There are only 3 players on the Kings that have shown any leadership potential IMO. Too early to tell about the rookies or Hawes.
Ron Artest - I only mention him because he is still on the team. Hope that changes.
Beno Udrih - He started acting more like a leader after Bibby was traded, and Theus was encouraging him to take charge of the team.
Francisco Garcia - He was the leader of his college team, and has been one of the most vocal players on an off the court since joining the Kings. More consistent play will help him to better establish that role. You will be hard-pressed to find a player with more drive and passion on the court.
Ron Artest - I only mention him because he is still on the team. Hope that changes.
Beno Udrih - He started acting more like a leader after Bibby was traded, and Theus was encouraging him to take charge of the team.
Francisco Garcia - He was the leader of his college team, and has been one of the most vocal players on an off the court since joining the Kings. More consistent play will help him to better establish that role. You will be hard-pressed to find a player with more drive and passion on the court.
The leader of this team will be Beno. Last year I would say it was Artest, but if Artest is still on the team at the start of the season, I doubt he'll get the rest of the team to listen to him, knowing his days are numbered.
Beno will be more assertive this year, knowing he is the starter for this team for years to come.
Beno will be more assertive this year, knowing he is the starter for this team for years to come.
Good question...
That's a good question...I guess we'll find out. I think that Kevin has the ability to be the leader if he decides to start asserting himself. I don't think it's really in his nature, but I think he could do it. I saw a bit of that in the "let's go home" game-winning shot that he hit last year. He's developed a little bit of attitude, and that's a good thing.
Ron is definitely willing to lead, in much the way the first lemming jumping off the cliff says "follow me, everyone!" I'm sometimes scared of what he might be telling them all to do, but it seems to be inspirational in many ways. The other problem with Ron, obviously, is that he can be a bit of a loose cannon, deciding that he knows the game better than everyone, including the coach. In any case, as the OP wrote, we don't know how much the other guys will listen to him now, and at some point, he won't be here any more.
Garcia is also willing to lead, but I don't know how much the other guys listen to him.
Beno is probably the best choice, just because as the PG, he's also the most logical person on the court to make decisions about what happens next.
Here's the part I'm not sure about: does a team need a vocal leader to thrive? Who was that leader before Ron got here? Was it Bibby? I don't know...once Ron is gone, we may find out.
That's a good question...I guess we'll find out. I think that Kevin has the ability to be the leader if he decides to start asserting himself. I don't think it's really in his nature, but I think he could do it. I saw a bit of that in the "let's go home" game-winning shot that he hit last year. He's developed a little bit of attitude, and that's a good thing.
Ron is definitely willing to lead, in much the way the first lemming jumping off the cliff says "follow me, everyone!" I'm sometimes scared of what he might be telling them all to do, but it seems to be inspirational in many ways. The other problem with Ron, obviously, is that he can be a bit of a loose cannon, deciding that he knows the game better than everyone, including the coach. In any case, as the OP wrote, we don't know how much the other guys will listen to him now, and at some point, he won't be here any more.
Garcia is also willing to lead, but I don't know how much the other guys listen to him.
Beno is probably the best choice, just because as the PG, he's also the most logical person on the court to make decisions about what happens next.
Here's the part I'm not sure about: does a team need a vocal leader to thrive? Who was that leader before Ron got here? Was it Bibby? I don't know...once Ron is gone, we may find out.
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I'm going to go bold and say that JT becomes the leader of the team this year. He won't be initially, probably because he won't want to step on anyone's toes. But if Artest is dealt, and no one steps up as a leader, then I could see Jason taking over. He just seems like he has all the right qualities.
I would like to say K. Mart or Garcia, but I feel that they are just too young to take on a leadership role. I reserve that role for players who have been in the league a little longer. I do not think this team has a leader on the floor. To me, a leader knows the situation (previous experience) and is able to instruct the rest on how to handle the situation. Right now the coach, R. Theus is the only leader. We do need a floor leader.
P.S. I can see K. Mart and or Garcia developing into a leader, but again it takes a little time.
P.S. I can see K. Mart and or Garcia developing into a leader, but again it takes a little time.
I think Beno has it in him to be a real take charge guy - even a bit firey. Cisco seems firey more often on the court, but Beno better at judging just when such passionate leadership is required. Maybe Cisco will be the leader of the bench mob and Beno the starting 5 leader. Both Beno and Cisco seem fearless and never say die when attacking. Kevin Martin is just quieter which is fine, as long as he's the consistent quiet assassin.
