Heat Camp Report: J-Will a No Limit Soldier

2
Oct/071

Heat Camp Report: J-Will a No Limit Soldier

Miami Heat training camp got underway today after a lengthy media session yesterday where as usual Shaquille O’Neal goofed off and discussed his plan to pick up the slack left by D-Wade the first couple of weeks into the season.

”I have no problem doing that,” said O’Neal, who will be the Heat’s top scoring option until Wade completes his recovery from knee and shoulder surgeries. “It’s a different time, time for me to step up a little more. If you guys are going to blame me, I take the responsibility. From now on, it’s going to be done my way. I’ll just be more vocal, doing more, playing my game and just being me.”

”He’s got more flexibility than he’s ever had,” Riley said. “He killed his conditioning test. We’ll just have to wait and see with his performance.”

It would appear the guys are taking the approach more seriously this year heading into training camp and dropping that old Miami Heat slogan that the regular season doesn’t matter. Of course this could all be some serious Shaq lip service, which we all know he is good at but this time it seems different if not only because they were embarrassed last season in the first round of the playoffs but because of the lax attitude towards the regular season. Shaq, getting up in age, is getting sick of tired of the critics saying he has lost a step and is not in the best shape. Heading into camp yesterday Pat Riley noticed a more leaner, meaner Shaquille O’Neal who also comes into the season more motivated.

”He’s been in here playing ball with us, running up and down,” forward Udonis Haslem said. “He’s usually not in here in the summer playing games. He’s usually away doing his own thing. But he’s been out there with us a whole month.”

Perhaps Shaq has finally gotten the message that it’s time to put the team first. Here are some other notes from an opening day of training camp…

D-Wade’s shoulder is improving. Right now, rehabilitation involves everything except in-practice contact. Wade also said he needs to work on the strength of his left leg — ”One of my legs is way bigger than the other one,” he said — and he won’t be 100 percent until he’s able to play his way back into shape.

Jason Williams heads into this seasons training camp in probably the best shape of his career. After almost two years of pain, it took two words to sum up Jason Williams’ health heading into training camp: “No limitations.” That is what Williams said he feels after spending the offseason in the weight room in an attempt to get healthy.

Pat Riley mentioned that all players showed up to training camp in good shape and met their conditioning goals.

Now that Smush Parker is a Miami Heatian he has to learn to follow new rules. One of those new rules will not allow him to sport his signature headband he is so used to wearing.

For more picture from training camp and yesterday’s media day, stop by the Photo Feeds page at the top of the page.