Portland Trail Blazers: 5 rookie season goals for Zach Collins
4. Develop camaraderie with his teammates
In Season 1, Episode 3 of Bleacher Report‘s Game of Zones series, the character based on LeBron James has a conversation about chemistry with a fictitious Kevin Love. “Chemistry matters, Kevin,” says James. “Stop trying to find a way to fit out, and just fit in. Be a part of something special.”
It’s no secret that teams play their best on the court when there are no distractions off of it. Being a good teammate can sometimes be just as important as being able to knock down the open shot, something that the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs — teams that prioritize having high-character players — have proved time and time again.
Blazers expect to open Summer League with starting lineup of Quarterman, Connaughton, Layman, Swanigan and Collins.
— Jason Quick (@jwquick) June 26, 2017
Making the effort to spend time to get to know your teammates helps build strong foundations for long-term relationships. Showing them that you’re willing to put in the work and do whatever it takes to win earns respect.
Collins is expected to join his younger teammates for the Las Vegas Summer League, after which he’ll go into training camp with the rest of the team. Collins can use both opportunities to build some rapport with his teammates heading into preseason, which will likely prove invaluable further down the line.