This is a nice, simple little article based on Boogie's years of trying to be on the national team and finally carving out a rather large chunk on the team. With the Kings, he is understandably asked to do everything. He is asked to score and defend. He is asked to be the leader and tries to be the leader. Being a leader is not a natural role for the big guy. I personally don't think it ever has been. Some of the great centers of the past were asked to do the same but not many. His stats suffered. He could score and rebound but he was not efficient.
Now he is asked to be a cog in a mighty machine and his particular roll has been recognized for what it is and it is dominant. I don't know how he will do through to the end of the Olympics but I suspect it will be pretty darn good. He has finally gained the respect of the people who count. He has gained the respect of people who want him to succeed. He has won the respect of the people who see him as more than a freak show of massive temper and pouting. He has won the respect of basketball experts; the people who have no agenda but to create a gold medal winner. It was not said in the article but there is a sense of understanding of who he really is. He is a massively talented man who wants to win and is gaining controlling of those parts of his personality that once were the main story.
Now he is just a team mate. He is no longer a curiosity.
I don't expect him to maintain the stats that, in 16 minutes, resulted in 14 pts on 66.7% percentage, 15 rebounds, 75% of his fts, 1 foul, 2 TOs, 1 assist, etc. He makes it look easy and perhaps it IS easy for him when he is not asked to do everything or the team will lose. He is a man among men. He is not the freak show as I have already said. There is more:
http://www.nba.com/2016/news/07/23/team-usa-dominates-argentina.ap/index.html
