Rookie Diary #2: Gyorgy Goloman Experiences Winter Showcase And Uses Versatility In Increased Playing Time

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The calendar changed from November to December. The first month of Gyorgy Goloman’s rookie season was in his rear view mirror and he had his foot on the gas pedal, as he looked to build on his momentum heading into the next couple of months.

One of the guarantees about the G League is change and his role started to change in the following two months. As his playing time changed, the Westchester big man stayed prepared for when his number was called.

“Your role changes quickly and is very inconsistent,” Goloman told Ridiculous Upside. “Your playing time can change from one day to the next and that’s one of the toughest things to do is to always stay ready and keep your energy up and that’s what I was trying to do.”

“Just got to get in the gym and get your shots up and trust yourself,” he continued. “Just know that you’re not necessarily doing anything wrong just because your role changes and that way you can keep your confidence up.”

As the month progressed, he got his first taste of the Winter Showcase. It was the biggest stage of the G League and a week many players had circled on their calendars. The lights were as bright as Luxor’s sky beam, as NBA executives and personnel were in attendance at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. The event was great for Goloman to showcase his skills.

“It’s a great opportunity to put your name out there and to show people what you got,” Goloman said. “To show your game out and I realized all the teams were participating at the same time for the whole week in Vegas. I think it was very good. Other than that, it’s just games and we’re just playing against opponents that we would play throughout the season.”

Goloman’s minutes started to increase following the Winter Showcase and his strong production followed. He had an impressive defensive performance where he swatted away six shots against the Capital City Go-Go. The 6’11” big man scored in double figures in the following two games and shot 62.5 percent from the floor in the team’s second game of 2019.

He showed his versatility to play both the four and five positions and was able to relish his extended playing opportunity.

“It’s one of those things that a player like me has to be comfortable at both spots,” Goloman said. “When it was me and (Stephen) Zimmerman, I just tried to take advantage of it. One of my biggest strengths is shooting threes, which not a lot of five men do so I guess I was just trying to take it as my advantage.”

At the 33 game mark of the season, Goloman felt like he adjusted well to the professional game on and off the court, while continuing to progress on the court.

“I think I’m getting better every day,” Goloman said. “Every day I try to take advantage of it and learn my lessons. If it’s spacing, if it’s defense, if it’s offense, I’m always trying to get better. I think I’ve made good progress.”