Cedi Osman isn’t the big name that Cavaliers fans hope can replace the presence of LeBron James in Cleveland, but he certainly got some solid experience playing with some interesting names this summer.
Osman saw a limited role for the Cavaliers in the postseason, but he was one of the few players on the roster — other than LeBron James — who actually made it through an entire season with the Cavaliers. He survived the midseason roster turnover, in part, because the Cavs see a bright future for the
And though he wasn’t a Rookie of the Year candidate in his first season, he’s expected to take on a much bigger presence in the Cavaliers lineup now that James has, indeed, left for Los Angeles. Osman spoke to Kaelan Jones of Sports Illustrated and explained why he’s ready for an expanded role with the LeBron-less Cavaliers in his second season in the NBA. In the piece, Osman divulges that he spent time playing with a significant list of impressive NBA stars, including Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant and his former teammate: LeBron James.
Never stop dreaming, never stop believing, never give up, never stop trying and never stop learning! pic.twitter.com/80rz5XYw6R
— Cedi Osman (@cediosman) August 22, 2018
Osman explained in the SI piece that James invited him to a training session in Los Angeles over the summer, and he was shocked to find three of the best small forward in the NBA all hanging out in the same gym.
“I don’t know how I could describe my words about that,” he said. “For real, because those are the three best small forwards in the NBA, right? Like, the best.”
As the group started getting shots up, Osman struggled to contain his excitement. He said his hands shook during his first attempts. “It was going all short,” Osman said. “KD and ‘Bron was telling me, ‘Lift the ball up! Shoot the ball up!’ And I was like, ‘I can’t, man! I’m excited!’
“But it was, for real, amazing.”
Osman said the company was “something that I think every player would want. And he said he learned a lot from the runs, which is understandable given the company he had. And it should help him live up to some bigger moments on the floor for the Cavaliers this year. If anything, it’s good to see that James and Osman have stayed in touch. The two seemed to form a nice bond between a rookie and veteran in Osman’s first season, even if he wasn’t out there on the floor with LeBron all that often.
