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"We know Sam is a critical part of this team and his development is a key to our success," Brust said. 30 // VARSITY October 24, 2013 Once they got to be around him, once they got to know him and what makes him tick, Dekker said that they learned that "I would die for this game, it's everything to me, I want it so bad.'' In resisting the urge to say what was on his mind because he felt it might not be well received coming from an unproven freshman, he admitted, "I kind of look back at it as a negative. "But this year it's a little different story and I'm not going to let that happen again. I'm going to address what needs to be addressed and I'm not going to back down from it.'' Relating to the orientation process for any first-year player, UW senior guard Ben Brust said, "There's a fine line in trying to feel out when it's right to (say something) and when it's wrong.'' It falls in line with Dekker feeling good about taking on more responsibilities as a sophomore and saying, "I think I'm a better leader this year ― vocally ― and in terms of how I handle myself.'' Leadership, he agreed, can be defined in many different ways, on and off the court. "Everyone leads in their own way and every team has a leader who does it a certain way,'' said Dekker, one of only four true freshmen to ever start a game for Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan. "Some guys lead by example, some guys do it vocally. I think you have to have a mix of both. You can't be too vocal and be up in a guy's face and kind of turn him off. But you can't be silent. "I'm trying to be a little more vocal in terms of saying what I see and trying to help guys out. Also I'm just going out and playing hard ― I'm playing the game that I love and doing it the right way.'' That has definitely resonated with Brust, who opined, "With your play, comes leadership; you prove it to your teammates that if you practice what you preach it just kind of naturally happens. "We know Sam is a critical part of this team and his development is a key to our success.'' • • • • DAVID STLUKA T here were moments last season when Wisconsin's Sam Dekker wanted to say something about what he saw; or express an opinion on how he felt. But he didn't think it was his role as a freshman. "There were times when I could have spoken up,'' he said, "but I just felt I shouldn't.'' At team meetings, he feared getting "laughed at.'' It was his perception, if not the reality. "A lot of times guys kind of shrugged off my comments just because I'm a freshman and I'm a goofy kid,'' he said, "so they wouldn't take me as seriously.''