May's Days In Wilmington

Sean May is in his second training camp with Charlotte after coming to Wilmington with the Bobcats as a rookie in 2005. The 6-9, 266-pound forward was the 13th overall pick of the Bobcats in the 2005 NBA Draft. He averaged 8.2 points and 4.7 rebounds In 23 games for the Bobcats, missing 59 games with injuries -- primarily to his knee. May will be corresponding with BobcatsBasketball.com every day from Wilmington to give us his thoughts and give you, the fan, a closer look at what goes on during an NBA training camp.

Day 6: October 8, 2006

Tonight was our scrimmage, signaling the last day of training camp. It was a really fun and beneficial way to end our week in Wilmington. Unfortunately I only got to play 12 minutes because I got cut above my left eye in the second quarter, and it required eight stitches. I jinxed myself since I’ve been saying all week that I just wanted to get out of training camp injury-free! But I’ll be able to practice tomorrow and play in the preseason game on Tuesday, so it’s not too bad. It was Gerald’s elbow that hit my head so hard, but as long as I don’t miss any playing time, I won’t hold a grudge. Just kidding – Gerald’s my boy, and I know it’s just part of the game.

Overall I think training camp has been great. It was very intense and competitive, and I think we showed that we have heart. We all came in with the right attitude, and we are all leaving with confidence that we can have a winning team this season. My teammates and I were talking yesterday about how productive we thought camp had been. Not only did we work on our offensive and defensive sets, but we also bonded with each other both on and off the court. In order to have a winning team, you have to have chemistry, and part of that is developed off the court. On our day off yesterday we went on a boat as a team. We’re constantly working on developing team chemistry, and I think we’re finally where we want to be.

Before the scrimmage we made two team appearances that were both a lot of fun. First, we went to Reed’s Jewelers, the presenting sponsor of training camp, and browsed the store for a while. The employees of Reeds gave us gift certificates and bracelets, and they were so nice and accommodating. They even gave me a Carolina blue bracelet, which I really appreciated. I actually didn’t buy anything, though. I left my wallet on the bus (on purpose) because I knew I would be tempted to buy something and spend money that I didn’t need to spend. However, I did get some good ideas for Christmas presents, and I might be making a trip to the Reeds in Charlotte when it gets closer to the holidays. It was fun watching my teammates spend their money, and I helped them pick out watches and other things.

After that, we had a full-team autograph signing for the local chapter of the Boys and Girls club. It was great to see the smiles on the kids’ faces; it means a lot to me that they look up to us. Anytime I do things with kids, I always have a good time doing it, and I know the kids truly appreciate it. They all stayed for the scrimmage, and I hope they had a great time. I know that the kids around Wilmington probably don’t get to see many games because it’s a far drive from Charlotte, so I’m glad we could bring them a little taste of NBA life.

We have two preseason games in Chapel Hill this season, one against my former Carolina teammate Marvin Williams and the Hawks, and one against my good friends and former Tar Heels Brendan Haywood, Antawn Jamison and the Wizards. It’s always cool to go back to Carolina, but I don’t want to get too excited about it. Even though I have a lot of family and friends there, it will be a “business” trip. I’ll have to stay completely focused on basketball, at least until the game is over. Then I’ll probably have a little bit of time to socialize and see some of my friends and former teammates. Raymond and I have decided that we should have home court advantage in both games since we brought a national championship to Chapel Hill. Yeah, Marvin was a big part of that team, but he is two years younger than us, so we have authority. Since Brendan and Antawn don’t have an NCAA ring, that means we automatically get to be the home team. That’s our theory, anyway, but I think it makes perfect sense!

We’re really excited about our first preseason game on Tuesday against Orlando. It’ll be nice to play someone other than my own teammates. We have beat up on each other so much lately, and we are really looking forward to playing actual opponents. Our coaches will review film of the scrimmage to determine what we need to work on in practice tomorrow, and we’ll go from there.

Thank you for reading this week, and come out and support the Bobcats this season! We’re going to work hard and win some games this year, and we’d love to see you in the stands!

