After meeting with the media, Blazers.com sat down with Theo Ratliff to discuss his feelings about signing a multi-year contract extension with the Portland Trail Blazers.

Question: How do you take young players and keep them away from negative distractions?

Answer: I think it is very important that I get to know the players. There is a perception that all of these players are polished and come complete, but they are still growing and it is my challenge to make sure they are equipped. We as an organization will be anticipating and preparing them for the challenges they face. The players have had a lot of instruction through the rookie transition program, which I’ve been apart of and hopefully we can equip them with the tools that when faced with difficult decisions they make the right decisions.

Question: When Jerome Kersey took over this position he was faced with unexpected problems. Is there anything you can do to prevent these kind of problems?

Answer: I think the organization and the NBA have mapped out a structure that we have put in place to safeguard those instances. I think we just have to be aware of those types of issues.

Question: What is the most important thing you can do to help the players on this team?

Answer: The most important thing is to make sure the players continue to grow professionally and personally to make them more complete players. That is my challenge. I appreciate them as basketball players but I care about them as people. That’s the one ingredient as we look at the NBA that hasn’t been addressed as completely and thoroughly as it should have been. These players need that continued encouragement to grow and to get better as people. The players have issues just as society has issues but they have more money and are more closely scrutinized.

Question: Is it a different situation now in the league then when you were in the NBA?

Answer: It is an absolutely different world I only wish that guys from my generation had that kind of exposure and training the players are provided with today. I could not have imagined all the things I would be confronted with when I came into the league. The players today are very aware of the issues they are going to have to address whether its financial, mental, health education, you name it and they address it.

Question: How much did your history in this town help bring you here?

Answer: I feel very close to the organization. Since the first time I came to Portland even though I have been away, the organization has embraced me. As a former player, every time I came to Portland to play it was a love fest between the organization and the community. To have an opportunity to re-connect and be a part of that was a big motivation and inspiration for me because this is really the best of both worlds. I am part of the organization and part of the community. I love the people, the people have embraced me, and this step is just a matter of making it official because I have always been a part of the team.

Question: Does the history of the team give you a perspective on the team and its relationship to the community?

Answer: I feel very close to the organization. Since the first time I came to Portland even though I have been away, the organization has embraced me. As a former player, every time I came to Portland to play it was a love fest between the organization and the community. To have an opportunity to re-connect and be a part of that was a big motivation and inspiration for me because this is really the best of both worlds. I am part of the organization and part of the community. I love the people, the people have embraced me, and this step is just a matter of making it official because I have always been a part of the team.