Ant is going to work, what should he improve on?

[Q-is-here]

I thought the mid-range game was much more part of ANT's shot selection in the '23-24 season, but he swapped out most of those mid-range shots for 3-pointers this past year. And it was really glaring how SGA used all 3 levels of scoring compared to ANT. Having that mid-range shot in your arsenal makes it easier to find a "good" shot when you are looking to score. In retrospect, I think ANT will learn he needs to have all those shots in his repertoire so that it is easier for him to find a "good" shot. I thought his mid-range game was pretty decent a couple years ago. Well, except for all those "off-glass" shots that didn't go in...

Agree Tim. And yes, leave it to Ant to work on one of THE most difficult basketball shots you can take, which is the mid-range bank shot from 15+ feet out. That's a H.O.R.S.E. shot I'm sure many of us have tried over the years!

To me it's that 15-18 footer from the free throw line slightly extended and just above it that needs honing.

[thedoper]

If ant is going to draw fouls it is going to be some next level pathetic diving. If he just runs into players a la SGA he will likely get called for an offensive foul when he runs them over. It really bothers me that this is a basketball "skill".

[rapsuperstar31]

I want Ant to move Chris Hines into a luxury apartment and meet with him every day, and hire a chef and dietician to plan and cook meals for him and his family. And he needs to work on the following.

1) Diet: Ant looks very fit, but a lot of 23 year old athletes with bad habits do. I think his tendency to take plays off on defense and to stand around when he doesn't have the ball (i.e. moving without the ball) are because he is tired and not as fit as he could be. He needs to take better care of his body.

2) Flopping and drawing fouls. Chris and Ant need to watch video every day of some of the best at this: SGA, Brunson, Harden, etc. I'm convinced Ant can add 4 or 5 PPG to his stats if he emulates these guys, and that might be the single most effective thing the Wolves can do this summer to narrow the gap between them and OkC.

3) Daily film sessions with Chris breaking down situations where he was blitzed and analyzing what he could have done in the situations where he wasn't successful. Follow up with scrimmages with whomever they can find in town to work on this. Run two athletic guys at him over and over again.

4) Continue working on his 3-point shot. He made great strides on his shooting last summer...can he get even better?

5) Daily sessions with Chris talking about how to seduce referees into giving you calls.

That's a lot, but Ant has said nobody is going to work harder than him this summer.

Hopefully TSJ gets equal time with Hines this summer, sounds like he works out with him a lot as well.

[rapsuperstar31]

If ant is going to draw fouls it is going to be some next level pathetic diving. If he just runs into players a la SGA he will likely get called for an offensive foul when he runs them over. It really bothers me that this is a basketball "skill".

Some of it is knowing the game and gaining experience. Kobe knew where the refs were on the court at all times, and how to exploit that in drawing foul calls. SGA seems to have that skill as well.

[Coolbreeze44]

Conditioning, conditioning, conditioning.

Sure he's in shape, but he's not in superstar play 40 minutes shape night after night. It catches up with him in the playoffs. He needs to take it to another level.

[AbeVigodaLive]

Conditioning, conditioning, conditioning.

Sure he's in shape, but he's not in superstar play 40 minutes shape night after night. It catches up with him in the playoffs. He needs to take it to another level.

A lot of things are pointing to a time around 2031 when Anthony Edwards is talking on tv and saying things like...

"I'm a lot smarter now. A lot more serious. I took things for granted earlier in my career, from eating to sleeping to conditioning to film to just appreciating the opportunity because it might be gone tomorrow. I've learned my lessons."

The rub is that it's possible he'll be saying it with another team's logo on.

[thedoper]

Conditioning, conditioning, conditioning.

Sure he's in shape, but he's not in superstar play 40 minutes shape night after night. It catches up with him in the playoffs. He needs to take it to another level.

I think it is this above everything. In from 87 to his 2nd retirement Jordan averaged from 37-40 mpg. I know it was a different era with different rotations but with the way our team is laid out, Ant and Jaden need to lead the league in minutes and play dominant ball consistently throughout.

[Lipoli390]

I thought the mid-range game was much more part of ANT's shot selection in the '23-24 season, but he swapped out most of those mid-range shots for 3-pointers this past year. And it was really glaring how SGA used all 3 levels of scoring compared to ANT. Having that mid-range shot in your arsenal makes it easier to find a "good" shot when you are looking to score. In retrospect, I think ANT will learn he needs to have all those shots in his repertoire so that it is easier for him to find a "good" shot. I thought his mid-range game was pretty decent a couple years ago. Well, except for all those "off-glass" shots that didn't go in...

