Trainer John Lucas: Boston Celtics' Jared Sullinger ready for 'special' season

http://www.masslive.com/celtics/index.ssf/2015/08/trainer_john_lucas_boston_celt.html



Trainer John Lucas: Boston Celtics' Jared Sullinger ready for 'special' season






FILE: Boston Celtics forward Jared Sullinger (7) shoots against Charlotte Hornets during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Boston, Monday, Jan. 5, 2015. The Hornets defeated the Celtics 104-95. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Print Email Jay King | mjking@masslive.com By Jay King | mjking@masslive.com

on August 03, 2015 at 11:30 AM, updated August 03, 2015 at 11:34 AM




Every offseason, Boston Celtics fans wonder whether Jared Sullinger will arrive for training camp in good shape. His trainer, John Lucas, seems to believe that will be the case this fall:


Coach John Lucas @CoachJohnLucas1
Jared Sullinger fans look forward to seeing a special season from your big man. Focus & ready. ohiostatehoops #CelticsNation #celtics
8:26 AM - 28 Jul 2015
  8 8 Retweets  20 20 favorites


With Sullinger, it's probably best to believe it when you see it. Though he has vowed to change his body before, he has never committed fully to the task. In February, Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge singled out the big man as the only player on the team who hasn't met his conditioning goals.

Still, the offseason reviews have been positive. Near the end of June, Sullinger revealed to the Boston Globe he is working out with Lucas in Houston. A few weeks later, head coach Brad Stevens said he has heard optimistic reports about his power forward's work. Lucas has tweeted pictures of Sullinger running outside in 96-degree heat and apparently finishing (or starting) a boxing workout.

Sullinger, 23, averaged 13.3 points and 7.6 rebounds last season, but failed to show much improvement after a promising second campaign. The Ohio State product's year was interrupted in February by a stress fracture in his right foot -- the second serious injury of his short career, and another sign he could need to lose weight or risk continued health problems.

Is Sullinger losing weight? Well, it's August, which means NBA fans are starved for information and might be itching to judge for themselves:




Follow
H'ville (TN) Alumni @HvilleNupes
S/O to @Jared_Sully0 for coming thru yesterday with the #HvilleNupes. Cool guy. #Hville20 VIP Summer Jam Day Party
2:43 PM - 2 Aug 2015
  4 4 Retweets  11 11 favorites


Be careful when judging photos, of course, but cautious optimism might be warranted after the early reviews on Sullinger's summer.



bob



.

If Sully's still with the team, it'll be interesting to see what the loss of weight has done for his game. i'm not sure it will be the panacea many people seem to envision. But I wish him luck and give him credit for working really hard in the off-season.

Sam

Lets hope that the apparent weight loss will allow Sullinger to be able to play more minutes at a faster pace than he has in the past.

20 and 10 if he stays near the offensive basket!

Sully has the talent to be an all star, does he have the will to get his body in shape to be consistent to be an all star? he can easily post up and outrebound Draymond Green.

cowens/oldschool wrote:Sully has the talent to be an all star, does he have the will to get his body in shape to be consistent to be an all star? he can easily post up and outrebound Draymond Green.

cow,

That's what everybody said about him and Mozgov, but it didn't happen enough to offset Green's contributions on offense.  Green is 6'7", 230#.  If Sully gets down to where he should be he'll be 6'9", 245-250#.  That's not HUGELY bigger and, as I said, Green has a track record of playing much bigger than he is.

I agree with what you say, for the most part, though.  He does have the talent, he does have the IQ and it looks from these pics he has the willpower to change his body.  I mean, wow, he's one of the skinniest guys in that pic!

I've been a big fan of Sully's.  You and I like the same type of bruising front court players.  I have been extremely disappointed in his missed court time due to his inability to recognize he's not playing 35 games against college kids anymore, he's playing more than 2x that number of games against guys his size and bigger and that means he must be in absolutely prime condition.  If he can do it then the only question will be "how many 3s will Brad want him to take?".  Quite frankly, I don't think that is going to change.  Brad favors a positionless type of game.  That means having a big taking a 3 to open up the floor for a cutting small is just as good for him as a small taking a 3 to open up the floor for a big to cut or post.


bob


.

I had a remarkable girlfriend 7 years ago , a great college basketball player who still holds a record at a Big 10 school for most points scored there by a PG. Previously she'd had a boyfriend who was the MVP of an NCCA Final Four championship team, and for fun he would have her watch videos of his Final 4 run - every night! Yes, that got old. Anyways, he was close with Clyde Drexler who was close with John Lucas, and they would all hand out together, often. She thought the world of Lucas, saying he lives a very clean lifestyle and is inspiring and uplifting to those he coaches. I spoke with her today, but she has been out of touch with John and has no news on Sully. Still, I'd been very pessimistic about Sully, but hearing he's working out with John Lucas raises my hopes enormously, as you are known by the company you keep.

worcester wrote:I had a remarkable girlfriend 7 years ago , a great college basketball player who still holds a record at a Big 10 school for most points scored there by a PG. Previously she'd had a boyfriend who was the MVP of an NCCA Final Four championship team, and for fun he would have her watch videos of his Final 4 run - every night! Yes, that got old. Anyways, he was close with Clyde Drexler who was close with John Lucas, and they would all hand out together, often. She thought the world of Lucas, saying he lives a very clean lifestyle and is inspiring and uplifting to those he coaches. I spoke with her today, but she has been out of touch with John and has no news on Sully. Still, I'd been very pessimistic about Sully, but hearing he's working out with John Lucas raises my hopes enormously, as you are known by the company you keep.

bob



.

