In the summer of 2017, Jodie Meeks turned 30 years old. In a hotel lobby in Atlanta, he held an elegant "Gentlemen's Night" to celebrate his 30th birthday. Attendees were required to wear suits and ties and meet the host Meeks. Cheers.
The age of 30 is an important crossroads for NBA players in their career. They will face the invasion of transformation, aging, and injuries. Meeks chose to challenge this difficulty head-on. Meeks signed a two-year, $6.7 million contract with the Wizards during the summer vacation. He believes that his veteran courage and experience can lead the Wizards' second team and inspire the momentum in the lounge. Meeks was hampered by injuries in the first two seasons, but before the injury, he had scored 42 points and made 9 3-pointers in a single game.
As of the 2014-15 season, Meeks is healthy for the first time to welcome the start of the season. "I want to prove that my body has returned to its best condition. I have not been eliminated by the league, nor have I aged. I can still gain a foothold in the NBA."
In the 2015-16 season, Meeks entered the second year of his three-year, 19 million contract with the Pistons. He only played 60 games due to injury in the previous season. Unexpectedly, he was injured in the second game of this season due to a fracture of his right foot. After the 2016-17 season when he was transferred to the Magic, his right hand pulled on Anthony Davis' jersey and had to undergo surgery to deal with the displaced thumb.
Although he only played 39 games with the Pistons and Magic from 2015-17 due to injuries, the Wizards still signed Meeks not long after the free market began. The Wizards hoped that Meeks' career three-point shooting percentage of 37.6% could fill the gap. With Bojan Bogdanovic leaving the firepower gap, "He can hit key three-pointers at critical moments. He is a big-hearted shooter who can get into hot hands at any time." Scott Brooks said.
In 2014, when Brooks was still with the Thunder, he witnessed Meeks score 42 points against the Lakers. When the Wizards faced the Magic, Brooks also scored 18 points and shot 4 of 5 three-pointers in the first game after returning from injury. The memory of Meeks in the game is still fresh in his mind. Brooks believes that Meeks has a magical power and can always perform better after injuries.
Orestes Meeks discovered his son's special skill of "breaking hand bones and turning upside down" as early as when he was at Cartage University. Meeks especially enjoyed the atmosphere when the pressure was overwhelming and the fans were excited. After hernia surgery as a sophomore, Meeks returned and led the Southeastern Conference in scoring with 23.7 points per game, including a Wildcat record of 54 points in a game.
Meeks may seem approachable on the outside, but he is extremely competitive, which can even affect his mood. Derrek Hamilton, a trainer who has worked with Meeks for a long time, bet 50 points on a hole while playing golf. "He got a little out of control when he lost 3 dollars. He really wanted to win, but he couldn't bear to lose even a little."
With a strong belief in winning and a focus on high-intensity training in the offseason, Hamilton believes Meeks will have a huge rebound this season.
Hamilton said that although Meeks has simplified the amount of training compared to the past, he has strengthened core training. Meeks doesn't like to play in the offseason, but spends most of his time on the court refining his skills and offensive game.
In every training session, Meeks must make 500 three-pointers and have a field goal percentage of 75%, otherwise it will all start over again. This kind of shooting training is called the "Ray Allen training method" by his trainer. In Allen's last season, even though he was 38 years old, his three-point shooting percentage was still as high as 37.5%.
When Meeks turns 30, he hopes to follow Allen's example and continue to improve. "As I get older, I want to extend my career, so I have to pay attention to my physical condition every day." Meeks said, " When Allen was still competing, I would often catch him and try to find out more secrets. Now I talk to him more often as part of my training plan."
He missed the chance to play due to injuries for two consecutive years, but Meeks did not lose himself because of this. When he was on the bench, he still believed that he could get through this dark period and find his glory days. With a healthy body and a strong belief, Meeks is going to regain his two-year absence and prove that age and experience can be a more important value on the court.
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