Whiteside unfazed by GM survey snub: 'I'll just keep killing their team'
Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside didn't receive a single vote for NBA's best center from the annual general manager survey released Wednesday.
Whiteside is already plotting his revenge.
"I'm just killing whatever team they're on," Whiteside told Ira Winderman of the Miami Sun-Sentinel. "I'll just keep killing their team."
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Being overlooked is pretty much the story of Whiteside's career. He barely saw the floor and washed out of the league after his first two NBA seasons, then logged stints in remote leagues in China and Lebanon, before rediscovering himself in Miami.
Whiteside has since blossomed into a fringe All-Star, with averages of 14.7 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks in 29.2 minutes over the last three seasons. His interior dominance earned him a maximum contract, and he's led the league in blocks and rebounds, yet his reputation still lags behind the elite centers in the league.
Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Davis, and Marc Gasol each received roughly a quarter of the vote, while DeMarcus Cousins, Rudy Gobert, Draymond Green, Nikola Jokic, and DeAndre Jordan also received nods as the top center.
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Having already been shunned in All-Star and All-Defensive Team voting in recent years, Whiteside wasn't shocked by how general managers voted.
"Nah. I'm not surprised anymore.
"I don't care what them GM thinks," Whiteside added. "Four years ago, they didn't think I could play in this league. I care about what Pat Riley and coach Spo think."