Tuesday, January 19th, 2010 at 2:03 pm  |  26 responses

Get Your Hustle On

Introducing SLAMonline’s scrappy blog.

by Brett Callahan

In an effort to bring diverse stories into your hoops world, Hustle Points will cover all things NBA, but focus primarily on the guys who do the dirty work. Scrappers, hustlers, gnats, and nuisances; all the players willing to do whatever it takes to win ball games.

So, what makes hustle? While statistics such as offensive rebounds, rebounds-per-48 minutes, steals, blocks, and efficiency around the hoop are all quantitative ways to judge the top hustlers in the league, it’s much more a general sense of who’s making plays when they need to be made. The player that’s coming up with every loose ball, setting solid screens, blocking out opponents 6-inches taller than Dennis Rodmanhim, and generally getting under the skin of every man who faces him.

A hustler knows his role: rebounder, on-ball defender, facilitator, shot blocker, etc. More importantly, the hustler goes all out on every play, all the while staying mentally in control. Plenty of guys can go “all out,” and be erratic all over the court, but hustlers make sound calculated decisions on the floor that benefit his team’s performance. In doing so, the hustler can appropriately affect the style of play, creating a culture while influencing the rest of the team to get it going when play becomes uninspired and sloppy.

Each team has one, two, sometimes even three or four players who are capable of doing this. Most aren’t as athletic or built as the cream of the crop in the league, but make a living finding their niche and building a reputation. Teams certainly could not win with just a team of hustlers, but placed around the legit elite of the league, they are sure to make their unsung impact.

Hustle Points is a tribute to the hard-nosed, sweat-drenched, and bruised and battered of the NBA. Expect monthly interviews with hustlers around the league, as well as several random ramblings.

Coming up later this week: an interview with Sacramento Kings rookie forward Jon Brockman.

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  • The Hoopistani Posted: Jan.19 at 2:42 pm
    great idea

  • boy sanchez Posted: Jan.19 at 4:10 pm
    This is a column I’d definitely like to read.

  • AlbertBarr Posted: Jan.19 at 4:16 pm
    BROCKNESS MONSTER!!!! Ultimate hustle guy. Should be good interview.

  • Ken Posted: Jan.19 at 4:20 pm
    Looking forward to the eventual Dejuan Blair feature.

  • Sigurður Einar (Iceland). Posted: Jan.19 at 4:34 pm
    Do somone old school to.
    H.Grant, Rodman, Rambis, AC Green(ironman) and Oakley

  • Gerard Himself Posted: Jan.19 at 4:35 pm
    This could be great, but if the expression “Tommy Points” is mentioned, I will throw up.

  • Gerard Himself Posted: Jan.19 at 4:36 pm
    well, maybe not throw up, but Tommy Points… awful.

  • Eric Woodyard Posted: Jan.19 at 5:37 pm
    Ben Wallace is the first guy I thought of after reading this…lol

  • AlbertBarr Posted: Jan.19 at 6:38 pm
    Jeff Foster should pop up at some point. Other players I think of: Eduard Najera, JUWAN HOWARD (at least this season), Udonis Haslem, BIRDMAN, Kevin Love…I’m sure there are many others.

  • ab_40 Posted: Jan.19 at 7:16 pm
    get brian cardinal. the things he does in minnesota for the amount of money he makes that is the deffinition of hustle

  • ab_40 Posted: Jan.19 at 7:18 pm
    btw Dwight Howard is the ultimate hustle player especialy in that system 9 shots per game. the guy is 23 or 24 he can still develop but you’ve got to give him the basketball

  • rashado Posted: Jan.19 at 7:23 pm
    two words: CHUCK HAYES

  • burnt_chicken Posted: Jan.19 at 9:51 pm
    two more: CARL LANDRY

  • MikeC. Posted: Jan.19 at 10:03 pm
    @Sigurður Einar (Iceland) – Those guys you mentioned were great scrappers and instrumental to team victory, but they were all an all-star at least once with the exception of Rambis. They weren’t exactly unsung. Guys like Battier, Jeff Foster, Hayes, Landry, etc are on the unsung side of the coin. True fans appreciate what they do and might not think of them as being unsung because we sing their praises if they’re on our favorite team, but hate them if they’re playing against our favorite team.

  • MikeC. Posted: Jan.19 at 10:05 pm
    Usually the unsung hustlers and scrappers are guys that start out on bad teams and seem like they don’t even belong in the league because they don’t put up stats, and their teams don’t win, but put them on playoff teams and what they do shines. Ex. Ben Wallace, Shane Battier, Hayes, Landry. They get props from the real fans because they help their teams win. I love this idea. SLAM. Always on point, the shining light in a dark world of ESPNs.

  • Gerard Himself Posted: Jan.19 at 10:21 pm
    ab40 about Cardinal: brilliant.

  • Teddy-the-Bear Posted: Jan.20 at 12:20 am
    Co-sign MikeC.

  • Teddy-the-Bear Posted: Jan.20 at 12:21 am
    Carl Landry is playing at an All-Star level though. His skills + basketball IQ should be enough to put him in the All-Star game, if not this year (stacked West forwards) then in the next 3 years.

  • Teddy-the-Bear Posted: Jan.20 at 12:22 am
    Oakley is the freaking man!

  • Hursty Posted: Jan.20 at 12:58 am
    Two Words: Houston Rockets

  • Anton Posted: Jan.20 at 3:05 am
    Anderson Varejao.

  • In-N-Out Lucas Posted: Jan.20 at 8:36 am
    Looking forward to reading this man! Good luck!

  • hillbilly Posted: Jan.20 at 9:03 am
    @rashado & burnt_chicken
    Amen x2!

  • Michael NZ Posted: Jan.20 at 4:15 pm
    Vince Carter.

  • Aaron Posted: Jan.20 at 6:00 pm
    Vince haha Good One.

  • Cahyo Posted: Jan.21 at 1:11 am
    Carlos Boozer

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