Ryan Kelly, MMA Training?

Ryan Kelly was interviewed by Time Warner Cable Sports Net.

During the interview, he anticipates a tough training camp from Byron Scott and mentioned his off-season training.

One part of the training that isn’t expected is the MMA training.

Upper body strength and core strength are being worked on.  He may be more ready for the upcoming season than the entire Laker team, sans Kobe Bryant.  In previous years, Lamar Odom participated in boxing to get into game shape for upcoming seasons.  There’s no doubt it helped him build the strength to play against Kevin Garnett for two straight Finals appearances.

Ryan Kelly has played the power forward position for the Lakers.  Last year, he averaged 8.0 points per game and 3.7 rebounds per game on 42.3% from the field, 33.8% behind the arc.  He established himself as a perimeter threat at the four-slot. Later in the season, he added a pump fake as a wrinkle to his game.  This made him a more effective interior scorer, catching defenses off-guard for points in the paint.

A large part of his effectiveness is due to his height and skill level.  Draftexpress lists him as a full 6’9.75″ (w/o shoes” with a standing reach of a center at 9’2″.  That height and length, combined with the ability to shoot behind the arc, attack the basket, and pass (with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2:1), make for a very effective stretch-four in the ever-changing NBA.

Kobe Bryant, Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson, Nick Young, Robert Sacre and Ed Davis have all shown a piece of their off-season training.  Some have started two months before training camp.  Most of the players have stuck to the traditional routines of playing 5-on-5, working on conditioning, and participating in shootarounds.

Do you think that is too plain?  Should other players step outside of the box and join Ryan Kelly to get into game shape?  Please leave comments below.