Sullivan: 'They all want to get better'

Michael Curry has referred to Rodney Stuckey as his “sixth starter” already this summer, so it’s not like the Pistons’ new coach is making any secret of his expectations for last spring’s playoffs breakout star.

But one of Curry’s hires as assistant coach, Pat Sullivan, reinforced the notion that Stuckey will play a critical role for the Pistons in the season ahead for his ability to create plays off the dribble and get inside the lane – an area Curry is emphasizing as he looks to make the Pistons a little less dependent on the jump shot.

“Sometimes when you have a great shooting team, you fall in love with just staying outside,” Sullivan said. “But Rodney, not only can he shoot the ball, he can get in the paint. That’s where we need to change things a little bit – get into the paint more and score more in the paint. That’s what Coach is preaching and that’s what we’re going to do more this year – get into the paint and get to the foul line.”

Sullivan didn’t get much of a chance to see Stuckey last season when he was on staff at New Jersey. The Pistons and Nets played three times, once while Stuckey was out with a broken hand. The second meeting of the season came just three games into Stuckey’s return from the injury that cost him the first 25 games of his rookie season. But when the Nets came to The Palace in early April still fighting for a playoff berth, Stuckey had 14 points and nine assists in 30 minutes of a Detroit win.

Sullivan has been nothing but impressed with Stuckey since joining Curry’s staff and working with him during the Las Vegas Summer League and since in voluntary workouts.

“Just being around him, he’s such a great kid,” Sullivan said. “He’s so willing to learn. He’s such a hard worker. He gives a different aspect to our team because he’s a very, very good pick-and-roll player. I liken him to a great running back who just sees a crack in the line and he can explode through it on a straight line. And then he loves the contact. He’s a big, strong, physical kid and he searches out contact and he can finish around the rim.”

Here’s Sullivan on some of the other young Pistons:

• Arron Afflalo – “He’s another super kid. An extremely hard-working kid. He can shoot it. The thing that impressed me the most, I was in Vegas working out on the treadmill and he came in for 30 or 40 minutes and we were just talking. All he talked about was guarding people. I was shocked. Usually, it’s, ‘Coach, I can’t wait to get more shots or average more points.’ And all he talked about was how he wanted to defend guys. That’s a special kid and that’s why he’s here. That’s the neat thing about Arron. He really takes pride in guarding people. Either you have that in you or you don’t and he does.”



• Amir Johnson – “I love him. He ran the floor every time (in Las Vegas). I wish he would have rebounded the ball a little better out there, numbers-wise, but he did everything we asked him to do. Coach asked him to sprint the floor and run to the rim every time, he did. We asked him to trap on the side pick and rolls, he did. We asked him to show up on high pick and rolls, he did. All the thing we asked him to do. I thought he had a great two weeks in Vegas. I’m looking forward to working more with him. He’s one of those athletic kids who is going to be able to roll to the rim and finish, especially with a guy like Rasheed spacing the floor. What are you going to do? Are you going to stop the roll or are you going to stop the three? That creates problems.”



• Cheikh Samb – “No 1 is the ability to shoot the ball. Physically, he’s behind. That’s his biggest problem, his strength. He’s a little challenged there, but he’s another kid who loves to be in the gym. He loves to work, so he wants to get better. It’s so nice to work with these young guys because they all want to get better. They’re not afraid to come into the gym, spend time and try to get better. Cheikh does a good job of blocking shots. He’s so long. Most great shot-blockers are blocking from the weak side. Not only can he do that, but he’s so long he can get his own man’s shots, which is unique. You don’t really block your own man’s shot that often.”



• Walter Sharpe – “Walt’s a very, very talented offensive player. The thing with him is just kind of breaking him. He played in the post in college, whereas up here he’s going to have to be more of a three man. Offensively, he’s skilled enough to do it. He shoots the ball pretty well. Defensively, he’s not used to being out on the floor. In the post, you’re just fighting your man, fronting the post, boxing your man and rebounding. We’re having him chase guys off the screens and in our league some of the most talented guys are twos and threes. It’s great that he’s up here. He’s volunteered to come up and work out. Summer League was the first step, now this is another phase. Hopefully by preseason and the time the season starts, he’ll have a good feel to know how to play the position.”

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