Tame opening means nowhere to go but up
JON Gruden and his Raiders coaching staff didn’t want a visit from the HBO series “Hard Knocks” this training camp, didn’t seek such exposure following last year’s forgettable 4-12 record, didn’t believe such intrusion would be in the best interest of improvement.
And yet even after accepting that they would be the NFL side featured, it’s impossible to believe anyone forecast this: That in the first episode, which ran Tuesday night, defensive lineman Ronald Ollie would be shown in as many football-related clips as Antonio
Brown.
The player from “Last Chance U” got nearly as many reps as the best wide receiver in the game.
Which, given the undrafted rookie free agent Ollie was cut a few days after camp commenced in Napa, California, tells you how He (Ben Roethlisberger) plays with the Steelers. Our quarterback is Derek now. We don’t play with Roethlisberger no more … We play with Derek Carr. That’s my quarterback. You know his name? What’s his name?
cut and turned himself into one of the best offensive players in the NBA.
“It’s so hard to guard him,” Sacramento Kings point guard De’aaron Fox said. “He plays so low to the ground. That’s something I try to take from his game. His ability to get wherever he wants on the floor. (He may) not be that tall but he gets to his spots and can still get everything he wants off.”
Those bona fides have caused players to gravitate towards Walker at camp, even if he downplays it. In addition to Fox, Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell picked Walker’s brain at Tuesday’s practice, and Celtics guard Marcus Smart admitted he’s trying to learn as much as he can from his new teammate.
“He’s an elite, elite basketball player,” Smart said. “Especially on that offensive end. For a guy like me, who
on the defensive end is tremendous but is trying to increase my offensive game, what better player to look at than Kemba?”
Even if the spotlight shines on Walker as he tries to lead Team USA to its third straight World Cup win, he’s likely to be unfazed. Earlier this offseason he showed he’s unafraid of a challenge when he agreed to replace six-time All-star point guard Kyrie Irving, who left the Celtics in free agency, in Boston.
His next step: Proving to coach Gregg Popovich he’s also up to the task of replacing Irving, who won gold at the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics and is recovering from thumb surgery.
“This is an honor,” Walker said.
“It’s a blessing. I’m super excited to be here. Super excited to get the opportunity. I’m just trying to make the best of it.”
Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@ reviewjournal.com. Follow @ Bensgotz on Twitter.