Bobcats Back In Action
July 3, 2006

It may be the offseason for the Charlotte Bobcats, but not for the 16 players who reported Monday for the first day of practice for the Charlotte Bobcats Summer Camp. The players will practice all this week, and then head to Orlando to participate in the Orlando Summer League, where they will compete against the Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, New Jersey Nets and Orlando Magic.

Today's practice was the first taste of professional basketball for most of the players, including Charlotte's first round draft pick, Adam Morrison.

“My first day was good,” Morrison said. “The guys are cool, and it's fun to finally start playing five-on-five again. I'm looking forward to tomorrow.”

It also marked the return to competitive basketball for two former first round picks, Emeka Okafor and Sean May, who played limited minutes for the Bobcats last season because of injuries. Combining to miss a total of 115 games, their presence was missed in the frontcourt for the Bobcats. Before their injuries, they were an integral component to the team, combining to average a total of 21.4 points and 14.7 rebounds.

“[Summer league] is a great way to stay in shape midway through the summer,” May said. “It's a great way to push yourself and strive for goals. For me, it's an opportunity to play organized basketball which I haven't played for four or five months now.”

Lingering questions about May's knee were answered Monday, when he ran up and down the court with seemingly no problems.

“I've done a great job rehabbing my knee, and I feel great,” May said. “My knee feels great; I haven't had any problems. For the last two or three weeks, there has been no pain, and before that, it was very minimal. Hopefully tomorrow I'll come in and it will be fine.”

Summer League Head Coach JB Bickerstaff was glad to have May back on the court and see that his approach to the game hasn’t changed.

“This is the first time I’ve seen him play five-on-five since January or February, and you forget all the little things that he does that makes him so talented,” he said. “You appreciate guys like that, guys who understand the game and make the game easy, and that’s what Sean does.”

Okafor will not travel with the team to Orlando, but is practicing all week in an attempt to return to game shape. This was the first time that he has played five-on-five basketball since his January 10 injury, and he, like May, appeared to have no ill-effects.

Both May and Okafor praised Morrison for his basketball knowledge and are excited about the opportunity to play with him.

“He can play. He not only can score the basketball, but he understands how to play the game,” May said. “He's a great addition to this franchise. I'm looking forward to playing with him.”

“It's the way he moves,” Okafor said. “He moves so precisely, and he adds to the overall fluidity of the team. Instead of having a bunch of herky-jerky movements, you have one continuous movement."

Bickerstaff agrees with his frontcourt players.

“You can see how much better he is going to make his teammates,” Bickerstaff said about Morrison. “He makes his teammates look better.”

Morrison enjoys playing with Okafor and May, as well.

“I was happy with the [NBA Draft] pick because I knew I would be playing with those guys,” Morrison said. “They are winners. They were winners in college, and they are good NBA players. So I was excited that they were my future teammates.”