Rico Hines is regarded as one of the top trainers in the NBA and is currently an assistant coach with the Toronto Raptors. Recently, no less than Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green has taken notice of how much Hines has helped NBA players improve their game.
In fact, some of the biggest stars in the league wanted to practice with him over the summer because of how excellent he is.
A collection of players looking to make a big leap this season can be seen in the roster of those already training with Hines.
Here’s what the star Warriors forward had to say about Hines.
The Way Rico runs his Runs is insane! Everyone in the NBA is operating at an ELITE level. It’s pretty amazing.
— Draymond Green (@Money23Green) August 11, 2022
This past weekend, in fact, Rico Hines began his summer runs at UCLA, where he trained and mentored any NBA player who wished to take part.
This year, James Harden, Scottie Barnes, Pascal Siakam, Tyrese Haliburton, and Thomas Bryant were among the athletes who joined Hines.
Those are some huge names, and they are also guys with a lot riding on the next season.
For instance, Harden has frequently stated that he is planning to leave it all out on the floor for the 76ers. He also believes they can make it all the way to the Finals.
His training with Hines proves how serious he is this time around.
James Harden was in his BAG at Rico Hines Runs Day 2 😳 @ricohinesbball @jharden13 pic.twitter.com/mNF1q7Zgfp
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) August 5, 2022
Maybe Green and some of the other Warriors are next in line?
For his part, Scottie Barnes wants to demonstrate that winning Rookie of the Year last season wasn’t simply a fluke. He averaged 15.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists last year.
His Toronto teammate Pascal Siakam, meanwhile, wants more respect for his name after several seasons of improvement. The Cameroonian star was named to the All-NBA Third Team last season.
In the meantime, Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers wants to please his new team’s fans. The Pacers project Haliburton will grow into one of their cornerstone pieces in the future.
Big man Thomas Bryant also wants to improve. He is ready to help the Los Angeles Lakers become a dominant team. Bryant also believes that Hines will help him hit that goal.
Each one of these athletes is working hard throughout the summer to prepare for a truly memorable 2022-23 season. They are surely prepared to absorb all of Hines’ lessons.
Maybe Draymond Green and the Golden State Warriors ought to have some runs with Hines, too?
Hines’ runs have been a hot topic of conversation for a while now amid the NBA offseason. The top NBA players mentioned above, as well as LaMelo Ball, DeMar DeRozan, Paul George, Kyrie Irving, Fred VanVleet, and Trae Young, have congregated on the UCLA campus for Hines’ elite offseason pick-up games.
Fred VanVleet scrimmaged with his teammates at a Rico Hines run recently and certainly looked healthier than the last time we saw him.
The Raaaaaaaaange is back. https://t.co/olGPuXDmdP
— Amit Mann (@Amit_Mann) August 9, 2022
There is a reason why these guys put their growth in Hines’ hands.
It is obvious from watching the games that this is pick-up with a purpose. Hines urges the players to concentrate on their goals. He also wants them to focus on what they want to improve, and how they can support their respective teams.
Each athlete has the chance to showcase his own skills, but it goes beyond that. This is especially true for the Raptors players who will carry these teachings from UCLA to their own teams. These players are maintaining their fitness with game reps and honing their sense of the game.
The results speak for themselves. With players like Harden and Siakam crediting Hines with some of their accomplishments, supporters of any club with a player on these streaks should anticipate what’s to come.
Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors has taken notice. Fans can expect he could turn up to these runs sooner rather than later.
