Sully on Track for Camp

Chris Forsberg @ESPNForsberg

Sullinger, who resumed light workouts about two weeks ago, is now on a 10-week program aimed to ramp him up. Hopes to be 100% by camp.


6:17 AM - 24 May 2013


This is from Sully's Instagram page. What a good kid...

http://instagram.com/p/ZZh4_OBIIj/

If Sully really is 100%, not even by this camp but just for the rest of his career after his surgery, then he's another building block along with Rondo and Green. Just get us a bonafide center to defend the paint, Danny, and we're looking ok.


bob



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http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/celtics/post/_/id/4705208/sullinger-ready-to-work-his-way-back



Sullinger ready to work his way back
May, 23, 2013 2:35PM ET
By Chris Forsberg | ESPNBoston.com BOSTON -- Boston Celtics forward Jared Sullinger resumed light workouts about two weeks ago and is ready to begin a 10-week rehab program aimed at ramping him back up, with the goal of being 100 percent around the start of training camp.

A lumbar-disc issue forced Sullinger to undergo season-ending surgery in February, confirming pre-draft fears about the health of his back. But Sullinger is adamant that the surgery will alleviate future concerns and believes he can be even better than he showed in 45 games this season.

"Everybody says back with a question mark; you might as well put an X through that," Sullinger said Thursday morning at a Stay in School assembly at Northeastern’s Matthews Arena, where the Celtics honored 1,500 middle school students from Boston public schools. "Because I had surgery and I’m taking my time getting back right, it won’t be a recurring injury."

Sullinger, the 21st pick in last year's draft, averaged 6 points and 5.9 rebounds in 19.8 minutes per game. He had ascended to a starting role with Boston before the injury derailed his first NBA season. He said the surgery should allow his game to flourish moving forward and should be viewed only as a positive.

"Honestly, when I was playing, I was playing on one leg," said the 6-foot-9 Sullinger. "My right leg was pretty much dead. I couldn’t push off, didn’t have any strength behind it. With the right leg being the way it was, and still being able to produce the way I did, I guess it sets a bit of a foundation, but mentally I know I can play better."

Sullinger said doctors gave him the OK to resume light workouts about two weeks ago after being virtually immobile -- outside of walking -- since the surgery. Team doctors and strength coach Bryan Doo have constructed a 10-week program that will ramp up Sullinger's activity about 10 percent every two weeks.

"Maybe by September or October I’ll be 100 percent -- full go," said Sullinger.

That means, as expected, there will be no summer league for Sullinger, but he said that's not a disappointment for him and he's focused on rehabbing to ensure he's on the floor when the 2013-14 season begins.

A couple of other quick tidbits from Sullinger:

* REHABBING WITH RONDO: Sullinger said he's found added motivation by watching point guard Rajon Rondo rehab from ACL surgery. "We talk off and on, just trying to get each other’s minds right. Situations like this, you go through it alone, it’s kinda tough. But when you have someone by your side that’s trying to get back to where they were as well, it really helps you out." As for how Rondo is doing: "Rondo's doing great," said Sullinger. "Right now he’s rehabbing, and doing what he’s supposed to."

* NO HINTS ON KG, PIERCE: Sullinger said he hasn't had any communication with Paul Pierce or Kevin Garnett about their futures in Boston and is like everyone else who's waiting to find out whether they will be back. "I’m the same way. I'm not the GM, I’m not Danny [Ainge], so I don’t know anything that’s happening. Regardless of what they do, I support them either way." Sullinger has talked with coach Doc Rivers and said the two try to steer the conversation away from basketball. "Sometimes you just have to let people breathe. And that’s what they’ve been doing with Doc, Kevin and Paul. Just letting them be themselves because, after a while, just talking about basketball every freakin’ day, it’s really tough. I experience it all the time and I catch myself, stop myself, because at some point I’ll need a mental break."


bob


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Newest update on Sully's progress. 8 minutes long and nice.