None. Kevin is a quieter type on the court and will be the main guy this year making the team "go". Leader in NBA has several different connotations. There are vocal leaders who are the all-stars on the team: Kobe, Nash, Baron Davis, Nowitzski, McGrady, KG, etc. There are the leaders by example with more subtle vocal inputs: Odom when he was with the Clips and Duncan, for example. And there are the floor leaders, the true point guards and point forwards who see the court and react quickly to many options to set up a scoring or planned play.
This season, it could very well be Kevin, especially now that he has one more feather in his cap being on the Olympic training team and the respect that will bring from his team mates. Brad has been sort of a leader but his personality is more quiet than Kevins and he is more excitable.
Beno will be more a true PG this year I am sure. But having only been here 1 year and being a bench guy for 3 years before that, he hasn't earned the respect needed. RonRon we'll leave out of this. Mikki is the emotional leader but that's about it. I see his future being part of a new bench mob with Cisco, Singletary, Shelden (maybe) and Douby.
Brad could have been and may still be: he is senior, has respect from team mates, plays hard and sets good examples.
Bottom line, there may be no defined leader this year. There will be two team captains for sure, Kevin and Cisco IMHO (I stress that "IMHO"). Beno should become the floor leader but he has to earn that. Next year it could very well be Spencer if he makes major progress this year.
This season, it could very well be Kevin, especially now that he has one more feather in his cap being on the Olympic training team and the respect that will bring from his team mates. Brad has been sort of a leader but his personality is more quiet than Kevins and he is more excitable.
Beno will be more a true PG this year I am sure. But having only been here 1 year and being a bench guy for 3 years before that, he hasn't earned the respect needed. RonRon we'll leave out of this. Mikki is the emotional leader but that's about it. I see his future being part of a new bench mob with Cisco, Singletary, Shelden (maybe) and Douby.
Brad could have been and may still be: he is senior, has respect from team mates, plays hard and sets good examples.
Bottom line, there may be no defined leader this year. There will be two team captains for sure, Kevin and Cisco IMHO (I stress that "IMHO"). Beno should become the floor leader but he has to earn that. Next year it could very well be Spencer if he makes major progress this year.
With Artest probably traded before the season starts, I don't see a leader on the roster. I think our leader (even if Ron is still here at the start of the season) is the coach, Reggie Theus. He's the one who will be the most vocal, hold people accountable and will set the standards for this team for now. He's young so it works for the type of team we're working on.
My concern becomes Reggies ego in view of likely having 5 rookies (Jason, Sean, maybe Ewing, Hawes and Shelden) on the roster and winning at all costs vs. developing the rookies/first year guys. This year will require Adelman/Coachie type patience and care in handling a new group. Can Coach Reggie do that? I think his leash was shortened a bit the last half of last year so having a squad that could be much younger and that different from last year will require a lot of coaching skill.
In this situation it may need a leader to emerge to see if he will butt heads with Reggie or will we see a wiser, bit more mature coach who works with a leader? Lets hope...
In this situation it may need a leader to emerge to see if he will butt heads with Reggie or will we see a wiser, bit more mature coach who works with a leader? Lets hope...
A
martin... not vocally, but hopefully he will take on the task of trying to carry this team in the clutch... it will be more about his teammates trusting him to make the right decision at the end of games, defering to martin at the end of games.... vocally it will be miller if he isnt high.... or artest if he is still there.....
My concern becomes Reggies ego in view of likely having 5 rookies (Jason, Sean, maybe Ewing, Hawes and Shelden) on the roster and winning at all costs vs. developing the rookies/first year guys. This year will require Adelman/Coachie type patience and care in handling a new group. Can Coach Reggie do that? I think his leash was shortened a bit the last half of last year so having a squad that could be much younger and that different from last year will require a lot of coaching skill.
In this situation it may need a leader to emerge to see if he will butt heads with Reggie or will we see a wiser, bit more mature coach who works with a leader? Lets hope...
In this situation it may need a leader to emerge to see if he will butt heads with Reggie or will we see a wiser, bit more mature coach who works with a leader? Lets hope...
as reggie said that he gives playing time to those who earned it with hustle, hard work and performance... and i think he wants to instill a winning mentality, by that put the best player who comes out good in practices or recent games. i mean you wont put a guy on the court when you know he hasnt even earned it in practice games... so i suppport reggie's fight amongst yourselves and outplay one another for PT... makes players aggressive... i just hope it doesnt make them egotistic enough to hog the ball
Teams with superstars don't generally have this problem. I like Kevin's drive, but he's way too passive to lead this team. I'm always ready to be proven otherwise, just as he has done his entire career thus far. Assuming RonRon is gone gone, either we aquire that superstar or one emereges and there's your leader.