Le Basketbawl

I don’t remember what the scene I am about to describe is from, it could be a movie, or from a TV sitcom. An actor was about to shoot a scene, when he asked the suit (possibly a producer, I’m a bit hazy on the details) what was his character’’s motivation. The suit, looked at the guy as if he had two heads, and asked the actor what he meant. The actor was apparently a “method actor” who needed to know a character’s back story, in order to do the scene. The suit looked at him, and said “Your motivation is getting paid.” The actor looked back a the suit and said “Gotcha.”

Getting paid is not the motivation for NBA players after they have signed their contract. Unlike their counterparts in the NFL most contracts in the NBA are guaranteed. Although I will not reveal this person’s name, I actually had a player a few years ago that once they had signed a big contract, they no longer worried about anything. As you can probably imagine, after that player’s contract ended, his NBA career was also over.

Most professional ball players in any of the big three sports (NBA, NFL, MLB) are motivated by pride, and competition. That is a major reason that they have reached the pinnacle of their respective sports. Talent is of course a necessity, but the right attitude, the correct mind-set, is just as important. You can be taught skills by others, only you can motivate yourself.

Every once in a while though you see a player make a dramatic transformation. So far in this young NBA season a perfect example of that has been New York Knicks big man Zach Randolph. The 27 year old veteran now in his eighth NBA campaign is in his second season in New York, after being traded by the Portland Trail Blazers on the day of the 2007 NBA Draft. Randolph was as much as a hindrance as a help last season for the dysfunctional Knicks. Although he averaged a double-double (17.6 ppg, 10.3 rpg) for the campaign reportedly he was a distraction for the team on and off the court.

When Donnie Walsh became Team President, and Mike D’Antoni became head coach last Spring it appeared that Randolph’s days as a Knicks player were numbered. However it takes at least two teams to consummate a trade, and New York could not find a willing partner. There were rumors of deals with Milwaukee and Memphis, but if they had any validity they died before happening.

As of right now, it appears that New York being forced to retain Randolph may have worked out in their favor.  The Knicks after losing an overtime contest to the Dallas Mavericks that they probably should have won on Sunday night are 6-4. The Knicks were never over .500 at any point last season. One of the main reasons they have had  the early season success has been the play of Randolph. Through 10 games he has averaged 20.8 points, 12.9 rebounds, per game. In his last five games Randolph has averaged 22.8 points, 14.8 rebounds per game, scoring 29 points in a win Friday over Oklahoma City, 27 points, 18 rebounds, in the loss to Dallas.

So what has been the motivating factor behind the “New And Improved” Zach Randolph?  There would appear to be three credible theories for the improvement. The first being, Randolph had an epiphany, an awakening, over the Summer and saw the error of his ways. Definitely the most warm and fuzzy of the scenarios, but unfortunately not the most believable. Which leaves us with two both involving D’Antoni and/or Walsh. 

Either the New York brain-trust told him in order to play with the Knicks and keep his behind off the bench, he had to adopt a new attitude. The other possibility, is they told Randolph that if he wants to be traded to another team he had to adopt a new attitude. Is this a temporary truce of convenience, or has Randolph bought into the program? And if it is a plan to make him marketable to trade, can the parties change their minds? Or has the bridge between Randolph and the team been damaged way beyond repair?

For what ever the reason Zach Randolph has been focused on the court, and been a dominant player for New York in the young campaign. We will have to wait and see, if it continues, and if it does where Randolph ends the season with. But at least as of now, it has been a win/win relationship.