Sunday Special

Rodney Stuckey wants to prove he belongs on the A-list

Ted Kulfan / The Detroit News

Auburn Hills -- The invitations went out early in the summer. The U.S. Olympic Committee sent them to young NBA players on the rise for a training camp to select the 2012 Olympic team.

Some notables got their invites -- O.J. Mayo, the dynamic young guard of the Memphis Grizzlies, Eric Gordon of the Clippers, and Russell Westbrook of the Thunder.

Rodney Stuckey kept waiting for his letter -- or a phone call.

Eventually, he realized he wasn't going to get one.

"They made their decisions," Stuckey said in training camp last month, shrugging off the slight. But the look on his face definitely let everyone know he wasn't completely over it.

"Oh yeah, I noticed," Stuckey said when asked if he knew who was invited -- players who haven't put up the statistics Stuckey has, nor contributed to a playoff team, like Stuckey has. "It's OK. I'll get back to that list."

Stuckey has made a point of taking that list, and checking it twice.

'I'm growing'

Stuckey, 23, outplayed Mayo on opening night, displaying a more varied, versatile game than the Memphis shooter. Stuckey scored 21 against Oklahoma City, while Westbrook was a secondary player for the Thunder.

Last week against Toronto, Stuckey showed his all-around game with a career-high 10 rebounds.

"Just one of the things that coach has been getting on me to do, to be active and get my nose dirty," Stuckey said of the sudden rebounding prowess. "I'm not scared of anybody."

He's not afraid and not holding back this season, either. It's a combination that should serve Stuckey and the Pistons well.

The team needs Stuckey to take another step forward in his development as a point guard. Stuckey needs to lead the way for the Pistons to thrive.

"Stuck got the opportunity to play a lot of minutes last season, and this season will be a big year for him," guard Richard Hamilton said. "He's grown a lot and we expect him to play like a veteran."

Unshackled by the departure of Allen Iverson, and with fewer veterans on the team, Stuckey should feel more comfortable and willing to lead.

"I don't want to talk about last season -- it's been talked about enough," said Stuckey, who had a difficult time under coach Michael Curry.

This season has been much more easy-going under coach John Kuester, a former point guard himself, and someone who seems to be closer to Stuckey's personality.

"He's been telling me when to push it and when to slow it down, pick my situations, and he's helped me a lot," said Stuckey, the third-year pro out of Eastern Washington. "I'm growing a little bit. He's always positive and he's putting all of us in the right positions to succeed. He's constantly telling me to push the ball, to attack, and I like that. I like playing that style of ball. He wants me to be aggressive."

'I ain't scared of anybody'

Kuester likes the way Stuckey is developing as a floor general, but it's on the defensive end where Kuester has been most impressed.

At times this season, when the Pistons go to their three-guard lineup, Stuckey has been the player guarding the opposing team's small forward. More often than not, Stuckey has done an admirable job.

"He doesn't shy away from any competitive situation," Kuester said. "When he wants to clamp down, he's as good defensively as anyone in the league."

The 6-foot-5, 196-pound Stuckey enjoys the challenge of facing bigger players.

"If I have to do that, I have to do that," Stuckey said. "I'm not going to back down. If I have to guard big people that's what I'll do. I ain't scared of anybody."

Which could be a scary thing for those players invited to the U.S. Olympic camp.

Stuckey is still checking that list.

ted.kulfan@detnews.com