Seattle Times reporter Percy Allen is correct that it should come as no surprise that sophomore point guard Abdul Gaddy has been named the starter for Saturday's exhibition game.
However, as Todd Dybas of the Seattle PI describes, this will be the year where we can more fully assess what Gaddy is actually capable of given his increased confidence.
As Thomas referenced, hype may have been one of Gaddy's biggest defenders last season. His second year will be more telling of his talent.
In the video above from King5.com, Gaddy elaborates on what exactly was holding him back last season and it sounds like a combination of adjustment, confidence and just "thinking too much."
"There would be times where I was wide open and I should've shot the ball but I didn't shoot it because I was thinking too much," said Gaddy at about the 5 minute mark in the video. "So now I'm just more playing off instinct. I think that's why I'm playing a lot better. [Coach Lorenzo Romar] could tell that too. That's the main thing he talked to me about: 'You're playing off instinct. You're playing off your skills. And it just makes you a lot better player.'"
By no means is an exhibition a big deal, but after all the hype around Gaddy last year and seeing brief flashes of what he could become, it's certainly intriguing to see what he can do when finally "playing off instinct."