Sullinger's Got a Body of Work

Kevin McHale's hands and Rick Mahorn's butt. The best of both worlds.



Jared Sullinger’s got a real body of work
By Mark Murphy
Saturday, October 27, 2012


The best assets come naturally. And when Jared Sullinger plants his body on an opponent in the post, he has genetics to thank for the result.

“The best thing about me is using my body,” the Celtics rookie said after yesterday’s practice. “That’s my rear end, that’s what my momma gave me. I was blessed with a healthy mom.”

He was also blessed with a basketball coach father. Satch Sullinger, a big man in a big-boned family, taught his son the art of contact early.

“My father — that was my father, old school,” said Sullinger. “I’d go through the lane and he’d push me, and I learned to play from there. That’s why I search out contact so much — because when I was a young lad he always used to push me.”

Something had to be done. Though his middle brother, J.J., went on to Ohio State as a guard, Jared was neither sleek nor quick. He was headed for the paint. His body, and there was a lot of it, was going to become his best weapon.

“When I was young, really young, I was overweight,” said Sullinger. “That’s when I learned that my body was my best asset of my game, and then it just blossomed from there. I had an old school father, and with an old school father you learn that you have old school tendencies. Your body is one of them.”

Satch Sullinger also focused on an early goal for his young son. He steered Sullinger away from football, rationalizing that Jared was too tall. And then they went to work on the fundamentals of post play.

As a result, the young Sullinger got a crash course in what is now a dying part of the sport. Few players know how to post up, just as fewer know how to gain position. But Sullinger had no choice. He’ll never jump out of a gym.

“It’s rare, but I’ve watched him since he was a freshman in high school through all of the AAU games,” said Doc Rivers, whose son Jeremiah’s Orlando team crossed paths with Sullinger’s team on several occasions.

“Ohio Red. That’s the one I always remember playing in Each One Teach One (tournament),” said the Celtics coach. “We played them in two, maybe three national championship games. He’s been trapped his entire life, so he knows how to use his body. His dad was his coach, and he benefitted from that. His dad coached his AAU team. So he’s well ahead of the game as far as knowing how to use his body, playing through double teams. He’s just a smart basketball player.”

Sullinger also has a rare set of skills for an NBA rookie. Most young big men develop a face-up jumper before they even consider the post. An increasing number have a paint allergy.

“I don’t think there’s time to teach it now,” Rivers said of post skills. “They play 100 games during the summer. It’s more games than fundamentals with AAU kids. But when you have a dad at home, you can actually play in those games and then go home and work on stuff. That probably happened.”

Repeated trapping forced Sullinger to develop as a passer. The surprise is that he also has range out to the 3-point line.

“I always had it,” he said. “But at Ohio State I always had to play the 5. It was my ability to score in the post, and on top of that, every time I touched the ball it was a double team. I could pass out and help my team that way. I took a blow for the team, understanding that when I’m down low it will open up our offense.

“In college I was always double-teamed,” he said. “Here, the double team’s not coming unless you’re Kevin Garnett.”

So in a sense Sullinger is back in the driveway in Columbus, except that instead of Satch Sullinger, Garnett is bumping him out of the paint.

“Definitely I’m a rookie. I have a lot to learn,” he said. “I have rookie days all the time. But whoever Doc has on the floor, that’s who we’re rolling with. We’re starting to develop chemistry slowly but surely. We know everybody’s tendencies. We’re getting better every day.

“Coming from being the man for all of these years, to taking a back seat to all of these greats, is definitely a humbling experience,” Sullinger added. “At the same time I have to get better. I’m an unselfish basketball player, so there’s no temptation for more. My main goal is to win.”



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