CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Al Jefferson is only 29 years old, but the fact he's entering his 11th year in the NBA, he's considered the grizzled veteran of the Charlotte Hornets. And truth be told, he's one of the oldest looking 29 year olds you'll ever see.
Moreover, his offensive game is that of someone much, much older -- say someone that played in the 1970s or 80s.
It's an old-school game that is based on having multiple moves in the post as a center and power forward that doesn't rely necessarily on athleticism, but rather positioning and craftiness.
It all helped him earn Third-Team All-NBA last season, though many were surprised that he wasn't at least on the second team. He was named the NBA Player of the Month multiple times.
It's because of those accolades that there are such monstrous expectations for him and the Hornets this season. And he's ready for them.
"I look at it like this: I've never been an All-Star, but being one of the top 15 players in the game last year, well, that is pretty good -- real good," Jefferson said. "Honestly, I didn't have any personal goals going into the season and things went well. So, I'm not going to have any personal goals this year, either. I just want us to have success as a team."
When Jefferson signed a three-year, $40.5 million deal as a free agent from Utah, basketball people knew he could score. He averaged in the high teens his entire career, but he was said to be, by one newspaper columnist in Salt Lake City, the absolute worst defensive big man in the NBA.
However, it became evident by January that he wasn't going to be as advertised. In fact, he was going to be much better on both ends of the court. Jefferson finished with career highs or near career highs in nearly every offensive category.
Charlotte coach Steve Clifford believes the best is yet to come.
"Based on what I saw from him in September, he has a hunger," Clifford said. "He has a feeling that we can have a really good year and a hunger to prove to people that he can play that well again."
There's reason to believe things are going to be better due to the free agent signing of Lance Stephenson, who joins the Hornets after leaving the Indiana Pacers.
The shooting guard is expected to be able to provide the outside shooting that Charlotte so desperately needs, which in turn will unclog things in the low post, which will make it easier for Jefferson to score.
How excited is Jefferson about Stephenson's arrival?
"I mean, I'm so happy about it I don't even want to talk about it because I feel like I might jinx it," Jefferson said. "I had a lot of fun last year once we got healthy -- and I got healthy -- and started rolling. This year, I think it's going to be 10 times better."
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