Agree Tim. And yes, leave it to Ant to work on one of THE most difficult basketball shots you can take, which is the mid-range bank shot from 15+ feet out. That's a H.O.R.S.E. shot I'm sure many of us have tried over the years!

To me it's that 15-18 footer from the free throw line slightly extended and just above it that needs honing.

I agree, Q. Now that Ant has mastered the 3-point shot, it makes sense for him to return to and perfect his midrange1 which is already pretty good. Here’s my rank order of the four areas of improvement Ant needs to focus on to become the best player on a championship Wolves team:

1. Develop/perfect his mid-range scoring.

2. Improve his technique for drawing fouls - which goes hand and hand with perfecting his mid-range game

3. Make smarter/quicker decisions with the ball (he’s improved already in this area but needs further improvement)

4. Improve his conditioning (it was already much better this season, but as others have noted, not where it needs to be).

All four things are very doable and are the sorts of things you’d expect a 23 year old to improve upon as his career advances. The good news, is that Ant has proven he’s committed to improving and that he improves when he puts his mind to it. His three-point shooting is the most obvious example, but I’d also point to his improved passing and decision-making as well as the dramatic reduction in his turnovers post-allstar break, which carried over into the playoffs. I’d also point to his condition, which improved a lot from the beginning of last season.

[AussieWolf3]

Good discussion!

I agree completely regarding conditioning and eating habits. (And perhaps interpersonal work to help with the focus issues- My ADHD diagnosis as an adult was a life changer)

What I don't agree with is the foul baiting, and I don't disagree simply because I don't want to see it.
First, it is a skill investment that could see diminishing returns if the league makes a better effort to curtail the behavior, which I believe it will.

Second, 4 extra points per game, individually is great and all but I'd much rather see Ant increase his ast points created per game. He was at about 11 this year (up to 14 in the playoffs)- Trae Young led the league at 29.

Now those are just the counting stats, but how does he get there? He needs to learn to read the game better and slow things down. I know that sounds trite but there are so much tangential effects that happen if Ant continues to develop a deeper understanding of the game.

Folks have mentioned developing his mid range and fair enough, but Ants problem there isn't his shot, it's how he finds it. Ant really need to learn to see the floor at a higher level.

I can't remember how often I saw him come down the court with a numbers advantage in semi transition and fail to use his speed to tilt the defense or just go to the cup. Ant still pre determines a lot of what he wants to do on the court and if he is ever going to take the next step as a player (not just a scorer), he needs to continuing learning how to take advanced of a defense- not just "take what they give him"

After that I think if he can just continue to sharpen his skills- a post package, changing pace with the ball, moving off ball, keep it up with the 3 point shot, and hopefully finishing at the rim can improve as well.

[rapsuperstar31]

Good discussion!

I agree completely regarding conditioning and eating habits. (And perhaps interpersonal work to help with the focus issues- My ADHD diagnosis as an adult was a life changer)

What I don't agree with is the foul baiting, and I don't disagree simply because I don't want to see it.
First, it is a skill investment that could see diminishing returns if the league makes a better effort to curtail the behavior, which I believe it will.

Second, 4 extra points per game, individually is great and all but I'd much rather see Ant increase his ast points created per game. He was at about 11 this year (up to 14 in the playoffs)- Trae Young led the league at 29.

Now those are just the counting stats, but how does he get there? He needs to learn to read the game better and slow things down. I know that sounds trite but there are so much tangential effects that happen if Ant continues to develop a deeper understanding of the game.

Folks have mentioned developing his mid range and fair enough, but Ants problem there isn't his shot, it's how he finds it. Ant really need to learn to see the floor at a higher level.

I can't remember how often I saw him come down the court with a numbers advantage in semi transition and fail to use his speed to tilt the defense or just go to the cup. Ant still pre determines a lot of what he wants to do on the court and if he is ever going to take the next step as a player (not just a scorer), he needs to continuing learning how to take advanced of a defense- not just "take what they give him"

After that I think if he can just continue to sharpen his skills- a post package, changing pace with the ball, moving off ball, keep it up with the 3 point shot, and hopefully finishing at the rim can improve as well.

All the best players foul baited some. Jordan and Kobe were experts at it. I don't want to see him flopping to the ground like Lebron was all series, but he can be intentional in drawing the contact when he sees the defender hands on him. For instance Mike was pretty good at it last year that swipe move where someone swings down and you just go up and draw the foul on the ground.