Kobe Bryant And The Snakes Who Fill His Life

Kobe Bryant. If you just typed “Yes?” “No”? next to the man’s name there’s more than a 50-50 chance a firestorm of comments would ensue. A seven-game Lakers losing streak results in I told you so laughter from those who despise Bryant. A five-game streak of 40 points or more by Bryant accompanied by a five-game Lakers winning streak and those who laughed at the losing streak laugh even harder and claim that Bryant is the most selfish basketball player on the planet.

At every turn the name that arises in conjunction with Bryant is —— Michael Jordan. Always and forever it appears Bryant will be linked to Jordan, if for no other reason than the similarities in their games. Even long-time Lakers insider Roland Lazenby cannot help but to remember the words Phil Jackson used to laud Jordan and compare them with the words Jackson uses to commend Bryant:

In Bryant’s career with the Lakers, I can’t recall Jackson offering a truly Jordanesque quote about Bryant. Oh, Jackson has had plenty of nice things to say, some of them genuine.

Observers who dislike Bryant will point to this passage as an absolute “proof” that Bryant is no Jordan, and at age 28 now, probably never will be. Yet there is more, much more behind the scenes that must be considered if we are to make a true comparison between Jordan and Bryant. Using the column from which the aforementioned Lazenby passage arose will aid us greatly in this thorny endeavor.

There is one man who lies at the crux of the Jordan-Bryant, Bryant-O’Neal dual conundrums. This man has, and has had the power to sway public opinion about Bryant. Yet, until recently, he has remained quiet at least, condemning at most.

He is Phil Jackson.

But before we peer into the reasons for Jackson’s treatment of his stars, we must begin with an attempt to understand what makes Kobe Bryant tick. The next statement by Bryant tells us exactly what his goals for himself are:

As we talked, he recalled the absolute exhilaration; the complete sense of domination, that scoring 50 points brought him.

That night in high school had helped him articulate the goal in his basketball life. “I just want to be the man,” he told me. “I just want to dominate.” (Emphasis mine)

It wasn’t idle boasting by some punked-out kid. Bryant was earnestly expressing his destiny.

We have heard Bryant utter variations on this theme throughout his 11-year NBA career. Some of the distaste for Bryant comes from verbalizing the want to be the man, the want to dominate. In America we voyeuristically adore our heroes but we want them to come with public humility, no matter how transparently false that humility is. Included in this adoration of ours is the secret knowledge that we would never, ever want to take on the responsibility of being that figure, the person on whose shoulders the weight of an event falls.

And that is why we are so preoccupied with tearing figures like Kobe Bryant from limb to limb. If vigilante mob rule was still the law of the day, Bryant would have found his way to a rope and a tree some time ago.

Yet, given a moment of repose, at the same time we abhor Bryant for what we cannot be, how many of us would love to have the courage to want to be “the man?” How many of us would love to be that person who stands at the crossroads of success and failure so often that it becomes a place of comfort?

Kobe Bryant does what we wish we could do – and then tells us that is what he wants from his career.

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The first sign of misconstrued dislike of Kobe Bryant came soon after he entered the NBA. The pervasive rumor being floated by players and the press was that he was somehow soft because of his moneyed, European background and NBA player father. The whisper was that Bryant was a silver spoon bubble boy, rich enough to want for nothing, insulated from harm so that his path to the League was unencumbered by what ails so many athletically talented, black, urban youth hoping to achieve the NBA dream – the perils of day-to-day living.

Bryant heard the whispers that came in the form of, “he was groomed to be a superstar” and “growing up in Europe afforded him the necessary time to work on his game against older players who were more physically formed than Bryant, but not as gifted.” The whisperers made it seem as if Bryant was dropped into the Philadelphia high school basketball scene as a fully-formed NBA player, as if he somehow didn’t have to work as hard as everyone else to achieve his dream of being “the man.”

When he reached the NBA, the whispers only became louder and the efforts to stifle his growth became more pronounced:

“…nearly everyone he encountered in the NBA sought to harness his game. Even as a young player he could produce 26-point halves, but it was as if no one wanted to see them. Instead of seeing them as things of beauty, his coaches and teammates saw his scoring outbursts as unbridled acts of vanity.”

They sought to bridle him.

‘I will not let them change me,’ he told me. ‘I will find a way. I don’t know how, but I will find a way.’

It wasn’t a statement he made around his teammates and coaches. He didn’t have to. His every action spoke it. Every little thing he did declared “I’m on my way to greatness.”

Enter Phil Jackson, master manipulator.

Jackson, as he did with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, made a conscious choice as to which horse to ride in order to win NBA championships. The other horse had to be subverted to a lesser role. As we can now readily see, Pippen is not without ego; he feels he is Jordan’s basketball equal. It is Jackson who elevated Jordan beyond his already iconic status as the most prolific scorer in the NBA to the global force behind an NBA juggernaut team. In this process of ensuring Jordan’s and his own place in history, he wreaked havoc on Pippen’s psyche.

How do we know this for sure? After Jordan’s mysterious sabbatical from the NBA, Pippen thought he’d earned the right to be “the man” on the 1993-94 Jordan-less Chicago Bulls team. Pippen led the Bulls to a 55-27 record, second in the Central Division, only two games behind the Atlanta Hawks. Yet in the midst of the Bulls semifinal playoff series against the New York Knicks, Jackson designed the final play of Game 3 of the series for Toni Kukoc to take the final shot, not Pippen. Pippen refused to enter the game, Kukoc hit the game-winner while Pip sat on the sidelines, broken to his core.

At that moment Scottie Pippen knew what Phil Jackson thought of him as a person more so than as a player. Jackson knew Pippen had a greater chance at failure than did Kukoc because it was Jackson who molded Pippen in to the second-fiddle player he became while playing with Jordan; now Pippen knew too.