-- Sean May | 11:32 p.m. 10/8/06

Day 5: October 7, 2006

Today we had an off-day, and I had a chance to rest my body. As excited as I am to be back out on the court, I don’t want to wear myself out before the season starts. Coach Bickerstaff understands that, and that’s one of the reasons he gave us today off. He said yesterday that while training camp was to prepare us for the season, it wasn’t meant to wear our bodies down, which is why he’s giving us a free day. The last thing we want is to be worn out before the season even starts!

I didn’t take the day off completely, though. Emeka and I went to UNCW in the afternoon to lift weights and get a little workout in. It wasn’t that strenuous, and it’ll keep my body in good shape. Some other guys came in to lift and get some shots off, so it’s good to see that the whole team is taking the right approach to the season. You can tell our team is dedicated to having a successful season just by the number of guys who came to work out on an off-day. It’s not mandatory, and nobody is telling you to come. I really think that speaks a lot to the character of the players on the Bobcats.

I went out to dinner with some of my teammates at a restaurant in Wilmington last night, and we will probably do the same tonight. We might go to another movie also, and just walk around and see what Wilmington has to offer. But we won’t stay out too late. This is a day that is meant for rest and relaxation, and I for one will take full advantage of it. Plus we have a busy day tomorrow.

Tomorrow is our scrimmage, and it will be nice to simulate a real game setting, with refs, scoreboards and fans. But it will still basically be a glorified practice, so we just want to make sure that nobody else gets injured. It will give me a chance to work even more on my defense, which is something that I feel like can always be improved. It’s always fun for me to compete against my teammates. I love beating them, but it’s all in good-natured fun. Scrimmaging does give us a taste of competition and makes us even more eager for the season to begin, when we can beat up on our opponents instead of each other.

If you are in the Wilmington area, come to our scrimmage tomorrow at UNCW’s Trask Coliseum at 6 p.m. It’s open to the public, and tickets are still available. Come cheer us on!

-- Sean May | 4:58 p.m. 10/7/06

Day 4: October 6, 2006

Today’s practice was good, but incredibly intense. We ran plays and drills for the first part, and then we scrimmaged each other for the last little bit. Scrimmaging helps simulate a game setting, so we can put to use what the drills have been teaching us. It’s the only practice that we have today, so I think everybody worked harder. We were able to push our bodies to the max because we knew that we could relax the rest of the day and evening. We didn’t have to save ourselves and gear up for another workout this evening. One practice a day is much easier on the body.

So far, I’ve been impressed with the way that Raymond has been leading our team, especially when we are scrimmaging. I think he gained a lot of confidence toward the end of last season when he played so well and was rewarded with more playing time as a result. I saw how he could be a leader during our three years together at Carolina, and I’m glad he’s getting to showcase that in the NBA. Brevin always puts the team on his back, and he has been a great role model for Raymond. They both are outstanding point guards, and the fact that they are competing for playing time had the potential to create hostility, but that is not the case whatsoever. They are extremely supportive of each other and help each other whenever possible. Individual accolades don’t matter; we just want to win.

I’m impressed at the way that everyone has come into camp ready to play. I think that everyone has added a little something to their game, which is doing wonders for our team. All the little things will add up to something big, and that will hopefully be the push we need to make us a winning franchise.

Some guys have routines that they do before practice every day, but I don’t have much of a routine. There are over 150 practices a year, so I don’t think there’s much time for rituals. I do make sure that I get to practice early enough to stretch, and I also do touch shooting every day before I get on the court. I just want to make sure that I’m at my best when practice officially starts, and by doing these things, I can be. Obviously if I have aches or pains that need to be taped or taken care of before practice, I make sure that gets done. You don’t ever want to let a little ache go unchecked – it could result in a more serious injury that might make you miss games.

Today before practice Coach Bickerstaff told us that if we performed well, we would be rewarded with an off day tomorrow. I knew that my body could use the rest, but I didn’t get my hopes up. For some reason, when this opportunity has presented itself before, we haven’t had a solid practice, and therefore we haven’t gotten an off day. I don’t know why it has happened like that, but it has. Today was different, though. Everyone was on their game and really focused, so tomorrow we will have completely off to explore Wilmington and gear up for our scrimmage on Sunday.