I do so like this kid. Everything is screwed on right including, now, his back.


http://www.nba.com/celtics/video/2013/06/07/JaredSullingerTheRoadtoRecovery4-2502035



bob


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An interview with Sully.  Love that a Ohio kid is wearing a Patriot hat...Other than that, this is just filler.

http://bostonherald.com/sports/celtics_nba/boston_celtics/2013/07/notebook_jared_sullinger_back_in_good_shape


Notebook: Jared Sullinger back in good shape
Joins Randolph at summer camp

Friday, July 5, 2013
By:  Steve Bulpett, Celtics Notebook


WINTER PARK, Fla. — Jay Larranaga greeted a group of eager-to-impress players last night for the Celtics’ first summer league practice. And while much of the focus understandably was on recent draftees Kelly Olynyk and Colton Iverson and second-year center Fab Melo, Larranaga, who is expected to continue as an assistant under new head coach Brad Stevens, also greeted a pair of holdovers who won’t be playing in games next week.

Jared Sullinger went through his paces as he continues his rehab from back surgery, though he was not allowed to take part in anything involving contact. And Shavlik Randolph, after recently spending a week in Waltham to work out at the Celts’ facility, made the trip down from North Carolina to get involved.

“I’m good,” Sullinger said. “A hundred percent. But I still can’t do any contact though.”


He is, however, able to make all the required basketball movements, the ones that had him in the Celtics starting lineup as a rookie this past season.

Sullinger still isn’t sure when he will be cleared to take his game into the post to throw his body around against others.

“I don’t know,” he said. “They haven’t told me yet. I’m out here just working out with the coaches. I’m just staying in shape.

“I’m on schedule. I’m actually probably ahead of schedule, but they don’t want to tell me that because I might do something dumb.”

Randolph will know in less than a month whether the Celtics will pick up their option on him for next season, but all signs point to a positive resolution for the veteran post player who impressed the team after coming back from China.

“They have until Aug. 1 to pick it up, and then the contract is through the whole season,” Randolph said. “I’d be totally shocked if I wasn’t back with the team. I’m going through this offseason preparing to be a member of the Celtics and preparing myself for how I feel like I can help this team. And I’m going to continue to go forward in that preparation until I’m told otherwise.

“And if they do go in a different direction, I know I’m working hard this offseason for whoever I do end up playing with.”

As for his presence in Florida, which will be interrupted for a couple of days when he goes to Las Vegas to attend a fight, he said, “I just thought it was a good opportunity to get to know some of the new guys and just be around and get in some good workouts with the coaches.”

Good advice

Larranaga had a simple message for his summer league troops.

“I told them this is a job interview for them, it’s a job interview for the coaches, and there’s going to be a lot of teams here watching them,” he said. “So they really want to represent themselves well.”

Some players have been around the circuit a while, but others are getting their first real taste.

“This is their first NBA experience, so everything is new,” Larranaga said. “The terminology is new. The rules are different. Making that adjustment and still being able to compete at a high level and not let your brain get in the way is very, very important. I think they are all workers, and they’re going to work hard for this next 7-10 days and see how it all turns out.”

Pending arrival

Larranaga spoke with Stevens yesterday morning. The new coach is expected to be here Sunday to observe as the Celtics entry begins playing games on the Orlando Magic practice court downtown.


bob


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There's a video on the website page that shows the workouts Sully is doing with BDoo. I can't copy it, so you'll have to go out there to see it.

Love this kid's work ethic and attitude. HE might end up being the captain of the Celtics, whether he has the title or not.


http://www.csnne.com/blog/celtics-talk/recovering-sullingers-goal-now-get-better



WALTHAM, Mass. — As Jared Sullinger grew in size, stature and dominance, it was evident to most that a future in the NBA was on the horizon even as his stock slid on draft night in 2012.

But a back injury that has since been surgically repaired, ended what had been a promising rookie season for the  Celtics.

Months later, Sullinger is gradually regaining the strength that made him one of the few bright spots for the Celtics last season.

Under the watchful eyes of Boston's strength and conditioning coaches, Sullinger is on track to return in time for training camp, which will go far in him achieving his primary goal - to be better than he was as a rookie.

"I knew from the get-go that this [surgery] was going to happen," Sullinger told Comcast SportsNet in the middle of a workout this summer at the Celtics' practice facility. "I was hurt, and I knew I was going to have surgery. If it wasn't this following year it would be next following year. So I kind of expected it, I wasn't disappointed. I knew it was coming around the corner."

While the injury certainly sapped a lot of his strength, it had no effect on his fundamentally sound game, which in some respects is akin to San Antonio Spurs great Tim Duncan - minus the ridiculously efficient back shot of course.