Phil Jackson had the same fate in store for Kobe Bryant that he had for Scottie Pippen. The only problem with Bryant is that, from the moment he stepped on an NBA court for a regular season game, played with the sole purpose of one day becoming the man; no player or coach would stand in the way of his goal. However, despite his bravado, this was Kobe Bryant, according to Lazenby, in the third year of his personal grand experiment:

“I remember chatting with Kobe Bryant on the phone years ago. He was a lost 20-year-old kid, in his third year with the Lakers, just becoming aware that Shaquille O’Neal was stepping on his neck with an inconceivable hatred.”

Oh really? And we are to presume that the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers had no idea O’Neal was engaged in this behavior? Short of an admission from Jackson, it is impossible to know for sure. Yet it is close to impossible to think that Jackson, known for his ability to have his finger on the pulse of his teams at all times, did not know O’Neal was in the process of practicing the fine art of subjugation on a 20-year old. Jackson then allowed this to happen. And there are two reasons he allowed O’Neal to cleave what would become a chasm between he and Kobe; Lazenby supplies us with one reason:

There was no question that Bryant had huge blind spots about himself and his relationships with older teammates. What 20-year-old doesn’t have blind spots? Bryant, though, had huge ambition, thus huge blind spots. He didn’t see that his ambition itself, his over-the-top work ethic, immensely irritated the veterans around him.

So, ambition and an exemplary work ethic breed hatred – at least dismay – from teammates. This is quite an insight, not only into O’Neal, but into the entire NBA culture. But that is fodder for another time.

The second reason Jackson allowed O’Neal to psychically step on Kobe’s neck? Jackson didn’t have to perform these duties himself as he did with Pippen, only to have an act of the tragic play reveal itself in public. With Shaq doing the dirty work, Jackson could sit in the shadows, let the chips fall where they may, attach himself to the side of the winner – inevitably Shaq – while exploiting the emotions of Bryant. And look great in the eyes of the sports media all the while.

Jackson was willing to bet he knew enough about Bryant to know that the strong-willed young player would use Shaq’s malfeasance as fuel to create a deep enough anger to sustain a years-long championship run. He was right. Bryant’s fourth season, 1999-2000 began a three-year NBA title run for the Lakers.

But anger coupled with on-court brilliance was and is no match for the media-savvy O’Neal and Jackson. O’Neal made sure in the press Bryant was always perceived as the “little brother” to Shaq’s myriad of selves – the Big Aristotle, Superman, etc. Jackson appeared to “tolerate” Bryant’s sometimes 40-point outbursts that Jackson manipulated into “Kobe being Kobe” personal statements rather than Bryant picking up the team on a generally off night. Lazenby tells the rest of the story:

Over the years, Bryant has endured much pain trying to establish that destiny.

His ambition has been blamed for wrecking a Lakers dynasty. He has battled himself, his teammates, his coaches, the game itself. He has done so fearlessly, relentlessly, with little sign of regret or doubt, only the dogged pursuit of his vision of what he is supposed to be.

There was no question that Bryant could on any given night be blinded by his own brilliance, just as his teammates could be mesmerized by it.

Soon many fans came to equate his every action with selfishness, so that no matter what he did, or how brilliantly he did it, his accomplishments were met with derision.

After the 2003-04 season ended with 4-1 NBA Finals loss to the Detroit Pistons, Phil Jackson stepped down as head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. Jackson’s manipulations had clearly run their course and the only thing left was to run to his Montana cabin, then Australia to hang with Luc Longley.

Meanwhile, back in the real world, Kobe Bryant was blamed for Shaquille O’Neal’s leaving Los Angeles. O’Neal fostered the perception and it is a perception that exists today.

However, the reality of O’Neal’s being traded to the Miami Heat had nothing to do with Bryant and everything to do with the direction Lakers owner Jerry Buss and GM Mitch Kupchak saw for the team. And that future did not include O’Neal:

General manager Mitch Kupchak made clear the team’s priorities Thursday when he said the Lakers would do anything they need to keep Bryant and would try to accommodate O’Neal if he demands a trade.

Apparently upset over Kupchak’s remarks, O’Neal canceled his exit interview. O’Neal, who has been one of Jackson’s biggest supporters, is under contract for two more years but could opt out after next season.

Kupchak also had this to say:

“You can’t replace a Shaquille O’Neal, period,” Kupchak said. “That’s not our intention. This move, as bold as it was, was necessary.”

…and this:

When we made the decision to trade Shaquille- you use broad strokes with a brush when you’re painting that picture. Because in this business, you don’t know how things are going to play out…. So the broad strokes in our mind painted the picture where we can bring Kobe back at a young age, at 25 or 26 years old, bring in several other young players… and not break this thing down to where you’re winning eight to twelve games a year. So our broad stroke picture was… not to break it down to ground zero, but to break it down to a point where we wouldn’t have to wait eight to ten years to get competitive. We didn’t want to do that… and then Kobe deserves more than that. He doesn’t want to play for eight more years and then try to get to the playoffs. We felt that we had to put him in a position where maybe he waits a year or two, and we’re there again.

O’Neal proved the point that people will choose to believe a lie even if the truth is in front of them, if for no other reason than that they enjoy the persona of the person telling the lie. Shaq knows this and is not beyond the cryptic untruth:

“They said it’s about the money. It’s not about the money,” he said. “It’s about honesty, and the honesty me and [former Lakers general manager] Jerry West had. That’s been gone for four years now … It ain’t about the extension. Of course, that’s what they are going to make it out to be.”

Talk about the pot calling the kettle black! For seven years O’Neal did nothing but undermine every effort Bryant made to excel in the NBA. When the choice came for the Lakers to choose between 30-something O’Neal and his want for $30 million and a mid-twenties Bryant, they chose Bryant. Without Phil Jackson to support him and ex-GM Jerry West to buffer his fall, O’Neal showed himself to be nothing more than another fragile-egoed prima donna incapable of dealing with the prospect of being traded. And traded in favor of the player he held at bay for so long.

