The expectations for the Portland Trail Blazers are high going into the 2016-17 season.
Noah Vonleh spoke with Ian Thomsen of NBA.com about his role going forward, his competitive nature, and what motivates him in the NBA.
The young forward was one of more disappointing players at the Summer League this season, and Vonleh acknowledged the issues. "I'm not really happy with the way I played -- just missing a lot of shots that I worked on the past couple of months that I should've been making.''
The 20-year old scored 12 points per game in the Las Vegas Summer League games, but only shot 23.1% from three, and struggled overall from the field in three of the Blazers four games.
Vonleh knows that with the team expected to take a further step forward in the Western Conference, his development much accelerate to match the team's requirements. "If I have a good game, it's one game. You're only as good as your last game. You have to come out every time and be ready to go.''
Both Damian Lillard and Terry Stotts raved about Vonleh's athleticism, comparing him favorably to Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors.
"He was very talkative about pick-and-rolls and coverages," according to Coach Stotts. "He's one of the best workers I've ever been around. He really wants to be good, he's really coachable, and he doesn't shy away from contact. He's competitive.''
Vonleh is in his third NBA season, and his second with the Trail Blazers. He averaged 3.6 points and 3.9 rebounds in 78 games last season.