Carter-Williams prepares for upcoming "tall ball" Bucks season

Russ Isabela/USA Today (file photo)

By Ivan Saldajeno

PASAY--At a time when various basketball clubs have embraced the "small ball" system first employed by NBA team Golden State, Milwaukee began to go against the flow when Coach Jason Kidd assigned 6-foot-11 winger Giannis Antetokounmpo to the point guard spot and placed 6-foot-7 point guard Michael Carter-Williams at the 2-guard spot, which is usual for someone his height.

While it somewhat worked wonders, the Bucks still failed to make the playoffs, but it led them to a lottery pick that they used for 7-foot-1 Thon Maker, effectively completing a "tall ball" core.

In an interview with some media people on Thursday at the Conrad Manila Hotel, the former NBA Rookie of the Year expressed his readiness for the 2017 season where his team will try to prove once more that height is might in basketball.

"We're gonna be better than last season. We're gonna go out there and play hard," Carter-Williams vowed.

In the current roster of the Bucks, all but three players are 6-feet-6 or taller.

For his individual preparations, Carter-Williams said, "[Coach Jason] and I focus on me being healthy and improving my all-around play. I'm just gonna go out there and get ready for everything."

About his upcoming team-up with Maker, "MCW" said, "He works really hard, he's got a lot of good things to his game, and he's a good kid, so he should help us."

Carter-Williams is currently in the Philippines for NBA 3X, which will take place over the weekend at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall and the PICC.

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