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John Salmons: Hard at Work
By Brian Kirschner Manager of Communications posted October 7, 2002
As the Sixers finish their final day of workouts at training camp at Penn State University’s Bryce Jordan Center, there was one consistent occurrence all week - Rookie John Salmons is literally the first out on the practice floor and the last to leave. While that may sound like a cliché, the 2002 first round draft pick out of the University of Miami has been getting extra work shooting the ball and working on his game. “As a coach it tells you that he is conscientious about his game, about getting better every day and trying to become a professional,” Assistant Coach Randy Ayers said before Sunday’s evening session got underway. Salmons, who was the 26th overall pick of the 2002 NBA Draft by San Antonio and then included in a trade to the 76ers on Draft night for Speedy Claxton, is the only player in Hurricane history to surpass 1,000 points, 600 rebounds, 400 assists and 150 steals in his career. With credentials like those, one may wonder why he is putting in the extra time? “It's hard as a rookie in my position because we have a great team,” he said. “It's not like I was going to a bad team and the rookie's got to come in and contribute every night. We've got some great veteran guards already, it's harder for me to come in because I'm one of the younger guys, and we have players who have been here for awhile and already know what to do.” “I think anytime you are a young player and you put extra time into the game, it gives you a chance to eliminate and reduce that transition period,” Ayers said. “He is shooting the ball well this week in camp, and I am sure he has lost his legs somewhat, but he continues to come out and work on his game.” The Philadelphia product who attended Plymouth Whitemarsh High School honed his skills at the Finely Rec Center before leaving for the Sunshine State. There, he helped the Canes to the most wins (86) in any four-year span in school history. “He’s done a great job for us. He is a bright kid, and he really wants to get better,” Ayers added. “To me, he has got that certain toughness that you see a lot in the Philadelphia area players. A basketball toughness that helps them be successful … he is just a versatile player that likes to play well and will continue to get better.” This past summer as a 76er, Salmons led the Sixers Shaw’s Pro Summer League team with 10.2 points, 3.7 assists and 28.3 minutes per game, and was the only player on the roster to start all six games. “I'm just going out there trying to do my best, whether I get one minute or 40 minutes,” said Salmons, who is preparing for the Sixers preseason opener on Tuesday, Oct. 8 versus San Antonio at the Bryce Jordan Center at 7 p.m. One person who knows how hard work and dedication pay off in the end is teammate and fellow Philadelphia native Aaron McKie. “(His work ethic) sets the foundation for his career,” McKie said. “I think anytime you work hard at anything, you are always going to have good results. And I told him, and I keep telling him, ‘You’ve got size, and you can play in this league as long as you want. But it is all up to you and how hard you want to work.’” “The great ones are not just talented, but they also work hard. If you want to be a good one or you want to be a great one, you have to work hard at it.” |
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Salmons spent extra time in the gym during training camp working on his game.
Salmons led the Sixers Summer League team in three statistical categories.