Los Angeles Lakers forward Nick Young recently said that he is willing to go on an all-out "attitude change" to prove that Byron Scott was wrong in his initial perception about him. The Lakers coach had some things to say about Young's plays last season, particularly on the defensive end and his shot selection.
Earlier this summer, the 54-year-old veteran coach told reporters that he was unhappy about the way Young had played during their first season together.
Scott said that Swaggy P "needs to return with a more balanced game" this coming season, which includes more "passing and defense to supplement his high-volume shooting," as reported by Slam Online.
The OC Register even indicated that the former Lakers shooting guard "publicly challenged" Young to "either play defense or get comfortable watching from the bench."
To be fair, Young took his coach's criticism and challenge to heart and the changes were evident during the Lakers' preseason games this year. It is noticeable how Young now rarely smiles on the court and is playing on a much improved defensive intensity than last year.
Scott has praised his flamboyant disciple by saying that Young had been making "better effort on both ends of the court" and his attitude towards the game had also changed.
Young said that he is fine with how Scott motivates him to become a better player and that he is "very motivated to prove him wrong" with regards to his first impression of him.
Young also said that he is ready to become more serious about winning this year as he is sick and tired of always getting kicked out of the playoffs year after year.
In his eight seasons in the league, the 30-year-old Los Angeles native had just appeared in the NBA playoffs only two times in his career.