What more can Tim Cone ask from his MVP and super import? He has a request for each one.
This 2023, coach Tim Cone knows exactly what he wants from Scottie Thompson and Justin Brownlee, two of his best players.
When asked on the show "The Game" about his New Year’s resolutions for Thompson, Cone said he wants the reigning MVP to not change at all and continue what he has been doing in his meteoric rise from a rookie in 2016 to arguably one of the PBA’s biggest stars.
“The only thing I want to say about Scottie is ‘Don’t change’ — and that’s important,” said Cone. “And I must admit there’s been no change. Scottie has grown so much in terms of popularity, he has his own shoe and all this attention. And the great thing about Scottie is it hasn’t affected his game, the way he prepares for practice, and the way he treats his teammates.”
Cone says this “great attitude” is the reason Thompson keeps getting better. It is also why his Ginebra teammates love playing with him and why “everybody loves Scottie.” And it appears coach Tim would like nothing else than to see Thompson be that same humble kid from Digos.
Meanwhile, Cone’s New Year’s resolution for Brownlee is for him to stay aggressive, noting how his super import sometimes has the tendency to be too unselfish for the sake of team play.
“He needs to stay aggressive,” said Cone of his prized reinforcement. “He’s one of those guys who gets a little guilty when he gets too dominant. He starts thinking, I’m doing too much, I got to hold off a little bit and get my teammates more involved . . . We just have to continue to make him realize that the more aggressive he is, the more he opens up things for his teammates.”
We’ll find out if Brownlee can stay aggressive as early as Game 3 of the Finals — and Ginebra needs him to be.