Thank you again for reading, and I’ll be sure to write again tomorrow.

-- Sean May | 5:25 p.m. 10/6/06

Day 3: October 5, 2006

Well, things were going great until last night’s practice. We had several guys go down with minor injuries, but nothing too serious that will keep them out for any extended period of time. They practiced lightly this morning, and as of right now, everyone expects to be playing in the scrimmage on Sunday. It just happens when you have two-a-days. Your body starts to get tired, which makes you more injury-prone. They are just a part of the game, and it’s something that we have to accept. We can’t and we won’t make excuses. Coach Bickerstaff realizes that our bodies are hurting, so he’s cutting back on practice this week. Tonight is our last night practice, so our bodies will be able to rest before we start preseason games.

I understand injuries more than just about anyone, since I had two knee surgeries last year. Since I missed so many games, I think my teammates, my opponents and the fans forgot what I can do. I’m ready to play real games again, so I can show everyone that I am still the same player they thought I was. I’m probably a better player now than when I went down. I always try to look at every situation with a positive attitude, like the glass is half full. Instead of just sitting on the bench every night, I paid close attention to the little things that my teammates and opponents were doing that made them successful. I also participated in practices toward the end of the season, even though I knew I wasn’t going to play in games. I was a student of the game, and I am applying what I observed to my play on the court this year.

As I’ve said before, our main goal as a team is to make the playoffs, which would be great for a third year franchise. Sometimes people ridicule us for thinking that we can be a playoff team, but if we don’t believe it, what point is there in playing? We’re off to a great start. One of the things that I’ve noticed each day in practice is that there isn’t one guy that is dominating all the time. We are all playing together as a team, which is unusual for the first few days of practice. Usually it takes some time for guys to get used to playing together again. I’ve learned from experience that to win you have to have a collective effort. One guy can’t carry the load – it just doesn’t work like that.

A lot of people are curious about our abundance of big men. We have a lot of people who can play the power forward and center positions, including myself, Emeka, Primoz, Melvin, Othella, Ryan and Jake. Gerald proved last year that he can play the “4” if he needs to, and Walter Herrmann is big enough that he can play inside if necessary. Having all these big men in practice every day will be great for our team because we will go up against each other and make each other better players. We’ll be at the top of our game 100 percent of the time, because if we aren’t, our playing time will be given tom someone else. Also, we learned last year that you can’t ever have too many players. Inevitably, someone will get injured, and it’s not too easy to replace a skilled 6-10 guy.

I spent all of my free time sleeping, as I said yesterday. But we’ll have more free time in the next couple of days, so I’ll probably go to the movies with Alan and some of the other guys. Nothing too exciting, we’ll probably just chill out in the room.

Thanks for reading, and I’ll update you after tomorrow’s practice.

-- Sean May | 1:54 p.m. 10/5/06

Day 2: October 4, 2006

Today’s practices went well, even better than yesterday’s. Everybody settled down and played much better with fewer mistakes. We were so hyped up to be having a real practice yesterday that our jitters affected our game. But it’s calmer now, and we are working hard to prepare for the upcoming season. People are understanding their roles and so far, everybody has stayed healthy.

I can officially say that my knee is fine. Although it’s technically been fine since after my surgery in December, I had a lot mental obstacles to overcome. Once you injure your knee, you are always scared of landing on it wrong or falling and reinjuring it. Playing in the summer league got rid of some of my concerns, but I was cautious during those games. I played more on the outside and shot more jumpers. But coming into training camp, I knew that I had to be aggressive and I couldn’t worry about my injuries anymore. So I’ve been playing under the basket the past few days, and everything has been great.

I love being in Wilmington for training camp, even though we don’t get a lot of free time. I don’t have time to go to the beach, but I’ve been here before, so I know how beautiful the beach is. During the summer, my friend and former Carolina teammate Wes Miller and I stay here with some other guys, and just chill.

