Being a rookie in the NBA is one thing. Being a rookie point guard who’s been tasked with leading a team is quite another.
Three months ago, Raul Neto hadn’t even met all of his eventual teammates. He was a fresh-faced guy on the Jazz and simply wanted to work hard and prove that he belonged in the NBA.
“I came in and just wanted to go to work,” Neto said. “[The coaching staff] didn’t owe me anything, and I knew I needed to earn my minutes.”
Early on in training camp, Neto made an impression on his teammates—and, specifically, on guys with whom he’d be battling for playing time.