Athletic LaVine putting in work to match production with potential
Gassed after one of personal trainer Drew Hanlen's excruciating workouts, Zach LaVine lay flat on the Bishop Diego High School gymnasium floor, nearly motionless.
Then he saw a football whizzing around the premises as Hanlen and an intern played catch.
"You're no Odell Beckham Jr.," Hanlen told LaVine after the Timberwolves guard gathered himself, popped up and promptly snatched one of Hanlen's passes one-handed, boasting that he could've been an elite wide receiver if basketball hadn't called his name.
Then the pair hatched an idea -- loft a ball in the nearest basket's direction, and let the 2015 NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion do his thing with it, alley-oop style. The result, like so many other LaVine performances, went viral last week.
"He's a different character," said Hanlen, who's worked with LaVine since last year's pre-draft preparations. "His second burst of energy is a lot better than the rest of us and our initial burst of energy. Even after the dunks, he went out there and was running about 50 routes and doing some crazy things that didn't make the video."
It's freakish athleticism that's made LaVine a YouTube and Instagram sensation -- see last month's 44-inch vertical for another dose of recent evidence. But there's so much more to becoming the All-Star that LaVine and those in his inner circle think he can be.
That's the primary offseason focus for the 20-year-old shooting guard. The rest? Just window dressing.
"I wouldn't think of it as going viral; we just put it together to show off a little bit," said LaVine, who will hold his first youth basketball camp June 10 at St. Thomas Academy in Mendota Heights. "I'm not the kind of person to try to have stuff go viral or anything like that, but it's cool it did.
"Just a little fun."
But mostly, a lot of work.
Weightlifting at his dad's home gym in the Seattle area. Performance training at the P3 sports science institute in Santa Barbara. Grueling on-court workouts with Hanlen, a former Belmont player who also trains Minnesota's Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett and has Bradley Beal and David Lee on his client list.
Before this summer, LaVine -- who played at about 180 pounds last season -- rarely touched weights. He hopes to add 10-13 pounds by next season, but it's not just about mass, he said.
"It's more about getting stronger," the 6-foot-5 Bothell (Wash.) and UCLA product said. "I'm not going to be one of the biggest people in the world -- that's not my body type -- but getting stronger is definitely going to help me."
On the hardwood itself, Hanlen said he and LaVine are focused on four primary objectives: altered shooting mechanics (specifically, a lower release point that will improve the arc on his jumper), decision-making (especially in pick-and-roll and isolation settings), finishing at full speed and balance.
"He's one of those guys that you almost have to keep out of the gym so he can rest and take care of his body," said Hanlen, echoing a sentiment repeated by Wolves coach and president Flip Saunders throughout LaVine's rookie season. "He has a sick mindset, in a good way, in that he craves improvement and craves perfection, an unmatched belief in himself where . . . if he really does the things we're working on that he can reach MVP levels one day, which is something that most people don't have -- that killer mentality."
LaVine plans to join the Wolves' summer league team in Las Vegas July 10-20 in addition to working out in both California and Washington. He'll also watch the draft June 25 with keen interest as Minnesota unveils which young star it'll add to the mix with the No. 1 overall pick.
"To get the No. 1 pick was the best thing that could've happened," the all-rookie second-team selection said. "That'll definitely help us."
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