And a year after the trade O’Neal remained steadfast:

“Most of the people that live here in LA will always be Lakers fans, and you have to understand that,” O’Neal said. “And I don’t take anything personal. But I know that they know who the real deal is.”

As far as public perception goes, “the incident in Eagle” sealed Bryant’s fate. Recounting the events of a dropped court case are unnecessary. What is important here is that before there was any evidence of wrong-doing on Bryant’s part, he was tried in the sporting press and in the court of public opinion:

“The image was of a perfect role model, a superstar athlete who didn’t have a parking ticket, the all-American boy and now, well, that image is tarnished,” said Bob Williams, chief executive of Burns Sports. “As of today and until the trial, his image is going to take a beating.”

Bryant lost endorsements from McDonald’s and Nutella. Coca-Cola stopped airing Sprite ads featuring Bryant, though the company was alleged to have planned to drop Bryant before his arrest for sexual misconduct.

Not long enough after the Eagle, Colorado debacle, Jackson dropped his own bombshell on Bryant, In 2004 the Phil Jackson diary of the Lakers 2003-04 season, ” The Last Season: A Team in Search of Its Soul,” was released. Jackson called his relationship with Kobe Bryant at times a “psychological war” and indicated that he sought to trade Bryant in January of 2004.

In an obvious attempt to clear himself from culpability in the failing of the Los Angeles Lakers of Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant, Jackson used the “feuding” between the two as part of the reason for his retirement:

“At times the pettiness between the two of them can be unbelievably juvenile.”

Jackson also wrote that Bryant wanted a trade if O’Neal stayed with the team because he was “tired of being a sidekick.”

Though this statement may well have been true, there is no reason to use it against Bryant. With O’Neal pattern of mal-behavior toward Bryant, Jackson should have empathized with Kobe; instead Jackson trampled on Bryant to ‘cleanse his soul.’

After a season of abject failure under Rudy Tomjanovich and Frank Hamblin where Los Angeles finished the season with a 34-48 record, Jackson returned to the Lakers bench. The stench of O”Neal and Jackson’s previous dirty deeds had apparently cleared. And Bryant, who suffered his first losing season in competitive basketball, was ready to do anything to claim his place as a Lakers legend – even acquiesce and allow himself to be coached by the man who sold him out at every turn.

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Today, we have a Los Angeles Lakers team with scads of young talent perhaps a year away of competing for an NBA crown. As Steve Nash grows older, as the San Antonio Spurs find fewer and fewer bodies to prop up their core players, and unless Tracy McGrady finds a miracle cure for his balky lower back, the Dallas Mavericks may soon be the only team to stand in the way of the Lakers and an appearance in the NBA Finals.

The triangle offense remains unstoppable and as soon as Jackson and his mentor Tex Winter find ways to implement Red Holtzman’s, New York Knicks-style pressure defense in accordance with new rules governing defensive play, the Lakers, Winters-Jackson philosophy of basketball will be ready to roll once again off the test pad and into the public’s consciousness.

Somehow Phil Jackson has gained the trust of Bryant, as witnessed by this Lazenby offering:

…after being Bryant’s uncommunicative enemy for several seasons, Jackson has become his ally, the man responsible for guiding him toward a team mind-set.

Today, Jackson even uses a phrase he only reserved for his favorite pet, Michael Jordan:

“At one point, we got the offensive rebound and (had) a whole new 24-second (shot clock) left. Lamar (Odom) gave the ball right back to him and Kobe went right back at them. He just smells blood in the water and he’s going to go after you.” (emphasis mine)

Yet, no matter what Kobe Bryant accomplishes as an NBA player, no matter how many more championships he wins, he will never be accorded the status of Jordan. Though Bryant is a better shooter than MJ and is equal to Jordan in every other respect of his game, Kobe will be regarded at best as “Jordanesque.” And to the Kobe haters there will be a litany of players better than Bryant.

No matter how many bridges he builds, no matter how much he allows us to know him, no matter if one day he opened his hands to reveal stigmata in his palms, Kobe Bryant will always be a self-centered, mean-spirited, sulking epitome of all that is wrong with professional sports.

All because he dared to vocalize his want for greatness. All because he was too young to know that egotistical grown men with darkness in their souls had a vested interest in never allowing Kobe Bryant to usurp their authority. All because they know the public’s proclivity for wanting to hate superstars is far greater than the public’s want to deify superstars.

With Jordan already on the throne, with Jackson there next to him, and O’Neal smiling with his arms around the two, in the NBA, the trinity is full.

And Kobe Bryant knows there’s no room in the inn.

Hey! Whatever Happened To Allan Houston?

In the annals of NBA playoff history, most remember the high profile matchups towards the month of June, more so than the early round, 4-games-to-one whoopings. Every once in a blue moon, you get something in the first round that gets you hype for the whole ride (i.e. this year’s Warriors, who should play in leather vests and mohawks next season). Everyone remembers Dikembe on the Sonics’ home floor celebrating as his eight-seed Nuggets destroyed Shawn Kemp and Gary Paytons’ flow, but few remember the climax to the bitter, bitter Knicks-Heat rivalry provided by my man Allan Wade Houston.

Growing up in Kentucky (where basketball is the only major thing going), Allan led his high school squad to the 1988 state championship. It was there he spurned Denny Crum and the Louisville coaches sweating him and jumped to the University of Tennessee. At UT, Allan joined a nice basketball legacy with the likes of Ernie Grunfeld and Bernard King, while playing under his pops. In 1993, Allan got his name called by King Sternolini and the rest as they say was history.

Or was it?

