Seltzer’s Notebook: Zimmerman’s Progress, Obasohan’s Balance

Workout Format Resonates with ZimmermanThe Sixers have been keeping tabs on Stephen Zimmerman for a while.  They first saw the big man in high school, when he played for Bishop Gorman in his hometown of Las Vegas.  The Sixers then tracked Zimmerman’s progress to college, where, in one season at UNLV, he posted 10.5 points and 8.7 rebounds per game as a freshman, while putting up 11 double-doubles.  The Sixers first met with Zimmerman last month at the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago, before inviting him to the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine for Wednesday’s workout.  He was the lone player in attendance expected to be drafted on June 23rd. “He’s an impressive young guy,” Sixers Vice President of Basketball Administration Brandon Williams said about the 7’0″ tall, 240 pounder.  “Very competitive, I think looking to take the next step.  He’s really been impressed by what we’ve done with our big players.  Most [prospects] talk to us about development.  I think that’s where our reputation is growing around the league, so another player that we see need growth, and the kind of projects that we’re interested in.”Zimmerman seemed to enjoy Wednesday’s spirited six-man session, which Williams thought might have been the Sixers’ most competitive yet.  “A relaxed atmosphere is a big thing,” Zimmerman said, describing what he considered to be a distinguishing characteristic of the Sixers’ workout.  “I think that the way the staff acted, the vibe that everybody’s putting off is positive.  It seemed right.”Zimmerman felt it was important to exhibit to the Sixers that, for a player of his size, he has an effective motor.  Towards the end of Wednesday’s workout, the Sixers ran Zimmerman and the other participants through pick-and-pop three-point shooting drills. “I would like to show I can shoot from the perimeter,” said Zimmerman.  “Mid-range is more what I’m comfortable with.””We talk about pick-and-pop players,” Williams said.  “It’s not always to three.  It can be some deep mid range, which is a successful shot for many of them.”Zimmerman is regarded as a late first to mid second round prospect, and has worked out for over two dozen franchises.Forbes Seeking to Diversify Skill SetBryn Forbes topped the Big Ten with 112 three-point field goals last season.  The Michigan State shooting guard, however, hopes to convince NBA teams he’s capable of doing more in the backcourt.  Consequently, Forbes has tried to sharpen his point guard skills while getting ready for the draft.”To have a piece of that in my game, to be able to play some point, kind of a combo guard, I think that would be great for my size,” said the 6’3″ tall, 175 pound Lansing, Michigan native.  “Just working a lot on the pick-and-roll, ball-handling, and really knowledge of the game.  At the point guard position, you’ve got to have a little more knowledge than other positions I’ve played.  I think it’s going pretty well.”Still, on Wednesday, Forbes’ perimeter touch appeared to be the skill that caught the Sixers’ eye the most.”He did a fantastic job there,” said Brandon Williams, the Sixers’ Vice President of Basketball Administration.  “It’s hard to not be attracted to his elite level of shooting.”Forbes has been helped along the way by fellow Michigan State product Draymond Green .  Forbes said Green hasn’t changed a bit in recent years, despite his evolution into an All-Star.  “He really cares about the guys at State,” said Forbes.Glaze Grateful for MentorsFollowing his media availability Wednesday, Grandy Glaze made an effort to shake the hand of every one of the dozen or so reporters and photographers in attendance, saying he hasn’t had too many chances to do interviews of that scale.Glaze, a 6’6″ tall, 235 pound forward, spent last season at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, where All-Star and Olympian Dan Majerle is the head coach.  Wednesday was Glaze’s first workout this spring, and his appreciation for the opportunity was genuine and pure.  He also expressed appreciation for the mentors that guided him through college. “Definitely going to Saint Louis, playing under the late Coach [Rick] Majerus, learned a lot about the game that one year,” Glaze said of his 2011-2012 rookie campaign. Majerus passed away in 2012. “Playing under Coach Majerle was a blessing.  Him being a 50-year old, having child-like energy but knowing the game and running NBA concepts definitely got me ready.”Glaze continues to work towards his master’s degree in business at Grand Canyon.  The business school is named after Jerry Colangelo, an advisor to the Sixers’ ownership group. Well-Rounded Obasohan Concentrating on Basketball, for NowRetin Obasohan, a 22-year old shooting guard with a personal disposition and upbeat sense of humor, was named the 2016 SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year, and for good reason.  Having already earned a degree in finance after his junior season, the prolific shooting guard completed his master’s degree in marketing earlier this year.  How did he manage such an intensive academic and athletic workload?”I always like to think you have a lot more time than you might think,” said Obasohan, who generated 17.6 points per game this season, good for fifth-best in the SEC. “We tend to get in a situation where we get distracted, and we spend five minutes on this, five minutes on that, and 10 minutes on that, and that’s already 20 minutes that you could have spent on actually academics or sports.  The biggest thing I try to do is be as efficient with my time as possible, and that served me well in this previous year.”With a pair of degrees in hand, the Antwerp, Belgium product is currently focused on his professional hoops pursuits.  Whenever the ride comes to an end, Obasohan feels confident that he’ll be able to put his education to use.”What I’m hoping to do after basketball?  Make the world a better place,” he said.  “It’ll all depend on the opportunities that present themselves.”Basketball or not, Obasohan appears poised to make an impact.Walker Keeps GoingOver four years at Northeastern, David Walker put some solid tread on his sneakers, logging a Colonial Athletic Association record 4,710 career minutes.  When his run with the Huskies came to an end in March, it was off to training for the NBA Draft.Wednesday marked Walker’s 12th and final workout.  To stay fresh amidst this stretch, he deployed the same mindset that allowed him to be a durable contributor for the Huskies.Walker said, “Just got to stay off your feet when you can, just take care of your body, drink a lot of water, eat the right stuff, stay away from fried foods, all that stuff.  Just being smart with it, but it’s a fun process, too, so you’ve just got to enjoy it.”On top of being a dependable presence in the line-up, Walker also had a knack for knocking down perimeter jump shots during his time at Northeastern.  He converted 41.3 percent of his three-point attempts as a senior, the highest mark in the CAA.”I’ve always been a good shooter,” he said, crediting his dad for convincing him to always work on his jumper.  “You’ve got to be able to make shots, whatever level you play at.”For Walker, that next level just could end up being the NBA.Jankovic’s Instincts Have Paid OffStefan Jankovic explained Wednesday that, even with one year of NCAA eligibility left, he felt the timing was right to go pro.  The decision wasn’t the first of his career that required him to go with his gut.Midway through his second season at Missouri, Jankovic opted to transfer to Hawaii after his longtime friend, Negus Webster-Chan, did the same.  The switch worked out, as Jankovic averaged 13.5 points and 5.9 rebounds in two years in Honolulu, and was voted the 2016 Big West Player of the Year.  “We had a good year because we really stuck together,” said Jankovic, whose Warriors upset Cal in the NCAA Tournament.  “Three coaching changes, adversity, we knew that it was basically us against everyone else, and we stuck together.  We really made the best out of it.  The people in Hawaii were great.  That Aloha, the love, the spirit, it’s real.”