Sacramento Kings Ben McLemore says he plans to win Rookie of the Year, be alpha dog
By Bryan Rose
Dripping in talent, many expected Ben McLemore to be a top five pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. Some even expected McLemore to be drafted with the second selection, but the former Kansas Jayhawk suffered a pretty significant slide after the Cleveland Cavaliers threw a wrench in the draft, selecting UNLV’s Anthony Bennett first overall.
That slide lead McLemore all the way to seventh where he was scooped up by the Sacramento Kings.
As one of the most sure things in the draft (if you can say there is a sure thing), teams never questioned McLemore’s talent. What they did question though is his ability to ‘be the man’. Multiple scouts and general managers tried to poke holes in McLemore’s game and the one common theme always presented was McLemore not having the gumption to take over games. That’s not something that has sat well with the young guard who says not only does he plan to win the Rookie of the Year award, but also plans to show he can be the alpha dog when need be.
Per Lawrence Journal:
"“I feel I come in with a chip on my shoulder,” former Kansas University guard McLemore, top pick of the Sacramento Kings in the June draft, said Saturday at the Bill Self Basketball Pro Camp for youths in Allen Fieldhouse. He is working the camp with former KU forward Thomas Robinson of the Portland Trail Blazers.“I feel I’ve been through a lot. I feel I am going to work hard to get Rookie of the Year. I know the mindset I’m going to come in and show everybody I could be the alpha dog and win that Rookie of the Year. I’m definitely going to work hard to get that,” McLemore added."