Going to the Pistons, Allan was brought in to take the torch from the great (yet ancient) Joe Dumars, who was the last link to the late 80’s, early 90’s Bad Boy Pistons. As a rookie, Allan didn’t make much noise, but started developing an insanely smooth jumper. It wasn’t until Grant Hill came the next season, that Allan’s potential was realized. Everyone in Motown was excited and primed for an insane one-two combo that could carry them deep into the playoffs and back into another championship era. However, Allan’s stay in Michigan was short-lived, as the bright lights and free agent money of the big city lured him away. Detroit fans took his leaving to heart, like a ventricle and harbored a ton of animosity towards Houston, but in New York, Allan would reach bigger and better things.

In the mid-late 90’s, when some of the NBA’s most heated rivalries were in full swing, the Knicks were everyone’s main antagonist. In the 1999 Special Lockout Edition of the NBA, New York had a phenomenal team on paper (Houston/Spree/Ewing), but was injured for most of the year. Allan got his mental toughness from one of the Knicks original lunatics, John Starks. By playoff time, they drew the rival Miami Heat and their coach/traitor Pat Riley (who left the cold concrete of NYC for South Beach). This wasn’t your ordinary rivalry, so needless to say, this round featured a lit match loitering around a keg of dynamite at all times.

The series was tied at 2 in the first round, with New York needing the W to advance, in Miami Arena no less. Chris Childs (remember when he punched Kobe in the neck?) inbounded the ball to Houston with 4 ticks left. After quick dribble penetration, Allan launched a buttery one-handed shot onto the rim that popped the net and Miami’s hopes for a post-post-Jordan title. The ref threw his hands in the air, and waived them like he just didn’t care, and the series was over with the upset in the books.

After that moment Allan’s stay with the Knicks brought along some injuries and some money issues. If you want to know why the Knicks went from perennial title team to David Stern’s troubled teenaged son, look no further than the Allan Houston situation. You see, the Knicks, enamored with Allan’s play and potential threw a max contract extension him, which handcuffed management financially so bad, that the new “amnesty clause” (or “Allan Houston” rule) was created. It’s basically a salary cap rule that keeps teams from self-destructing by way of bad contracts (I remember David Stern gave the Bullets a do-over when Miami lured Juwan Howard away from us one summer). As a matter of fact, Houston was the second highest paid “player” in the league LAST YEAR, earning $20 million bones.

Despite all the off court injury issues (which kept him from being 100% and forcing him to call it quits in 2005), Houston was known as one of the leagues’ deadliest scorers ever. You’d compare him to a Ray Allen today, but with a tougher attitude. He’s currently trying to comeback, so when his contract with the Knicks runs out (hopefully they’ve learned their lesson) we may see “H20” back on the hardwood. Check the links if you don’t know!

Poll: Where Will Oden Go?

A hot NBA topic lately is the Portland Trailblazers snagging the first overall pick of the 2007 draft, a.k.a. “The Greg Oden & Kevin Durant Draft.” While many fans and observers think that Portland taking (and keeping) Oden is a slam dunk, others don’t agree. Some notable dissenting voices include Blazers fan Henry Abbott and Section F Sports’ Adam Hoff.

What about you, Hoops Addict reader? Do you think that the Blazers will draft Oden, then keep him alongside LaMarcus Aldridge while dumping Zach Randolph? Or will they simply pick up some KD and enjoy? Or will it be some other deal? Please take our poll and add a comment.

Hoops Addict Podcast: Bill Woten Interview

Earlier this month I had the pleasure of reading Bill Woten’s book “Game 7: Inside The NBA’s Ultimate Showdown” and after exchanging some emails with Bill last week he agreed to come onto the Hoops Addict Podcast to discuss his book.

Some of the topics we cover during this interview include:

• What motivated him to write about all of the Game 7’s that have occurred in the history of the NBA?
• What was the most challenging aspect of writing this book?
• What has been the most rewarding part of writing this book?
• What were some of the struggles that you faced while trying to get this book published?
• There were two quotes by Rick Fox on Kobe Bryant that explained how Bryant rubbed some teammates the wrong way early in his career and I had Bill talk about these quotes and why he chose to include them in his book.
• In a chapter called “Duel At The Garden” he talked about Dominique Wilkins being one of the greatest players of his era yet not getting all the credit he deserved because he never won a championship so I asked Bill if he thought that Vince Carter is this generation’s version of Wilkins.
• As of the 2006 season 96 playoff series were decided by a game seven. So far in the NBA playoffs only the Utah-Houston opening round series has gone seven games so I had Bill talk about if he were to include this series in the next release of your book what he would write about.

Click here to listen to this Hoops Addict Podcast.

New Expeditions, New Opportunities

The Spaniards and the Portuguese were without a doubt the most adventurous sea explorers back in the XVI century, sailing on their vessels across the Atlantic to the unknown lands of America with little or no information on what laid ahead of them. Unfortunately (or fortunately some might say), at that time, shipwrecks were very common and many seamen were decimated by the fury of the ocean waters at the tropical convergences.

Diego Alvarez, a Spanish seaman from A Coruña, was the only castaway of a shipwreck near the Brazilian northeastern coast back in 1510. The young gallego, exhausted and perplexed, managed to reach land where he found a tupi community of about 300 people that, by that time, were not really sure what a man coming from the ocean would say or do to them (would you?). Historians say that Alvarez carried a weapon in hand and ‘easily’ gained respect from the community getting married to Paraguaçu, the daughter of the local leader, not too long after his arrival.

In the years following the wreck, Alvarez not only lived with the Indians but was also fixed in ocean reveries, gazing as far as his eyes could see in search of fellow Europeans that sailed by the Brazilian coast on their vessels. He soon became more than a mere observer and started to assist those that cast their anchors next to the village’s shore, working as an agent for the tupi community in trading with the Portuguese, Spanish, French, and English explorers.

