Dragon king

Goran Dragic is a leader in the Suns locker room, but I wonder if he can lead this team?

Leadership comes in many forms, but in the world of sports, there are only three ways leadership manifests itself. Teams can have a player that leads by example, they can have players that verbally assert themselves while they lead by example. Or teams can have kings in the locker room — players that speak to the team, lead by doing and privately front up teammates. These kings hold other players accountable.

Every team needs at least one king in every locker room. But unlike feudalism, locker rooms often have more than one king.

The Suns are looking for that king — the player they can build their franchise around that will lead by doing, speak to the team with the authority of one whom does and, when appropriate, enter into a dead-level stare with a teammate in private.

I think Goran Dragic could be that guy, but I’m not sure. He leads by example, he is a doer and has the respect of his teammates for how consistently he competes and produces, yet I wonder if his English has developed enough where he can command the room AND speak to a teammate in an authoritative way?

Based on what I have seen from him this year, shining in the middle of Planet Orange going dark, the Suns have struck gold with Dragic. And if he continues to develop his communicative skills the way he has developed his physical skills, he will be the player the Suns build this franchise around.

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