I haven’t had much free time, but every minute of spare time I have, I sleep. I have been so exhausted since my body isn’t used to these intense two-a-days. I brought my TV and X-box from home, but I haven’t even set them up yet. As the week moves along, my body will get used to all the workouts, and I’ll have some time to play video games and hang out. I have my own room at the hotel, but Alan Anderson and I are back and forth in each other’s rooms all the time. We mostly just talk, play music and play cards. Everybody’s pretty calm during training camp because we don’t want to wear ourselves out. We are here for one reason - to practice.

Even though we are all busy, I keep in touch with all of my former Carolina teammates. Obviously I talk to Raymond all the time since he is in Charlotte with me. I talked to Marvin Williams last night, and his training camp with Atlanta is going well. I’m going to call Rashad (McCants) today. He isn’t practicing because of his knee surgery, but I can probably offer him some advice to keep his spirits up, since I know what it’s like to miss time because of injury. I talked to Jackie Manuel and Jawad Williams on a regular basis also. When you are as close as we all were for three years, it’s hard not to keep in close contact with each other. This year a lot of people are picking Carolina to win the national championship, and I think they can do it. They definitely have the talent to do so, especially with Tyler Hansbrough returning and all of the freshman coming in. I played with them all summer, so I know firsthand just how good of a team they can be.

We scrimmage at night, so I’m going to relax and watch some TV before it’s time to head back to the gym. Talk to you guys tomorrow.

-- Sean May | 5:37 p.m. 10/4/06

Day 1: October 3, 2006

Today was our first day of training camp, and I was really excited to get back to work on the basketball court. Even though I got a taste of game action after playing with the Bobcats in the Orlando Summer League, I was really looking forward to training camp. The start of training camp means that the regular season is starting soon. The first practice is always intense with lots of drills and sprints, but everyone was in a good mood because it was the first time in several months that we’ve all played together. We’re all working extremely hard this week to get in shape so our bodies can last for the entire season.

Since I missed so many games last season with injuries, I understand the importance of taking care of my body. During the offseason, I focused on getting into better shape, which meant losing some weight. I worked on my eating habits to make sure that I was eating healthy every meal of every day. It’s very easy for someone of my size to gain weight, and if I want to stay in this league for a long time, I have to be very careful about what I eat. I only eat lean protein and green vegetables; everything else I’ve cut out almost entirely. When I go to restaurants, I order a hamburger without the bread. It’s a sacrifice, but I get paid to do what I love, so it’s worth it. I’m happy with my body right now, and I will continue to work on it during training camp so I will be in top shape for our first game.

We want to have a better season this year than we did last year. Hopefully everybody, myself included, will stay healthy. We can be a force in this league, and we can compete for a playoff spot. That’s our goal. My role on this team is just to come in and provide solid play. I’m another big body who can back up Emeka and Primoz and be a solid rebounding force. Because my dad also played in the NBA, I have a good working knowledge of the game. Learning from an NBA player like my father has taught me the importance of fundamentals and producing when the opportunity arises. I’ll do whatever it takes to help this team win.

We have some new faces on the team this year, and I think they have what it takes to play in this league. All of the rookies are extremely talented, and I think Adam Morrison will give us the offense that we lacked last season, especially in the fourth quarter. I played with him during the Summer League and saw him play with USA Basketball, but his abilities never cease to amaze me. He’s a rookie, but he’s going to play a lot because he’s so good. He loves to play, and he’s going to have a long career in the league.

The biggest adjustment that our team will have to make this year is getting used to the new basketball. During the summer, the league issued a new ball that will now be used for all teams in all games. It’s a new design and a new material, which is supposed to be better for grip, feel and consistency, but it’s going to take some time to get comfortable with it. I like the old ball better, but it’s not my decision. It doesn’t really matter what ball they tell me to play with. I’m going to play no matter what.

It’s time for me to rest before our next practice, but I’ll be sure to keep you updated on training camp during the week.

-- Sean May | 6:19 p.m. 10/3/06