Bucks big man Thon Maker is still very much a work in progress. The 20-year-old center is in his second year in the league, and despite an expanded role with the team this season, it’s obvious that Maker still has a way to go before he reaches the potential that Milwaukee saw when they took him with the 10th pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.
He is trying to put in the work to get better, though. We know this because he got in some extra practice after the Bucks finished practice on Tuesday afternoon.
This wasn’t just a matter of Maker putting some extra shots up, either. Kevin Garnett visited practice, and while he spent some time working with guys like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton, the future Hall of Fame inductee put Maker through a full workout, according to Matt Velazquez of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Garnett barked at Maker for watching his shots instead of turning to catch a pass to put up another. He slapped Maker’s stomach, testing his focus and strength while he launched jump shots. Garnett reminded Maker to slow himself down and let the game come to him.
While he’s managed to stay in the public eye due to his work on TNT’s Area 21, Garnett has spent time during his retirement working with and mentoring players across the league. This isn’t the first time he’s worked with the Bucks, either, as he visited their practices last season.
Still, he seems like he’s really trying to tap into his ability to motivate when it comes to Maker. This is evident in how he was addressing the Bucks’ big man during their workout, saying he should strive to be the “best in the f*cking gym.”
By the end, Garnett was annoyingly bouncing a basketball off Maker’s back as he shot from the foul line. While doing that, he was reinforcing the positive mentality Maker should maintain at all times.
“What are you talking about, Thon,” Garnett asked. “What are you thinking about, Thon? Best in the (expletive) gym. … That’s the dream, Thon.”
Garnett has said in the past that he believes Maker has the potential to be a special basketball player. It’ll take some time before we find out if Maker can turn his potential into talent, but one thing is for sure: Kevin Garnett wants to help him get there.
