Integrating veteran wing DeMar DeRozan into the San Antonio Spurs’ way wasn’t difficult from a personality standpoint. At the apex of his playing career with a track record of falling short in big moments, DeRozan joined a team that embraced him despite his shortcomings and saw his potential within the team’s power structure.
Replacing an MVP-caliber player put a tremendous amount of pressure on DeRozan in his first year and despite the criticisms, he stepped up to the plate by improving his playmaking and embracing the head coach Gregg Popovich’s teachings.
Now in his second year donning the silver and black, DeRozan is flourishing as an influential force in his team’s pursuit of a record-setting 23rd consecutive playoff berth.