Breath of Fresh Air: Stauskas Not Just a Shooter - He's also a rookie...and white.
Not football related, so if this is inappropriate - mods please feel free to destroy this thread. Just needed something else to occupy my time besides FIRE BRANDON! FIREHOKE!!! BURN IT DOWN!!! Michigan Football.
Nik Stauska seems to be doing pretty well in the preseason, but he recently made waves by saying:
“I understand that I’m a rookie and I’m white, so people are going to attack me at all times,”
This seems to follow the theme that Nik is "just a shooter" and not much else.
While the article speaks to Nik's defensive deficiencies - they also highlight the truth of Stauskas' statement:
From playgrounds through AAU to the NBA, "Everybody wanted to play the white kid" has been an understood and unspoken truth for long enough that the only really surprising part about this is that Stauskas actually said it.
Nik Stauskas. Keepin' it real.
October 7th, 2014 at 10:05 AM ^
Well, they can attack him when Stauskas is playing defense and they will probably succeed. But if they're eager to guard Stauskas, they will probably be in for a rude awakening.
October 7th, 2014 at 10:08 AM ^
guys with quicks can blow by Stauskas - but he also isn't the defensive liability so many think he is, in my opinion. There are some guys who are plus defenders and some who are negative defenders...I think Stauskas is in the middle and his offense more than makes up for any defensive limitations he may have.
October 7th, 2014 at 11:04 AM ^
Nik also seems to know his strengths. For example a few times last year I remember him getting switched onto a big and having to play post defense. He was a sneaky-good post defender, very good at denying ball entry, playing with his lower body and leveraging the rim.
October 7th, 2014 at 11:38 AM ^
think his length for the position will allow him to become a decent defender in the NBA.
October 7th, 2014 at 10:10 AM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
October 7th, 2014 at 10:12 AM ^
it would - but I felt the need to explain myself when posting about Basketball during Football season.
Maybe I'll give it a little bit and wipe it out. Thanks for the feedback!
October 7th, 2014 at 10:33 AM ^
October 7th, 2014 at 11:17 AM ^
I was thinking the same. All the posts sarcastically apologizing for not being about Hoke or Brandon or CC are almost getting as annoying as all the posts about that stuff.
October 7th, 2014 at 10:12 AM ^
October 7th, 2014 at 10:29 AM ^
Being white sure is hard...
But seriously, I like his attitude as long as he keeps backing it up.
October 7th, 2014 at 10:32 AM ^
October 7th, 2014 at 10:34 AM ^
Not the most artful statement, but not without some merit. "He can jam/he can drive/he's got some game/swag" followed by "for a white guy" about Stauskas - and entirely from white people, I'd add - was something I heard a ton of the last few years. It's not racist, but it's stupid for sure.
October 7th, 2014 at 10:35 AM ^
I thought the nba.com game summary was funny for Stauskas's first exhibition game. After not referring to any guy with any other label, for some reason they tagged him "Canadian Nik Stauskas":
Ramon Sessions led the Kings with 14 points, while DeMarcus Cousins and Darren Collison had 13 points apiece, and Canadian Nik Stauskas had 12 in his NBA debut.
October 7th, 2014 at 10:40 AM ^
"American Ramon Sessions led the Kings with 14 points, while fellow American DeMarcus Cousins and yet another American Darren Collison..."
October 7th, 2014 at 11:09 AM ^
When I read the article, it seemed like a nod to the fact they were playing the Raptors in Vancouver, and the former Grizz fans and locals made a big deal out of basketball being back in town. That said, I doubt it's the last time he's referred to as a Canadian this season, but same goes for Wiggins.
October 7th, 2014 at 10:39 AM ^
He has a high basketball IQ. Or he's Canadian. Yet more ways to say he's white without saying he's white. Nice quote, Nik. I'm a fan of the real talk.
October 7th, 2014 at 11:51 AM ^
... to count the number of media mentions in the US that refer to Stauskas as canadian vs. the number that refer to Wiggins as Canadian.
October 7th, 2014 at 3:36 PM ^
Didn't Michael Jackson sing and dance a song about that?
October 7th, 2014 at 11:05 AM ^
Nik Stauskas is white?
October 7th, 2014 at 11:18 AM ^
Actually, he's black but albino.
October 7th, 2014 at 11:08 AM ^
October 7th, 2014 at 11:40 AM ^
would this get attention. its nothing.
October 7th, 2014 at 2:31 PM ^
October 7th, 2014 at 11:23 AM ^
Thank you for that
October 7th, 2014 at 11:22 AM ^
just these.
October 7th, 2014 at 11:28 AM ^
Wait....he's white? Oh my god......
October 7th, 2014 at 11:37 AM ^
Reminds me of a quote attributed to a random GM around the time of the draft (discussed HERE). It's funny to me when people ignore the obvious because it sounds racist. White dudes typcially need to work a bit harder to earn respect in basketball. Just how it is. It's probably what caused him to be all SWAG-ful.
October 7th, 2014 at 11:51 AM ^
I faced the same problem on the international table tennis circuit.
October 7th, 2014 at 11:55 AM ^
... of people who are intolerant of other peoples' cultures and the dutch.
October 7th, 2014 at 12:25 PM ^
If you ain't Dutch, you ain't much mister!!
October 7th, 2014 at 12:30 PM ^
In 21 minutes, he scored a team high 18 points while going 6/8 from the field. Also had 3 assists with 1 TO.
October 7th, 2014 at 12:47 PM ^
October 7th, 2014 at 1:08 PM ^
Btw, Nik doesn't like to tell people he was born to a poor black family.
October 7th, 2014 at 1:32 PM ^
How does a white guy without a high motor succeed in the NBA? He must be good..er something like that
October 7th, 2014 at 4:07 PM ^
I've always said that Nik would make for a gritty football player, what with all that scrappiness and all. Heart... that's what he's got.
October 7th, 2014 at 8:41 PM ^