SLAM Rookie Blog: Rodney Stuckey
On the Pistons, dealing with injury and adjusting to the NBA…
by Rodney Stuckey
Welcome, everyone, to the first installment of the SLAM Rookie Blogs. Our initial blog comes from Rodney Stuckey of the Detroit Pistons.
The most surprising thing about the NBA is all the traveling. You go here, you play, then you get on the plane and you go to the next place. And you don’t get in to the next place until about 2, 3 in the morning. Then you gotta get up, sometimes we have shootarounds — all that right there is really different from my college days.
Unfortunately, I got hurt in the preseason against Washington and haven’t played since. I don’t know quite what I did, but I fractured three bones in my left hand. I had surgery the next day, and they told me it would be like 6 or 8 weeks to heal. It’s been about 4 and half weeks, so I have a couple more weeks and we’ll see what happens. I’m gonna get another x-ray when I go back home after this West Coast road trip.
I thought I played pretty well in the preseason before I got hurt. The games were definitely good as far as getting me comfortable for the regular season games.
There’s actually not a real big adjustment in the NBA game. Getting used to having a 24 second shot clock is kind of different. In college, we had a 35 second one, but just having a 24 second shot clock is different because the game is so much faster. You just gotta make sure you’re in good shape.
As far as my game on the court, I think I can be effective getting to the basket and scoring or creating for my teammates — that’s one thing I do really well. But having the help that I have on this team, having Rip, Chauncey, Wallace, Lindsay Hunter and all those guys around while I’m going through this whole process has been a blessing.
I think that one of the reasons why the Detroit Pistons as an organization is where they’re at right now is the atmosphere in the locker room is very good. We always have a positive mind throughout the locker room, and I think if you’re having a negative attitude in the locker rooms and all that stuff, that’s not really a good thing to vibe off. So all the enthusiasm and stuff coming from the players is all good. We’re all a family. We all hang out with each other, and we all treat each other with respect. If someone messes up, we get on each other, so it’s all about being a brotherhood.
It’s unfortunate that I got hurt, but sometimes that’s a part of basketball. I’m just gonna wait my time until I get healthy, and try to whatever it takes to help my team. Everything else that is going on right now, I expected this, so hopefully things keep going the way they are for our team. We’re winning right now, and hopefully we can continue doing that.
20 Responses to “SLAM Rookie Blog: Rodney Stuckey”
Nov.21 at 2:19 am
bootlace says:
Detroit’s leading the Atlantic division despite most of their games being on the road and all the injuries. THis could be their year since no one expects anything out of them.
Nov.21 at 2:59 am
Holly MacKenzie says:
Very, very cool. Loving the inside glimpse. I look forward to reading all of the rookie contributions and this was a great start. Heal that hand, Stuckey!
Nov.21 at 3:40 am
ric says:
looking forward to ur return
Nov.21 at 3:41 am
ric says:
by the way, i heard rumors that you play somehow similar to d-wade, what u think about that?
Nov.21 at 3:49 am
Hubert says:
disappointing. I was waiting to hear some sheed story
Nov.21 at 4:42 am
white hot eboy says:
Good to have you around, Rodney. Look forward to reading more about you and your boys season.
Nov.21 at 5:04 am
IsraeliPiston says:
What a great attitude re your injury. Following you and the Pistons from Israel and we wish you a great rookie season. With you providing energy and DWade style moves - Pistons are 2008 NBA Champs!!
Nov.21 at 10:45 am
TADOne says:
Good stuff, Rodney. Being a Pistons fan, I was disappointed when he got hurt because I was excited to see him play. Love his attitude and cannot wait until he comes back.
Nov.21 at 11:22 am
Marvin says:
Lets get a repeat of 2004. Sheed is playing MVP ball. Detroit Pistons Champs 2008!
Nov.21 at 11:48 am
Gerard Himself says:
bootlace: they’re not in the atlantic division. Just so you know.
Nov.21 at 12:41 pm
Detroit says:
Slam, so coool of you to have a piston on here. Rodney- loving the velvet sports coat you rocked on the bench the other day. You got style, mind passing a little on to Rip? Get well soon, I cant stand flip murray!
Nov.21 at 2:22 pm
Rasheedionics says:
Good stuff. Not sure if Rodney actually reads the comments.
Nov.21 at 9:16 pm
bootlace says:
Haha, yea thanks Gerard, I choked under the ‘first post’ pressure.
Nov.22 at 6:31 pm
Gerard Himself says:
damn, i always get that too
Nov.23 at 12:26 pm
Jared says:
broken hand is no fun
Nov.26 at 12:06 am
whereiswilson says:
give this guy flip’s minutes and I can get a good third PG in fantasy…
Nov.26 at 6:11 pm
Pistons Lover says:
I can’t wait until Rodney comes back because I feel that he is going to be the leader of the bench. I know Jason and Amir has been here in Detroit but I think as the point guard he is going to contribute to a lot of order of competition the bench.
Nov.30 at 3:33 pm
pistonsfan1 says:
Check out Rodneys video - cut and paste into your browser: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nyi6Wr0ae3o
Dec.2 at 9:10 am
truefix says:
Sup Stuck….I just read an Detroit Freepress article about you having patience. I would compare your situation to a kid who just got the biggest/baddest x-mas toy on the planet, but he can’t play with it because Santa forgot the damn batteries! I mean the season is right in front of you then out of the blue- Bam!Freak Hand Injury! The Pistons need a playa like you to hit the hole and break that defense down. The Pistons primarly being a jump shooting team, need you to cause all kinds of interior havoc! Then after you get done busting down them clowns in the paint, you can throw in a few nails from the outside! I was happy when Dumars drafted you…Now it’s time to pay Joe back! If you have that much patience sitting on the bench, then I know you will keep your composure facing your competition! Some compare you to Wade…screw that your -The Stuckey-….talking about that Wade please..Wade step aside!
Dec.27 at 5:09 pm
SLAM ONLINE | » Pistons at Nets says:
[…] -Standing on the court pregame, on the periphery of Flip Saunders press q+a (conducted right in front of the Pistons bench), I’m approached by Slamonline blogger Rodney Stuckey (who I’ve never spoken to in my life), who eagerly asks me if there’s anything I want to interview him about. I tell him no thanks because I’m from SLAM and he’s well covered on our site, which he deems an acceptable answer. Apparently his hand is almost back to 100% and he is eager to do another blog for us… […]