Thaddeus Young shows Andrew Wiggins how rookie hazing is done
Rookie hazing is an established part of NBA life, but it’s hard not to think that everyone is going about it all wrong. While most teams go with fairly complicated schemes like making guys wear pink backpacks and take care of little baby dolls, it’s so expected that it’s hard to imagine anyone gets too embarrassed by it. Wouldn’t it make more sense if veterans actually went out of their way to annoy rookies? There has to be a better way!
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Thank goodness for Minnesota Timberwolves forward Thaddeus Young, who proves that the smallest actions can pack the most punch. After the Wolves’ 110-98 win over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night, reporters assembled at the locker of rookie Andrew Wiggins to discuss the game. That’s when Young struck (via The Cauldron):
You have to admire the technique here. A lesser veteran would flick Wiggins’s ear constantly for the length of the interview, but Young understands that withdrawing his finger and slowly bring it back toys with the youngster’s emotions in a much crueler way. A guy only learns these intricacies of the craft after many years in the league.
All credit to Wiggins for sticking with the questions, too. He has the focus to be an elite hazer some day.
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Eric Freeman is a writer for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!
