really enjoying reading these:

Knicks shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr., coming off his First-Team All-Rookie season, is writing a periodic diary from Las Vegas this week as a member of the U.S. Select Team, which is practicing against Team USA in preparation for FIBA’s World Cup tournament.

LAS VEGAS — The intensity has really picked up over the last two days here at USA Basketball training camp. I think I’ve done a really good job of getting better and holding my own. I’ve definitely been defending better, which is something that comes with experience and from learning each and every day. It is something I really wanted to work on this offseason, because offensively, I felt ahead of the game.

Really, I just try to observe and absorb everything around me. I’ve been paying attention to veteran guys such as Kevin Durant and James Harden, just in how they approach practices and scrimmages as well as their routines.

And even when Coach [Tom] Thibodeau is addressing the national team about man-to-man defensive concepts, I’m listening to every word he says. Coach Thibodeau is regarded as the game’s best defensive coach. We spent a lot of time focusing on zone defense on Wednesday, with Coach Jim Boeheim taking the lead on that. We were running plays teams like Spain, Brazil and Dominican Republic will run against the U.S. next month.

It’s tough because the rules overseas are so different. In the FIBA game, you can stay in the paint. There’s no three-second rule. You can knock the ball off the rim. These are things I’m still learning about international play. Again, as I wrote in my first diary, my goal is one day to be a U.S. Olympian.

On my select team, we really take a lot of pride in what we’re doing here. In one scrimmage against Team USA, one of our squads had a huge comeback win, with Orlando point guard Victor Oladipo getting the game-winning basket. We were all so happy just because we got a victory. It was a very cool moment. By giving our all every day, we’re really getting the national team better and getting them ready to go overseas.

I knew most of the guys in camp before we got here. Bradley Beal, Gordon Hayward, Doug McDermott, Mason and Miles Plumlee and myself all have the same agent — Mark Bartelstein, who is based in Chicago. It’s nice that we’re all here as a group.

It’s great to have a lot of guys from Priority Sports. It makes the agency look good. Every year Bartelstein has all the draft-class kids live in Chicago and train together. The agency knows what it is doing.

Mason, who had a strong rookie season for Brooklyn, even got bumped up to the national team camp the other day after Kevin Love’s withdrawal. He’s doing really well. It was good watching him go out and dominate. That’s what’s he’s doing.

For me, I’ve been knocking down wide-open shots when they’ve been given to me, finishing at the rim and getting my teammates on the select team some open shots by passing to them at the right time and right spot. My confidence has continued to rise and I can’t wait for the real Knicks’ training camp in October.

I heard the great Earl Monroe said this week that I’m “not afraid’’ and I “got the heart for the NBA game’’ and he can “see it in my eyes.’’

All I can say is that’s an honor to hear that from a Hall of Famer. Having that no-fear attitude on the court, with all these great players, is what helped me have a successful rookie season with the Knicks. I always played with a sense of urgency as a rookie.

I know a lot of people overlooked me heading into the draft, but those mock drafts, and really where I was drafted, didn’t mean a thing. I knew coming into last year’s draft that all I had to do was prove to one or two teams that I could play at the next level, and luckily I did. Because if you’re worried about what others are saying, you’re not focused on what really matters.

big fan of hardaway. Not only is potential but he is mentally tough which is not always the case with talented youth. Of course he needs to work on his defense but I liked what I saw from him in the summer league. Im not saying he will be an all-star but I think he will be our 2nd scoring option behind melo the next few years as he develops

How great is it to have THJ there learning defense from the best? This kid needs and experience like this and he's the kind of kid that will appreciate the opportunity and take full advantage of it. We'll be getting a better player this coming year. Yet another reason for Knicks fans to be excited for this coming season.

yellowboy90 wrote:The Diary is nice but I would rather hear reports from others(players &coaches) involved about how he is doing.

You heard a lot watching the summer league. He looked great and the coaches/phil expect his role to be increased this year

yellowboy90 wrote:

StarksEwing1 wrote:

yellowboy90 wrote:The Diary is nice but I would rather hear reports from others(players &coaches) involved about how he is doing.

You heard a lot watching the summer league. He looked great and the coaches/phil expect his role to be increased this year

summer league is summer league I want to know if he is impressing the elite players and coaches now that the competition is better. I liked what he did on the SL level now what can you do against the big boys.

fair... but a few things
1) he was picked. So they recognized him as a guy who can help.
2) the story about winning that game was great. So you know that squad is playing hard and out to prove a point vs. those NBA stars. Love it

I don't know why, but I'm just not a fan of Tim Jr. I hope he takes a step forward next season though.

WaltLongmire wrote:Hope he doesn't try to imitate Harden in all aspects of the game.

If a player has any pride, they will make adjustments on D if they keep on getting beat and missing assigned spots. I think Hardaway has some pride and realizes he won't reach the next level simply by shooting well, although having a guy with his offensive potential on the team is a nice thing to count on and build with.

Also think his dad will give him a kick in the ass every now and then.

He really has to work on his lateral movement and anticipating what a particular opponent can, or might, do with the ball. I'd be watching a lot of tape to learn tendencies. In most sports, superior anticipation and good fundamentals can compensate for pure athletic quickness.

I'd also be watching clips of good defenders with his kind of build to see what they were doing right.

The desire has to be there, though. He seems to be aware of his deficiencies- now he has to decide to make changes in his approach to playing D.

good post and I agree... on the bolded part the great ones do both! If THjr is as driven and dedicated as we think and hope Knicks made a great pick.

WaltLongmire wrote:

yellowboy90 wrote:The Diary is nice but I would rather hear reports from others(players &coaches) involved about how he is doing.

Players/Coaches probably won't say anything negative unless you get them off the record.

You need some reporters who know the came to give you a real idea of what is going on.

As a Mets fan I'm used to hearing about glowing reports of their young players in the minors, and then being disappointed when I actually see them.

You actually get some good reporting about how players are doing in the NFL camps. When a coach talks about players you have to decipher what they are actually saying, and I rarely believe what a teammate says about another player, but a reporter (At least the good ones!) actually at a training practice gives you a good idea of what is going on, IMO.

it will be very interesting to see how the training camp and preseason plays out in this regard, as Phil has talked openly about more transparency for the media and thus better access for the fans. Should be interesting.