"Watching him [Sullinger] play, there wasn't any question that he would pick up on the nuances of the NBA game pretty quickly wherever he went in the draft," said an Eastern Conference scout who said he had seen Sullinger play "at least a dozens times" in AAU games and later at Ohio State.  "Really smart kid with a high basketball I.Q. There was only one real knock against him, and it cost him on draft night."

That would be the lower back issue  that NBA doctors red-flagged shortly before the 2012 NBA draft. It led to this shoo-in lottery pick (top 14) dropping all the way to the Celtics at No. 21.

Sullinger had back surgery on Feb. 1 that he hopes will prevent any back-related issues in the future.

Now comes the really tough part: getting himself back to form.

After weeks of not being allowed to do much of anything following surgery, Sullinger's workouts increased in their frequency and intensity in May and June with all signs pointing towards him being healthy and ready to go once training camp starts.

"I'm running a little bit, shooting a little bit, so I'm slowly getting back my form," Sullinger said.

That form saw him go from being a regular rotation player, into a starter prior to his season-ending surgery, which came about after he experienced some back spasms against Sacramento on Jan. 30.

In 45 games (five starts), Sullinger averaged six points and 5.9 rebounds while playing 19.8 minutes a game.

But more than that, Sullinger gained the trust of former Celtics coach Doc Rivers, which is a rarity for the rookies he coaches.

Still, for Sullinger's rookie season to be limited because of back surgery  gave some teams that passed on him a sense of vindication for their decision.

"Our doctors told us at some point he was going to need surgery," Rivers said prior to leaving to become the Los Angeles Clippers coach and vice president of basketball operations. "But it's not a career-ending surgery or anything like that. It's just surgery. We were hoping it would happen in the summer time, to be quite honest, that he could get through the year. But he just didn't. He'll be fine next year.''

And that more than anything else is why the Celtics were happy to have a shot at drafting him at No. 21, and are perfectly comfortable with his progress during workouts.

"We've had a few guys up here in the gym already," Danny Ainge, Celtics president of basketball operations, told CSNNE.com as he watched a recent workout by Sullinger. "But Jared has been in here a lot, working hard. It's great to see. We're looking forward to him getting back out there, healthy, helping us win."

Said Sullinger: "That's the most amazing part about all of this, having this surgery early in my rookie year and being able to have a long career after that. The doctor did what he was supposed to do, and he took care of me."

And now it's on Sullinger to do his part, which involves regaining the strength he had prior to surgery.

He has been doing this under the scrutiny of Celtics assistant coaches Jay Larranaga and Jamie Young, as well as strength and conditioning coaches Bryan Doo and Armand Lavallee.

Aside from hanging with the C's summer league team in Orlando and a couple trips back to Ohio to see family and friends, Sullinger said he plans to be in Boston all summer.

"This is where I need to be, getting my body right, getting stronger everyday," Sullinger said. "I'm not just coming back to be the player I was; I'm coming back to be better.



bob


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I see a 6'9" version of Adrian Dantley in the paint next year with Unseld rebounding attributes.

cowens/oldschool wrote:I see a 6'9" version of Adrian Dantley in the paint next year with Unseld rebounding attributes.

Then you see the Hall of Fame for Sullinger when his career is over.

Steve I can hope, at worst a poor mans Kevin Love, just stay healthy..... I think we should go to like a dozen Net games next year

cowens/oldschool wrote:Steve I can hope, at worst a poor mans Kevin Love, just stay healthy..... I think we should go to like a dozen Net games next year

And I'll make the trip down to join you for one of those games if you'll have me. Know any good places to eat in Chinatown?

bob our place is still open and its open late, real late!! actually they have great noodles and crab and eggplant there too.

dboss sully could be a double-double guy.....maybe 20-10?

im not sure about 20/10

I will definetly go ahead and say he could be a career double double

15/10 career might be more realistic though. we'll see.

I have to disagree hes alot closer to Kevin Love than 12-8, hope he can get the minutes and be healthy, if KO is everything he could be, Sully may not get enough minutes at PF....that would be a good problem.

Cow, I was thinking of a lineup where KO came off the bench behind Sully as a 6th man sort of 4-5 type guy.

KO might be pushed around some this season at the 5, but that'd give him some incentive to bulk up a bit and... we'll we might not be tanking this year, but if our guys developing costs us a few wins I am not sure anyone is going to complain about it.