Centuries later, a different type of Spanish agent still works in South American soil as an intermediary of trade. With greater mobility than their former counterparts, Spanish basketball agents travel throughout Argentina and Brazil looking for new basketball prospects that, in the long run, could make an impact in international basketball. Tiago Splitter, a native of Santa Catarina, one of Brazil’s southernmost States, is a good example of that.

Seen by many as one of the top international players in this year’s draft, Splitter left his hometown of Blumenau at the age of 15 to the Basque Country of Spain where TAU Ceramica, his current employer, has its headquarters. After years of endless practice and playing time, Splitter became a top player in the ACB league, Spain’s most prominent one, alongside stars like Luis Scola, Pau Gasol, and Anderson Varejao.

A few other ‘Southern Brazilian’ prodigies followed his steps. Kids like Renan Leichtweis, a 6’11 center at Caja San Fernando, and Jordan Burger, a 6’8 forward at the same Sevilla club, also moved to Spain at a very young age to study a foreign language, adapt to a new culture, and play top level basketball, something very different from what their teenager lives offered in Brazil.

Agents look for young prospects because they know the main reasons that drive European clubs after such a profile. First of all clubs want athletes to mature under their unique style of play developing them from a Spanish , athletic, professional, and tactical point of view. Secondly, by getting there early, a player can apply for a European passport with some lag time. By the time they reach the pro leagues they can count as a EU communitarian on the pro rosters leaving more room for the hiring of American players.

While this type of ‘pre mature’ migration has given opportunities to a few Brazilian talents, many, who didn’t blossom at such an early age, become less attractive to top European programs. In the meantime a new type of international basketball expedition has unfolded in the last couple of years, and Rodrigo Peggau, a young forward from Santa Catarina (you must be asking ‘what is with this place?’) is a good example of that.

This past season Rodrigo averaged 23 points per game for Calverton School, a prep program in the State of Maryland, and standing at 6’8 and weighing 230 pounds, Peggau is being recruited by strong NCAA programs such as Duke, Maryland, Syracuse, and Texas A&M. In case he decides to enter the collegiate league in 2008 (he is still a junior at high school), he could consolidate a new trend for top Brazilian youth players: enter the NCAA as freshmen.

Yes, most Brazilians playing in the NCAA were not top prospects in Brazil, and almost all of them enter the NCAA at mid major programs (with few exceptions) jumping in from the junior college ranks. Johnatan Tavernari, a freshman shooting guard at BYU and the Mountain West Conference freshman of the year, is one of these exceptions having started his move to America a few years ago when he left Brazil to play two years of high school ball in the USA before entering the Cougars program last fall.

Tavernari was a top prospect back in the days when he played at EC Pinheiros, a São Paulo club, alongside Caio Torres, another top player in Brazilian youth league basketball a few years ago. Caio, who opted to sail across the Atlantic waters, currently plays for ACB’s Estudiantes in Madrid as a EU communitarian. Peggau is following Tavernari’s steps and could be a nice surprise for Brazilian basketball in case he decides to play for a top NCAA program in America.

He was first seen as a talented player at an Adidas Camp in 2005. “My style of play pleased some Americans that were at the camp, and since then I have received invitations to play in the US. However it’s not like that, accept an invitation, pack your things, and go. You must analyze and evaluate every detail”, says a young but mature Peggau aware of his future goals.

Rodrigo says that the Spaniards did get in contact with him but he was thrilled by the fact that he could play ball in the United States, home of the greatest players in the world, and felt more inclined towards American hoops. “Since I’m a kid I dream about playing in the US”, he says. He is currently playing in AAU tourneys around the country and has been selected recently to play in a camp that allegedly gathers the top 20 prospects in the country.

With the attentions over Tavernari and Peggau during the following NCAA seasons, many top Brazilian prospects between the ages of 17 and 19 might get interested by the American collegiate league while Spain still aims for the younger guns. Both will carry the burden of improving their game every season and reaching their senior years at a top level before anyone with a lack of courage and ambition can follow their steps on an already paved path.

As of now the only things we can rest assure is that the expeditions are far from over. Watch for the lighthouse signals, stay away from the tropical convergences, and learn from the previous wrecks!

Note: for more information on Rodrigo Peggau read this article written by Ron Bailey of iballerz365.

Exclusive Paul Millsap Interview

The NBA Draft recently conducted the Draft lottery where million dollar businesses (a.k.a. NBA franchises) attained their draft fate nigh small featherweight orbs evacuated through a vacuumed vent via a plexi-glass contraption that approximate an igloo visually. Moreover, the choicest Draft pick taken a year ago was chosen at 47th and suits up for the Utah Jazz.

Last summer the Jazz drafted the only player in NCAA Division 1 history to lead the nation in rebounding three consecutive years. Utah actualized a player that shot 52 percent from the field his rookie season and played an eye-catching role as of this writing as an audacious curtain-raiser in the Jazz drive to the Western Conference championship. The view that has been presented is the NBA fandom assessment of Paul Millsap the player.

Paul Millsap the person is a 22-year old native of Monroe, Louisiana that is most gracious of his opportunity and equally as appreciative of his NBA status. Millsap was raised by a single mother and extended family and did not play organized basketball until he was a High School sophomore and promptly became a starter on a successful prep program in Louisiana with his first foray into organized hoops. Millsap’s Uncle DeAngelo Simmons has no reservation in stating that he lived his hoop dreams through the Jazz first year player. It was Simmons, who is the brother of Paul’s mother, that trained the teen player in the rudiments of becoming a pro player. Simmons and Millsap would run five miles a day in Louisiana delta heat that has the oppressive nature of being tumble-dried in a dryer. No wonder Millsap can exert his will in pursuit of errant shots without fatigue.

The Millsap family is regularly grouped at Jazz home games creating a generational lineage that after catching a glimpse of make the TV shows like the Walton’s and Brady Bunch as inviting as skunk soup. The Millsap’s sense of family is the real deal and character is the essence of the teachings Paul’s mother Bettye Millsap grounded him with knee-deep.

