Anthony Tolliver has found his home in Detroit, and he’s confident the upcoming season will be a monumental one for himself and the Pistons.
In a blog post Thursday, Tolliver detailed some of the changes he’s made in the offseason and what is different with the Pistons this year. He feels that this will be the best year of his career because of his offseason training regimen, which included plyometrics and more athletic and agility style workouts, compared to more weight training.
As for the Pistons as a whole, Tolliver believes they will be a more improved collective compared to last season because of some slight roster changes.
"“Last year we had a little bit of a personnel problem – not necessarily a problem with people – but more that our personnel just didn’t quite fit the system that Coach wants to have. So this year we finally have personnel to really implement the things he wants to do. SPACE THE FLOOR AND PICK & ROLLS GALORE! As long as we stay healthy, I feel like we have a chance to compete with anybody.”"
Tolliver will likely be the second unit’s power forward, but says he is competition to be the starter (over Ersan Ilyasova) like any player should say. No matter where anyone else thinks you stand on the roster, it’s beneficial for both the individual and the team to expect each player to compete as if the starting job isn’t handed to anyone.
The 30 year old has only stayed with one team for more than a year once before, and may have found a stable dwelling with the Pistons. In 52 games with Detroit last year after coming from the Suns, Tolliver averaged 7.7 points per game, while shooting a respectable 36-percent mark from behind the arc. If Tolliver continues to be a solid shooter from mid-range and for threes, he’s a valuable piece to the bench as a big man who can stretch the floor — excellently suited for Stan Van Gundy’s offense.
While many still don’t know Tolliver’s name, including some Pistons fans, he’s valuable to the Pistons. His value is recognized by Van Gundy, his teammates, and by fans. He even is on a billboard in Detroit. And the shot of him pointing at the camera with eyes open wide is meme worthy.
Looking good @ATolliver44 @DetroitPistons pic.twitter.com/TDqCxzJnxr
— Ron Konkoma (@sampowers93) September 9, 2015
Anthony Tolliver is ready to prove his abilities this year. And his first blog post just outlined his mission statement.
"“I’m still coming in ready to compete for a starting spot and for playing time just like I would in any other situation where I’m trying to prove myself. That piece – the constant need to prove myself mindset – will never leave me. And that mindset has kept me relevant and kept me in this league for a long time.”"
Next: Stan Van Gundy's challenge? Piece together the Detroit Pistons puzzle