Bob, very few nerds are as good as me. I got my ph.d. from Nerd U. long ago, before grading was on a curve and when being truly nerdy was much tougher to do. Who among today's crop of nerds completed homework after school before setting out to play? Who took an oath of celibacy and maintained it into his 20's? Who wore saddle shoes throughout college?

Worcester, a pictorial of your girl friends would give the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue huge competition.

Sam

Worcester, a pictorial of your girl friends would give the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue huge competition.

Sam

I will work on that, but truthfully, those days are behind me. I've found the 61 year old of my dreams, and her brains, ethics, and personality will keep her attractive for decades to come...unlike others whose only strong suit was looks. I've grown up. Finally. Peck's Bad Boy no more.

bobheckler wrote:

cowens/oldschool wrote:Sully has the talent to be an all star, does he have the will to get his body in shape to be consistent to be an all star? he can easily post up and outrebound Draymond Green.

cow,

That's what everybody said about him and Mozgov, but it didn't happen enough to offset Green's contributions on offense.  Green is 6'7", 230#.  If Sully gets down to where he should be he'll be 6'9", 245-250#.  That's not HUGELY bigger and, as I said, Green has a track record of playing much bigger than he is.

I agree with what you say, for the most part, though.  He does have the talent, he does have the IQ and it looks from these pics he has the willpower to change his body.  I mean, wow, he's one of the skinniest guys in that pic!

I've been a big fan of Sully's.  You and I like the same type of bruising front court players.  I have been extremely disappointed in his missed court time due to his inability to recognize he's not playing 35 games against college kids anymore, he's playing more than 2x that number of games against guys his size and bigger and that means he must be in absolutely prime condition.  If he can do it then the only question will be "how many 3s will Brad want him to take?".  Quite frankly, I don't think that is going to change.  Brad favors a positionless type of game.  That means having a big taking a 3 to open up the floor for a cutting small is just as good for him as a small taking a 3 to open up the floor for a big to cut or post.


bob


.

right now hes our most physical guy in the paint, he has great stretches where he gets it done, and too much time when hes off the floor. We've seen him get double doubles on Kevin Love, DeMarcus Cousins, Draymond Green, fat fock can play.....we all wonder what could he do if he really got his sh!t together? even in last years playoffs, he was rusty, probably 70% and he was our best big in the paint.

worcester wrote:Bob, very few nerds are as good as me. I got my ph.d. from Nerd U. long ago, before grading was on a curve and when being truly nerdy was much tougher to do. Who among today's crop of nerds completed homework after school before setting out to play? Who took an oath of celibacy and maintained it into his 20's? Who wore saddle shoes throughout college?

worcester,

"Who took an oath of celibacy and maintained it into his 20's? "


You're a helluva better man than me, that's for sure and, if I had to do it all over again, I don't I still don't think I could/would follow your path. As Mark Twain said "Go to Heaven for the weather, Hell for the company".


bob


.

The oath was easy to keep since I was sequestered in all boys schools until age 20...One trip to Europe changed all that in a hurry...

Worcester, of the many thousands of people I've met in my private and work lives, you are probably the most unique in myriad ways. I believe a book on your life would be a laugh riot, a source of enlightenment, a cautionary tale and a best-seller. At the very least, you should be writing a memoir for family enjoyment.

Sam

Thanks Sam. I have written one about my early years which I've kept under wraps out of a lingering desire to run for political office. What I write about would be sure to preclude me from any official post, but now that I've overcome that fever and will be remaining forever non-elected, I'll probably put it out next year. Trouble is most of the people I write about are figures from the past that most young kids would never recognize - even LBJ, quite an interesting guy. I'll email you a digital copy if you PM me your email address. The there are the stories I can never tell about patients unless I conceal their real identities..

Here's one. Years ago I had a pro tennis player come in for treatment. A studly guy, but he was a philandering coke user and had HIV. His wife had an MBA from Wharton and ran a big business. I could see him flirting up my secretary and warned her not to engage socially with any of my patients. She ignored that advice and later freaked out when she discovered she'd been having unprotected sex with someone HIV +. Lucky for her she somehow escaped infection. His wife was also an idiot. After I'd been treating him for three months she asked me if there were anything she should do to protect herself. I asked what did she mean. She said, "While we're having sex." I couldn't believe a Wharton grad in 1988 would not have the sense to avoid unprotected sex with someone HIV+. Strange world.