Hasheem Thabeet is hoping for a return to the NBA. Thabeet was the second overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft out of UConn and struggled to establish himself as an NBA player.
“Hasheem knows that no one feels sorry for him, so he’s not feeling sorry for himself,” former teammate Kevin Durant said. “He’s one of the hardest workers and by far one of the best people that I know. He’s one of the best teammates I’ve ever had.
“He’ll get a shot again. He’s being patient. Rim protectors always come back around. He’ll get a shot.”
Thabeet has been training in San Francisco for the past few months.
"Training, basketball, aerobics, strength, mental, all that," said Thabeet when asked about his training. "The guy [trainer Frank Matrisciano] that I work with is very intense guy. We don’t call him trainer, almost like a teacher. I’m here really working and just transforming my body, mind. I’m in a very great state of mind, compared to where I was a year ago. And that’s just because I committed to changing the way I live my life. Not just on the basketball side, but, you know, even on a big side."
Thabeet admits to not being in a good place mentally a year ago, which led to his decision to relocate to San Francisco.
"I was broken. Things were not going well for me. Coming into the league as the No. 2 pick, I feel like so many things were thrown towards me. Things happened so quick for me. I came over as a sophomore year of high school. I played two years of [AAU basketball], three years of college and then already a pro. I just started playing basketball.
"A whole lot of things have been thrown towards me so soon. It’s because I didn’t really play basketball my whole life. I had to figure it out by 15. I would get attacked, or [hear], ‘He’s not doing what he’s supposed to do.’ You’re expected to be the next thing, all these comparisons come my way. I felt like I was cornered, like everything coming towards me. Everything happening so fast.
"I was down. Everything I do is wrong. Everybody had high expectations, and I had no idea what I was getting myself into."
Thabeet has spent time in the D-League but he'd prefer not to return.
"With the work I’ve put in, I feel like I need to go somewhere [else], not to downplay the D-League. When I play [in the D-League], I feel like some guys weren’t locked in. They weren’t locked in or they don’t take it seriously, like I did."
The Lakers, Wizards and Knicks have evaluated Thabeet since he's begun this new program.