Too good to be true? Not for Hollywood. Robert Newman, founder of Athletes & Artists International Marketing, has communicated to me that a manuscript and book about Paul’s uncle DeAngelo and his sacrifice to the family good is in the pipeline for a motion picture. Per Newman his Hollywood pals are enamored with the roots of truth of the Millsap’s power of love and the dynamism of the family unit.

Newman states, “No one gave this family anything.” Agreed, the rewards of earning your keep is entrenched in Paul Millsap slightly left of his solar plexus.

Walk with HoopsAddict.com as I rapped with Paul Millsap Friday evening May 25, 2007 as the Jazz seek to get back in the playoff series against the formidable Spurs of San Antonio. To my readers I’m truly feeling you out there. Much obliged. Now let’s check out the words of Paul Millsap.

HoopsAddict.com: The Jazz are trailing 2-0 and have the next two games at home. What’s the general team atmosphere going into Saturday’s Game 3?

Paul Millsap: We still have confidence as a team. We’re at home and that furthers our (The Jazz) confidence that we can play well and be successful.

HoopsAddict.com: Team execution is a hallmark of the Jazz and Jerry Sloan. Do you expect your team to approach the game with the necessary focus to attain the success you speak on?

Paul Millsap: Of course. We had two great days of practice. After the last practices we feel we have gained the edge and fight to do well Saturday night. The team struggled the first two games in San Antonio but we feel real confident going into Game 3 with support of the home crowd.

HoopsAddict.com: The Jazz are one series away from the NBA finals. As a rookie did you envision your first season being this successful?

Paul Millsap: I never imagined it would (first season) be this successful. At first I was just happy making an NBA roster. I always thought we would have a good season. At training camp I felt that we had a good team and would make the playoffs. I did not expect us to be one of four teams still playing. I do not think anyone expected us to be playing in late May.

HoopsAddict.com: Coach Sloan has played you significant minutes in the playoffs. You have earned the respect of Jerry Sloan without question. Talk about Coach Sloan and the trust he has afforded you?

Paul Millsap: When I first arrived in Utah it was tough because Coach Sloan did not cut me any slack. Coach has been given me tough love ever since I have been in Utah. Coach readied me by wanting me to put out 100% so that was not out of the question for me since I play with effort and spark.

HoopsAddict.com: That’s humble of you to say that you play with spark since you have provided “thump” off the bench. Let’s push back to the Golden State series when teammate Derek Fisher had a memorable performance after arriving in the second half during Game 2 after flying cross country due to a family emergency. Talk about how that served as an inspiration?

Paul Millsap: It impacted me in a major way. That day when he flew East Coach put me in the starting lineup. When Derek showed up based on how the game was going it was a sigh of relief. It not only inspired me it inspired everybody. Watching the heart Derek played with it toughened our team another notch.

HoopsAddict.com: I and others can resonate with your observation. Back to business with the Spurs, you mentioned that the team’s confidence and mettle is bolstered by playing in front of the home crowd. Any expectation for Saturday’s game?

Paul Millsap: As a rookie it’s real good to see our veterans confident and worry free. Watching how our veteran players go about practicing and preparing relaxes me and let’s me know I have to bring it on game day. I think home court will be great for us.

HoopsAddict.com: To our readers many who have not been to a home game in Salt Lake City. Describe the atmosphere?

Paul Millsap: It’s a great feeling playing at home. We have not lost a home game in the playoffs yet since we have incredibly supportive fans. The fans genuinely care about us and we definitely appreciate the fans. Returning to our home court when you see we don’t have any playoff losses at our place it is a sign to everyone how are fans get behind the team. We have great fans!

HoopsAddict.com: Here’s an opportunity to say something to the Utah Jazz fans. The fans have given you and the team plenty of support what would you like to address to Jazz fans?

Paul Millsap: I would like to say thank you to the Utah Jazz nation. It’s great to have this kind of appreciation and I’m real grateful that my NBA experience is in Utah. Traveling around the NBA there are teams that don’t get the support we do. I’d like to say again, much gratitude to all Jazz fans.

HoopsAddict.com: Going into Game 3 the Jazz will have to play collectively at a consistent high level. Reviewing your performance what does Paul Millsap have to do in Game 3 better than the first two games in San Antonio?

Paul Millsap: Personally I have to stay out of foul trouble. I have been in foul trouble the past two games and I was not able to provide the team the extra energy I normally do. I need to play aggressive but smarter. I have to provide that spark.

HoopsAddict.com: You mention spark. Are you the team energizer or is that your natural view of your role coming off the bench primarily?

Paul Millsap: It’s natural. I’m grateful to have the chance to play and be out on the floor. I’m not concerned how long I’m on the floor I just want to do well and help my team advance. So I’m cool with being a sparkplug.

HoopsAddict.com: Outstanding. Rebounding is your forte since you are a collegiate record holder at the Division 1 level by being the only player to lead the Nation in rebounding three consecutive years. Talk about your rebounding approach.

Paul Millsap: My rebounding I do it well but I can’t explain it.

HoopsAddict.com: I hear you. Your comment reminds of how I once asked this lady how she became such a great seamstress she responded, “That’s like asking a physicist to breakdown the speed of light”. Is that what you’re relaying?

Paul Millsap: (Chuckles) something like that. I just have the right instinct. I anticipate that every shot will be a miss.

HoopsAddict.com: Interesting. Treat every shot like a miss. So you shared some of your sacred rebounding philosophy. In one word how would you describe the science of rebounding?

Paul Millsap: Desire. The will to go get the ball. Plenty of players do not go after the ball every play…these players try to conserve energy. Me…I go after the ball every play.

HoopsAddict.com: So you can breakdown your rebounding mindset. I’ll let your other on the boards’ stratagems remain vaulted.

