Don't see this on here yet, I think a little nastiness will improve Trent's game.

Per ESPN http://cougarfan.com/article.asp?ArtID=46865&URL=http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/draft2008/insider/columns/story?columnist=ford_chad|page=DraftWatch-080520

"BYU's Trent Plaisted has been working with former NBA forward Don MacLean in L.A. and you can see MacLean's influence on him. Not only is he working on his perimeter jumper, but MacLean is trying to impart a little nastiness to Plaisted.



Plaisted is very athletic for a big man, but he often plays a finesse game in the paint. MacLean is pushing Plaisted to be more aggressive, and I saw him several times take the ball strong to the basket against his primary defender -- the Kings' Shelden Williams.



He's another guy who could benefit from his size and athleticism in draft workouts. He's also leaning toward playing in Orlando, where he could improve his stock. He still looks like a bubble first-rounder to me.

You can't teach nastiness. Sure Trent may put on a bit of a performance and pretend to be "nasty" for MacLean and the scouts, but bottom line he's timid. Put him in a situation that's he's uncomfortable with and he shrinks rather than rising to it. An aggresive 6'8" player intimidates Trent.

I wish Trent the best, and maybe something will spark in Trent so he becomes a much more dominant player, but nastiness can't be taught. It comes from inside, it comes from a hunger to want to prove yourself, to win. Trent grew up his whole life being "the best," so proving himself isn't ingrained in him. He's never had to do it. He's never had to work for it. He's never had to earn respect on the court. He's not like other ball players where they grew up on the streets playing ball, competeing for that one golden ticket to the pros. Such players poured everything they had into ball and no one was going to get in their way.

Trent grew up in the subarbs, the tallest, most athletic kid on his team. Everything was handed to him. Some players realize such, so seek to prove otherwise. Hopefully Trent is doing that now, but I wish he would have started on it two years ago (serving a mission would have helped). Starting his freshman year just reinforced in Trent he was entitled to success.

It's taking one flop in the pros to tell another future flop in the pros that he doesn't have a killer instinct?

domanater wrote:

It's taking one flop in the pros to tell another future flop in the pros that he doesn't have a killer instinct?

My thoughts exactly.

Against WF Trent got 2 of his first 3-4 shots blocked/altered and he fell apart after that. There is no nastiness in the guy. I want him to prove me wrong, but he will not make an NBA roster.

Gunk wrote:

You can't teach nastiness. Sure Trent may put on a bit of a performance and pretend to be "nasty" for MacLean and the scouts, but bottom line he's timid. Put him in a situation that's he's uncomfortable with and he shrinks rather than rising to it. An aggresive 6'8" player intimidates Trent.

I wish Trent the best, and maybe something will spark in Trent so he becomes a much more dominant player, but nastiness can't be taught. It comes from inside, it comes from a hunger to want to prove yourself, to win. Trent grew up his whole life being "the best," so proving himself isn't ingrained in him. He's never had to do it. He's never had to work for it. He's never had to earn respect on the court. He's not like other ball players where they grew up on the streets playing ball, competeing for that one golden ticket to the pros. Such players poured everything they had into ball and no one was going to get in their way.

Trent grew up in the subarbs, the tallest, most athletic kid on his team. Everything was handed to him. Some players realize such, so seek to prove otherwise. Hopefully Trent is doing that now, but I wish he would have started on it two years ago (serving a mission would have helped). Starting his freshman year just reinforced in Trent he was entitled to success.

LOL!!!! Yup, serving that two year mission would have really helped Trent learn to be nasty...

BTW, where did you serve? Did it help you become nasty or were you already nasty? Actually I get your drift but just couldn't resist the mission comment in a post about being nasty...

Gunk wrote:

You can't teach nastiness. Sure Trent may put on a bit of a performance and pretend to be "nasty" for MacLean and the scouts, but bottom line he's timid. Put him in a situation that's he's uncomfortable with and he shrinks rather than rising to it. An aggresive 6'8" player intimidates Trent.

I wish Trent the best, and maybe something will spark in Trent so he becomes a much more dominant player, but nastiness can't be taught. It comes from inside, it comes from a hunger to want to prove yourself, to win. Trent grew up his whole life being "the best," so proving himself isn't ingrained in him. He's never had to do it. He's never had to work for it. He's never had to earn respect on the court. He's not like other ball players where they grew up on the streets playing ball, competeing for that one golden ticket to the pros. Such players poured everything they had into ball and no one was going to get in their way.

Trent grew up in the subarbs, the tallest, most athletic kid on his team. Everything was handed to him. Some players realize such, so seek to prove otherwise. Hopefully Trent is doing that now, but I wish he would have started on it two years ago (serving a mission would have helped). Starting his freshman year just reinforced in Trent he was entitled to success.

I think it is funny that you state how you think Trent grew up as if it were fact. Trent played for a pretty good team in Texas against some pretty darn good competition. He was the tallest player on the team for his senior year only.

I also don't agree that a mission would help him. A mission is good for everyone but not necessarily on the sports side. Unlike the NFL where you have to come in pretty much ready to play, in the NBA most people drafted are heavily drafted based on potential and upside. Add two more years to his age and that is a lot of upside and potential gone.