Nice Article on Melo

Rooting for Fab Melo is definitely an exercise in patience. At times, even the tiniest glimmers can fade into insignificance compared with the miscues. But Steve Bulpett (a veteran Boston Herald sportswriter who is underrated in comparison with people like Bob Ryan, Dan Shaughnessy and Jackie MacMullan) offers some interesting perspective on Melo.

Sam

Melo is Fab 5 of C’s future

By Steve Bulpett | Sunday, October 21, 2012 Boston Celtics

ALBANY, N.Y. — It can be a little hard to watch Fab Melo these days. Cover-your-eyes hard.

Wanting so badly to speed his acclimation to the NBA — and still very young in his basketball life after taking the game up late in Brazil and playing two years at Syracuse — he is getting winded during his brief stints, not because he is out of shape, but because of anxiety. In his desire to do well, he is wasting motion.

“I’m trying to do everything too fast,” said Melo. “I’ve just got to slow down and I’ll be good. I know what I have to do, but it’s hard because I just want to play so well and show them I’m learning.

“My first real competition that I had was at Syracuse. My high school wasn’t very good competition. Now it’s the NBA and this is obviously the best competition.”

If Melo is impatient, the Celtics [team stats] certainly aren’t. Given his physical gifts — a 7-footer with great dexterity — it would seem the only requirement for him becoming a significant talent down the line is him wanting it. And the signs in this regard are good. Melo is known around the Celts as a worker.

“Oh, he definitely wants to be a player,” said president of basketball operations Danny Ainge. “I mean, he’s shown us that since the summer and all through camp. He wants to be a player, and he’s putting in the work. So, if that theory is right, then he will be a player.

“He’s working hard on his body, and he’s working with the coaches and developing. He’s had a lot of really good and positive moments in practice and training camp so far.”

But transferring those moments to the preseason games has been problematic.

“He’s thinking too much,” said Ainge. “He’s playing with a lot of anxiety. He’s got a lot of people in his ear. A lot of the players are talking to him, because the players like him and they want him to succeed.”

The key for Melo is to get experience, and some of that is bound to come in the uniform of the D-League’s Maine Red Claws.

“Hopefully we’ll have the luxury of giving him a lot of practice time and time in the development league and hopefully some opportunities to play some spotty minutes up in the NBA,” said Ainge.

“He’s behind the curve because he hasn’t been playing that long. He’s got to gain some experience. But you can see how much he’s improved already when he hasn’t been playing basketball that many years.”

Seated in the dressing room before a game, it’s easier for Melo to intellectualize the task.

“I know the drill,” he said. “It’s like when I got to Syracuse. I had no experience, and I worked my way up. Now it’s a different type of competition that I need to get used to. And just with my experience of playing with guys like Kevin Garnett and the team that I have, it will be very good for me for the future.

“I’m patient. Of course, sometimes after the game when I play a little, I get a little frustrated. But I never get discouraged. I know the potential that I have, and I know I can be really good at this if I work hard. I’m going to keep working, and I know my time will come.”

Asked if it’s difficult not to want it faster, Melo smiled and said, “Oh, yes, of course. It can be frustrating.

“But I know I have to be patient. I know I’m behind, but I’m learning.”

Reference: http://bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1061169146&srvc=sports&position=4