How Malcolm Hill can make Chicago Bulls roster: Elite conditioning and fitness
It goes without saying that NBA players are among the best athletes in the entire world. It is no secret that basketball is a physically demanding game; starting, stopping, running, jumping, and physical contact are all done seamlessly, with the muscles often reacting before a player has a chance to think about what he is doing.
With that being said, there are still a few players throughout history whose physical prowess had stood out even amongst their supremely-talented NBA colleagues. Dennis Rodman made a name for himself as a member of the Detroit Pistons, not because he was a great ballhandler or shooter, but because he was one of the most physically fit players the league had ever seen.
His versatility allowed him to match up with forwards and also switch out on guards on the defensive side of the ball. His running ability made him a threat to finish a fast break with a signature slam dunk at any given moment.
As a 6’6 small forward, Malcolm Hill is going to have to take a page out of “The Worm’s” playbook. The NBA is filled with guys his height and size. In order to stand out, Hill is going to have to be able to run relentlessly while never getting tired.
Elite conditioning allows a player to make hustle plays that sometimes don’t show up on a stat sheet but always earn a player the favor of the coach. Head coaches from upstate New York like Pat Riley and Billy Donovan are notorious for being hard-nosed when it comes to conditioning. If Hill wants to make a good first impression on Donovan, he’ll have to start by coming into training camp in amazing shape.