(Oklahoma City Thunder - Daequan Cook/Byron Mullens)
Team: Oklahoma City ThunderLeague: National Basketball Association
You already know this is going to be one of the main NBA teams to follow this season. Two Buckeyes, Daequan Cook and Byron Mullens together in Oklahoma City on a rising Thunder squad looking for another run to the playoffs. Former Bucks aside, this is just a fun team to watch as a basketball head. There's Kevin Durant along with guys like Russell Westbrook, Jeff Green, and Serge Ibaka..the possible contributions from Buckeyes Cook & Mullens really make it an extremely easy team to root for.
When discussing the Thunder's recent success, it is sometimes easy to overlook their defensive prowess. OKC has many offensive weapons of course, but they also were able to get stops last season as well. The defensive end is where young players like Mullens & Cook need show their ability before they can even begin to play in this Scott Brooks' rotation.
It's been a constant storyline regarding Byron Mullens all throughout the off-season. The center from Columbus has gotten physically stronger and more mature mentally. Mullens credited familiarity from his rookie season as a facilitator going into camp. Rotation wise Byron is somewhat in a similar situation as Koufos in Minnesota. He currently has experience ahead of him in the form of Serbian Nenad Kristic & Nick Collision. And then there is new draft pick Cole Adrich who is in direct competition with BJ everyday in practice.
In thinking about Byron's development, it's not totally about battling Cole Aldrich for backup center minutes..rather it is about proving that he is a player who is indeed worthy of regular season minutes in general. This means competently rebounding the ball, being on time in defensive rotations, and just being in tune with what the squad is doing. If Mullens can prove he is player there might be some playing time (just being in line to play is a step in the right direction as opposed to D-league assignments) We've been reading reports from Thunder training camp and multiple peope have been impressed with Mullens' increased energy level and defensive awareness.
- Daily Thunder- Thoughts on OKC Thunder intra-squad scrimmage
(clip from the October 1st scrimmage)
The familiarity of OKC that has helped Byron improve is instead a foreign system to shooting guard Daequan Cook who arrived from Miami in a draft week trade. For Cook it has been about getting acclimated to Oklahoma City and fitting in with the Thunder program. Daequan's presence has good potential to work out as this is a team that could use more outside threats. But it's not just Cook after Harden & Thabo..OKC also has Morris Peterson and Royal Ivey.. two players with experience and in Ivey's case good defense.
Daequan Cook unfortunately bumped heads with a teammate early in training camp and was subsequently held out of the scrimmage and first preseason game for precautionary reasons (concussion like symptoms)
10.6.2010 - Oklahoma City Thunder 97 Charlotte Bobcats 93 (NBA Preseason Opener)
-Mullens 4pts, 4 rebounds, 1 block in a little under 14 mins
Game Recap
Darnell Maybury wrote "Mullens, meanwhile, got the fewest minutes of the three with just 14. But he scored four points, pulled down four rebounds and kept plays alive with his length. Most impressive, though, was his improvement in help-side defense and awareness in the team's defensive shell."
-The next pre-season game is an interesting Friday (10.8.2010) contest in Kansas City vs the Miami Heat (NBATV)
(on another note, shout out to Cook & Mullens for all their community work over the summer. When they haven't been working out, both have taken time to run youth camps and visit shelters and hospitals. These two are exemplary models of athletes giving back to the community..well done Bucks!)
So excited for Thunders Team for the next season! Just got my Thunder Tickets!
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