautiful conversations and it’s been great throughout, our rapport with one another. I just think the biggest thing he needed was stability and opportunity. ” Not every player needs this kind of bolstering, but Cam’s riches-to-rags journey from top high school recruit to the NBA’s fringe left him feeling dejected. He admitted to feeling like he was at the end of his rope in his comments after Sunday’s win, “I almost was like ‘I’m cool. I don’t have enough fight left in me. ‘” Instead, he feels reinvigorated by the Lakers’ championship aspirations and supportive atmosphere, “These guys have been keeping me going. I was connected to my faith. And just keep working. Be resilient. I just passed it all on. It’s not the end of the world, one missed shot is not the end of the world. Get out of my head, get out of my own way.
That support, though effusive, comes with the directive that Cam buy into the Lakers’ mission and play the way they want him to.
In the past, the biggest knocks on the swingman were his offensive efficiency, driven down by poor shot selection, and inconsistent defensive intensity, especially away from the ball.
This season, the Lakers have given him a roadmap that seems designed to iron out those kinks.
“The one thing we wanted to provide for him here was just some really good coaching,” Ham said, “player development-wise, and high IQ guys around him.
” Despite the early struggles, the staff was committed to showing Cam that they believed in him, “Just trying to give him an opportunity and just let him know, no matter what, we love him.
” Still, the instruction remained, “Compete at a high level and don’t worry about the rest.
” Ham boiled down his coaching into a pair of rules, “I told [Cam] the only two mistakes he can make with me is not play hard and not have fun.
” Instead of looking over his shoulder for fear a miscue might spoil his final chance at finding a home, the Lakers have asked Cam to let go of the results, promising their support regardless of whether he clanks the game-winner or sinks it.
In his final remarks on his new teammate, Austin put Ham’s directive differently and soliloquized Reddish thusly.
“You’re Cam Reddish.
Be yourself.
” With 35 points in his last two games, with strikeouts and pick sixes, Reddish is playing his most consistent and headed ball in recent memory.
If rightfully so, the Lakers will be delighted Reddish’s offensive decision-making was unselfish, but decisive, and he helped solidify the Lakers’ perimeter defense, which missed the point defense against the attack they get from those leaving for greener pastures (Dennis Schroder) and beyond.
on the team’s injury report (Gabe Vincent and Jarred Vanderbilt) Although he remains.
To see if Reddish can maintain his current form of play or his place in the starting order in four matches so far this season (especially as the players recovery), the Lakers are backing him.
By not only betting on Cam but more importantly asking him to bet on himself, the Lakers are getting the best Reddish ever.
Cooper is a longtime Laker fan who also follows the Yankees at SB Nation’s Pinstripe Alley – no, he’s not a Cowboys fan either.