Paul Millsap: Okay.

HoopsAddict.com: You went to Louisiana Tech which is the same school that produced Jazz great Karl Malone and NBA veteran PJ Brown who also are power forwards. Do you communicate with these fellow alumni?

Paul Millsap: I don’t. We communicate through mutual people we know but we have not met and sat down and talked. I played against PJ Brown but don’t have a personal relationship with PJ. We’re all very busy so at some point we’ll get together.

HoopsAddict.com: The NBA Draft is coming up and the draft lottery recently happened. Last year you were a 2^nd round pick that went 47^th overall so obviously plenty of teams would love to re-visit the Draft after your performance this year. Let’s go to the time machine and share your thoughts on what was going through your mind Draft Day 2006?

Paul Millsap: My initial thoughts were self doubt. I doubted myself… was I good enough for the NBA? Did I make the right decision to come out? Utah showed faith and confidence in me by drafting me and by that confidence I ended up in a great situation.

HoopsAddict.com: I appreciate your reflective honesty. Was part of your motivation going into this season a passion to prove the previous 46 selectors of NBA players that they made a mistake passing you up?

Paul Millsap: Right, Right. That was definitely a focus for me to prove teams wrong. After my first focus which was learning the NBA game my second focus was to prove I can play. It definitely was a motivation to prove teams that did not select me I was NBA ready and can play at a high level.

HoopsAddict.com: A-one players typically find motivation from various places to keep there motor running at opportune times. If Draft Day blues keeps your competitive fires stoked more power to you. You have had plenty of Rookie success as a result. Let’s talk about All-Star weekend. You were selected to play in the T-Mobile rookie/sophomore game. What was the Vegas experience like?

Paul Millsap: It was a great weekend for me. I can’t remember having that much fun. I really enjoyed being out there with all the other rookies who were my teammates it was fun since none of us had to worry about the regular season. It was an awesome experience. Played the Rookie Sophomore All Star game hung out a little bit and relaxed.

HoopsAddict.com: So Paul Millsap hung out and relaxed in Las Vegas – got it!

Paul Millsap: (Laughing) I hung out a little bit.

HoopsAddict.com: Did you attend any NBA player hosted parties at the various casinos?

Paul Millsap: I did not get a chance to attend any of those parties. I’m not a party guy and definitely like passing on crowds. I like keeping a low profile.

HoopsAddict.com: Don’t change, be you. Back to the hardwood, so you’re more than a rebounder. This season you shot over 50% from the field. Do you see yourself in the going forward career wise as a “go to guy” in the half-court set?

Paul Millsap: Of course. Right now my offensive approach is to do whatever I can to make the team successful. The Jazz right now do not run any plays for me I just take what comes my way and score garbage points. In the future I hope to improve on my offensive game so Coach can move me out to the three slots. That’s what the team is preparing me for, to play the small forward position.

HoopsAddict.com: So future plans of Millsap at the 3 and Carlos Boozer at the 4. Power frontline…

Paul Millsap: Coach has played me at the 3 this season at various times to see what I can do. I want to be known as a versatile player.

HoopsAddict.com: You’re well on your way. The next question is one you can answer plenty of ways and have different answers each day. So as of today, what has been the best NBA experience or most memorable experience you enjoyed as a first year player?

Paul Millsap: Besides Vegas, wow, I’d have to say everyday. Everyday has been the best experience and each day I’m grateful for being a player in the NBA. I have to say everyday has been the greatest experience.

HoopsAddict.com: That’s very profound. You have plenty of graciousness and a conscientious about your current status. Talk about the gratitude you freely express.

Paul Millsap: This has been a chance of a lifetime and I want to enjoy my first season every step.

HoopsAddict.com: Very wise of you. My opinion as well as many others is that you and Carlos Boozer are the best young power forward tandem in the NBA based on production and your team’s appearance in the NBA version of the Final Four. How has practicing against Carlos Boozer in practice helped your development?

Paul Millsap: It’s been great. A big part of my development has been Carlos Boozer. Watching Carlos play in games and playing against him in practice has helped me plenty. I never get a call in practice when going up against Boozer so I’ve learned to play through veterans getting all the whistles. Those practice situations help me to be a better player and Carlos always gives me excellent advice.

HoopsAddict.com: Do the practice session’s scrimmages between you and Boozer get physical?

Paul Millsap: Physical but never dirty. Carlos and I are the best of friends off the court. Carlos has been a friend and a mentor.

HoopsAddict.com: That’s admirable of Boozer to take you under his wing and teach you the ropes of the NBA. As a rookie what has been the most difficult adjustment for you in the NBA both on and off the court?

Paul Millsap: It’s a long season. I had to learn to condition in a new way to keep my body in shape to fight through fatigue. The Coach’s motivate me to stick with it. I have hit the wall a couple of times this season but I fought through the wall by my Coach’s continuance to support me. It’s been big benefits to have our coaching staff get behind me as a rookie. That’s on the court. Off the court not everyone knows what we go through so it’s hard dealing with people who approach you all the time whenever you’re out in public.

HoopsAddict.com: There are NBA prospects reading this interview that would like to know some of those special circumstances that NBA player’s experience that are not on the typical potential incident barometer. What can you share to define one of those circumstances?

Paul Millsap: Some people deal with you very impersonally. Since NBA players are very visible, people approach you as if they know you for years. Not everybody deals with you that way it’s just new to me when it happens.

HoopsAddict.com: So I gather your people skills have increased tremendously since joining the NBA?

Paul Millsap: Yes. They had to.

HoopsAddict.com: Alright. Robert Newman, your marketing agent and the founder/owner of Athletes and Artists International Marketing in Los Angeles, has articulated to me the tremendous family support you receive while growing up and currently. Talk about the family support that is your bedrock?

