Sullinger Wants To Play In Summer League

by **bobheckler** Mon Apr 07, 2014 2:57 pm

Jared Sullinger is a developing story

Improving body, game in his plans

By Gary Washburn | GLOBE STAFF APRIL 06, 2014

Jared Sullinger is finishing up a productive second NBA season, averaging 13.2 points and a team-leading 8.1 rebounds after returning from back surgery.

Sullinger’s summer could be critical to his long-term development. The Celtics would like to see the burly power forward work himself into premium shape and work on his perimeter game. Sullinger said he has heard several times that his role model should be Minnesota All-Star Kevin Love, who entered the league a pudgy post player but has developed his body as well as his outside shot.

Sullinger wants to play in the summer league but will have a conversation with president of basketball operations Danny Ainge about whether the team wants him to participate. He at least will be part of the summer league practice team, as he was last season following surgery.

“Even if they tell me I’m not playing summer league, I’ll go down there and practice,” said Sullinger, who posted his 21st double-double of the season with 22 points and 10 rebounds in the Celtics’ 115-111 loss at Detroit Saturday night. “There’s other ways to be active going into summer. On top of that, you go against guys, you get to learn a little bit more about basketball.”

Last summer, Sullinger was not cleared for full basketball activity and he was unable to work himself into premium shape. This summer will be different because Sullinger is fully recovered.

“It’s very exciting because I get to develop and find out who I can be,” he said. “We’ll see. Hopefully, I’ll have some hobbies — working out and conditioning — I can carry over for the next four months.”

When asked whether he would like to follow Love’s physical path, Sullinger said: “We’ll see. It will be a totally different Jared Sullinger coming back next year. Summertime is the time to figure out your game, you watch a lot of film. I have a lot of free time and with that free time, a lot of conditioning, a lot of weightlifting, and a lot of basketball.”

bob

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