October 1, 2002

Media day satisfied one thing I have been waiting forever for; I finally got to put on my own NBA jersey and to top it off it was a Blazers jersey. This wasn’t the only exciting part of media day but it was definitely one of the highlights.

Being from the Northwest I guess I am considered the new hometown boy, which is great, but it also puts a lot of pressure on me. I am very aware of the glassbowl effect, where everyone is watching my every move, but I just want to play my best and prove myself to the players on this team. I am glad to be closer to home and I am ready to to work hard this week at camp.

Playing college ball at Gonzaga taught me a lot about pressure from fans but I really feel like I have nothing to lose. I am here to play well, and learn from the veterans on my team. I watch how they work, learn the ropes and find out what I need to work on.

This week I will discover what I offer this team; bringing home the wins. I also anticipate relieving players and stretching out the offense. This is going to be a be very intense week, like nothing I have ever done before but I am sure I will learn a lot and I know I am up for the challenge.