Paul Millsap: My family has always been there. It’s just natural for me to have great support from my loved ones. I’m comfortable about that (the family support) because it’s always been there.

HoopsAddict.com: Growing up it is clear that the values you attained as a youth have formed your disposition of respect and appreciation. You mention your graciousness for your current place in the world and speak honorably about life virtues. Being raised in Monroe, Louisiana speak on the character building that was garnered upon you as a youth?

Paul Millsap: I have a great mother. My mother is a religious woman and made sure that she raised me and my brothers to have strong character and to be honorable people. My mother is my hero. When my family moved from Denver, Colorado to Monroe, Louisiana every one we lived around noticed my mother was a single parent so all my family that lived in Monroe helped us out. My mother knew me and my brother’s loved basketball so my Uncle DeAngelo started training us as basketball players.

*Note: Paul has a brother John Millsap that plays basketball in the minor league the USBL, brother Elijah Millsap plays ball at University Louisiana-Lafayette and brother Abraham Millsap is a star prep player in the State of Louisiana.

HoopsAddict.com: Robert Newman has also shared with me the prominent role your Uncle DeAngelo Simmons has played in your progress as a player and man. Talk about the selfless Uncle DeAngelo?

Paul Millsap: He’s a great Uncle and my best friend. I’m so thankful for all he’s done for me and the sacrifices he’s made for me and my brothers. He never asked us for anything other than for us to the best people and players we can strive to be.

HoopsAddict.com: Uncle DeAngelo also trained you and proudly mentions how he elevated you to a varsity starter without ever playing organized ball that eventually made you prep Parade All-American. Talk about the workouts DeAngelo put you through?

Paul Millsap: The workouts were hard. We ran in sweltering heat 5 miles a day and then went to the gym which was 100 plus degrees or more and worked out for hours. My Uncle pushed me hard and I owe him a lot for seeing more in me than I seen in myself.

HoopsAddict.com: All that effort and you’re in the NBA and DeAngelo is your player agent. That leads me to the following. Since your family is so very much a part of your career personally and business wide what attracted to you to Athletes & Artists International Marketing in Hollywood since the world of sports agent is a tough grind?

Paul Millsap: DeAngelo handles plenty of my business side and sensed Robert Newman had my best interest first and foremost. DeAngelo has good perception about people he passed on plenty of agents. He told me about Robert Newman so I took the time to get to know him and I connected with his goals and sincerity. My family knows him and he’s done a great job.

HoopsAddict.com: I understand you have a goal to positively impact the community. Talk about that for our readers.

Paul Millsap: I have several camps planned this summer so that’s a prime goal and I have several other goals yet I’m starting with youth camps a way to give back.

HoopsAddict.com: Noble effort. I appreciate your time your candor and enjoyed the vital information you shared with me and our readers. Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Paul Millsap: That’s it that’s my life.

HoopsAddict.com: Good luck tomorrow night in Game 3 and I appreciate the time.

Paul Millsap: I’d like to thank you and much appreciated. Thank you.

Population Ages Profusely as the Detroit Pistons Survive Another Scare

By Austin Kent

I’m not going to lie, my nerves are shot. Shot by the bullet that the Detroit Pistons dodged last night. Not just shot, but completely destroyed, and I can feel it in my stomach. My intestines have been scrunched into a ball, beaten with a spiked pitching wedge (yes, they do make spiked pitching wedges, in my nightmares at least), stretched back out, and thrown under a train for good measure. And I didn’t even see the first quarter.

When I close my eyes I see little Daniel Gibsons kicking my guts into a pile while LeBron James breathes fire on my wildly beating heart. Somewhere deep down I can feel the pounding of a miniature Anderson Varejao flopping into my rib cage, standing back up and flopping again. It makes me have to puke. It makes me wonder how much worse I’d be feeling had the Cavaliers actually won Game 2.

If I learned anything from watching Thursday night’s gong show, it’s that I’ve taken for granted just how brilliant the quality of NBA basketball really is. There were a combined 14 turnovers in the fourth quarter alone last night. Now it’s not that I think that number is freakishly high (the all time record for both teams in one game is 73!), it’s that the majority of them came in the midst of complete and utter chaos. It wasn’t just the occasional sloppy play, what we saw last night was entirely, unadulterated pandemonium.

If the topic of hanging onto the basketball doesn’t make it into both teams’ practices tomorrow the world will spontaneously combust. You heard it here first.

But if the game was as awful as the statistics would lead us to believe (and trust me, the numbers are convincing. At one point in the fourth quarter both teams had more turnovers than field goals made) then why was this game one of the most exciting ones I’ve seen since Stephen Jackson and company bounced the Mavs in round one?

Whether it came as the result of an uncalled foul or an errant pass, I hadn’t seen that many full grown men rolling around on the ground since that one time I accidentally watched UFC.

With 24 seconds left in the game, the epitome of the madness came in the form of Rasheed Wallace’s miraculous 18-foot bomb and eventual game winner. Had it not been for Sasha Pavlovic’s untimely hesitation and consequential traveling violation, the ‘Stons may have never even gotten the chance to ride Sheed’s miracle to the win. And had it not been for Coach Brown’s explosion following LeBron’s final shot attempt then Cavs may have found themselves just one miracle of their own shy of evening the series at one game a piece.

If you look back at any game, at any level, there will be things that could have been done differently. But I don’t think it’s unreasonable to say there was a lot more room for improvement in this game than on average.

The game was rough. It was confusing and unorganized. It was out of control and, at times, very uncharacteristic of NBA basketball. But best of all, it was human. And in a league where fans are constantly spoiled with the best athletes in the world performing at the top of their games, it was refreshing.

It reminded me of what makes basketball (and sports in general) so damn engaging. No matter what happens or who’s playing, everybody who sets foot on that court, on that given night, has the potential to come out on top.

I’m just glad it wasn’t the Cavaliers.