Rookies are always passionate, eager and driven to prove and improve themselves and ultimately, produce note-worthy performances for the world to see.
Michael Carter-Williams goes beyond what other rookies aspire for even as he expressed his desire to be one of the best in the league, obviously with the coming National Basketball Association season in mind.
“I wanna be more consistent as a player. I wanna be one of the top point guards of this league. That’s just gonna take hard work and preparation,” the 24-year-old towering 6’6” guard of the Milwaukee Bucks said in a one-on-one interview at the media availability for the annual NBA 3X Philippines this weekend.
It has been nearly three years since he officially joined the NBA. Despite the many challenges and pitfalls, his passion and perseverance to play his games at his best burns as bright as during his first year in the league where he won the Rookie of Year Award.
Carter-Williams played for the Syracuse Orange in college and was drafted 11th overall in the 2013 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers.
He was impressive during his rookie season and finished with averages of 16.7 points per game, 6.2 rebounds and 6.3 assists. He is in elite company with those numbers and is one of only three players in NBA history to average 16 points, six rebounds and six assists in his rookie season. The other players who managed the feat are Hall of Famers and basketball legends Oscar Robertson and Magic Johnson.
Carter-Williams excelled from the start. In his NBA debut on October 30, 2013, he scored 22 points, issued 12 assists, grabbed seven rebounds and tallied nine steals as he led his team to a 114-110 victory over the Miami Heat.
Less than a week later, he had a 26 points, and 10 assists to power his team to a 107-104 victory over the Chicago Bulls. He was later named the Player of the Week in only his first week in the NBA. This is a milestone last achieved by Shaquille O’Neal in 1992.
On December 3, 2013, Carter-Williams tallied his first triple-double with 27 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists in 47 minutes of action as he powered his squad to a 126-125 double overtime victory over the Orlando Magic
He was hounded by injuries after his rookie season. His stats dipped as he posted an average of 11.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game in 2015-2016.
He was unfazed even as he insisted that meeting the challenge of the seasons ahead will require hard work and preparation, something he has been doing since he started chasing the dream of a basketball career in the league.
“It started when I was younger. I think I just fell in love with the game. I have always wanted to be in the NBA and play at the highest level,” said Carter-Williams.
Both his parents are not just former basketball players they also coached high school teams themselves. Carter-Williams enjoyed an early exposure to the sport. He learned through watching games while his parents pointed out details by his side like players making an extra pass to set up teammates for an open look.
“My family is a basketball family, you know, and that’s what inspired me,” he said.
He revealed that he was also being pragmatic about college referring to athletic scholarships offered by colleges and universities. One of the many offered to him was an opportunity to play for and study communication and rhetorical studies in a university that offered one of the best programs for it, Syracuse.
“I was kinda realistic up until college, and I think that’s when I knew that I wanted to really play basketball. I knew I had the chance to,” he said.
His freshmen season for Syracuse was described by many, and Carter-Williams himself as a tough one. He played very few minutes off the bench and even entertained thoughts of leaving the team. His sophomore year, though, was better. In fact, it became a breakout season for him.
“I just worked hard in the off-season. I put a lot of time in my game. I took everything I learned from my freshmen year and applied it to my sophomore year and I got the opportunity to play,” he said.
A highlight, indeed, as he was the first NBA rookie to post a whopping nine steals and double-double figures in his NBA debut with 22 points, seven rebounds and 12 assists.
“I just go out there and give it my all, thinking like it’s my last (game),” he said when asked about his approach to the game of basketball, “I try to stay calm and really focus on what I can do to help my team win.”
While he claims he does not have any particular ritual before a game, Carter-Williams shared that he does the basics: stretching, warming up by shooting hoops and having a good meal. Being in a good frame of mind, he said, has also helped him through his games. For aspiring Filipino basketball players, though, he had much advice.
“Take care of your body. Eat right. And mentally, just watch a lot (of basketball games). Ask people questions. Study the game. Just practice and keep working every single day, day in and day out. Just keep following your dreams. Be positive,” he said.
Carter-Williams, together with the Timberwolves Dancers and the LA Clippers mascot, Chuck the Condor, headlined the NBA 3X Philippines 2016 held August 19-21 at the Mall of Asia.
The event is an annual 3-on-3 competition of men’s teams under-13, under-16, under-18, and open categories, and women’s teams in under-16 and open divisions. The basketball tournament is based on the FIBA 3X3 format and rules and also include entertaining activities such as local artists and DJs performing live.