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Bright Futures: Rookie Tales ... with Channing Frye

Kay Felder has it pretty good as a rookie with the Wine and Gold. It’s not a reference to his physical stature to say that he’s able to fly under the radar as a reserve with the World Champs.

Under the sometimes-withering media spotlight in New York, there is no flying under the radar – something Channing Frye discovered early after being selected by the Knicks with the 8th overall pick in 2005.

After a successful four-year collegiate career at Arizona, Frye came to the Big Apple with two other first-rounders (Nate Robinson and David Lee) and the freshman trio joined a team with the league’s highest payroll – with Larry Brown as their head coach and Isaiah Thomas the GM.

Things did not go smoothly.

After some early rookie struggles, Frye found his footing and over a 12-game stretch in his first month was averaging 18.0 points per. During his freshman campaign, the easygoing big man twice posted 30-point performances and averaged 12.3 ppg overall before a knee injury in March ended his season.

The 2005-06 season ended in turmoil, with the high-priced Knicks squad finishing the year with fewer wins than any team in the Eastern Conference (23). Larry Brown was out after just one season and the following year, Isaiah Thomas took over the coaching reins.

BBVA Compass is partnering with the Wine & Gold throughout 2016-2017 season to bring Cavs fans closer to the game. Each month, one of your Cavaliers will be featured, offering an in-depth look into their own rookie season and how their experiences have helped to create their own Bright Future.

As the Cavaliers make their second appearance of the season in New York on Saturday night, the ghosts of The Garden came back to Channing, who reflected on his drama-filled freshman campaign with the Knickerbockers in today’s version of Bright Futures: Rookie Tales …

How would you summarize that turbulent 2005-06 season in New York?

Channing Frye: Individually, the guys were great. I think, as a team, we just didn’t gel.

I loved playing at the Garden, I loved being in New York. I think it was just too much at the time and it just wasn’t the right time. I think you look at a lot of the guys who are still playing and they’ve been successful in different situations.

What was it like going from an extremely stable program in Arizona to that particular Knicks team?

Frye: It was a lot! (laughs) I think, for me, trying to balance the basketball part, balance the New York lifestyle, balance the drama – coming from somewhere where there’s no drama, it was a lot.

It made me appreciate the chance to just NOT be involved in that kind of stuff. And I also know that you have to block all that out.

But it was a maturing situation and I always give Isaiah Thomas credit for drafting me and I appreciate the opportunity to play here. Even when I got traded for Zach Randolph, he’s always been up-front with me.

And (the Knicks) organization has always been awesome and they’ve reached out to me when things have happened. And even when I signed with Orlando, they’ve always been supportive and I always wish them the best – just not against us.

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For a rookie just coming in, how was Larry Brown as a coach?

Frye: I think for him – I think he sees and wants the best out of everybody, and he saw the talent that was there. I just think sometimes he forgets that we’re all going through our own things sometimes. But it makes him a great coach.

And again, it was never just about basketball; there were always 50,000 different things going on. He was a great coach. It just wasn’t the right time.

But he pushed me to make me who I am today and I’m better because of it.

Did you live in the city?

Frye: I lived in Connecticut – about as far away from the city as possible.

On a team already loaded with pricey vets, was it easier coming to New York with two other first-rounders?

Frye: It was. Me, David (Lee) and Nate Robinson all came in at the same time. But it was really a cast of characters. Stephon Marbury, Jalen Rose, Eddy Curry, Steve Francis, Malik Rose. And again, that’s what I’m saying about the chemistry.

Between essentially two different teams that we had – we were going young, we were going old. We were trying to win now, we were trying to develop. The city, the payroll being No. 1 in the league. It was just a lot.

So I think we had the opportunity and had the talent to do some things. It just didn’t come together. But you still see guys who had very successful careers once they left.

Richard Jefferson

No one walks in and thinks: 'I got this' ...

A big compliment to Mike Fratello and his staff was ...

Did any of the vets take you under their wing that first year?

Frye: Yes and no. But again, it wasn’t like here (in Cleveland) and this situation where everyone knows their role. It’s easy for Kyrie or myself or anyone to take Kay (Felder) under their wing because we know our role.

But I think in New York it was tough for guys to know their role and to grasp it, because we weren’t winning.

So I think the guys that really stuck out for me were like Malik Rose – a great, great pro – and a guy like Antonio Davis. But again, those guys were also like: ‘We want to take you under our wing, but we also want to play.’ So it wasn’t like they brought those guys in to come take care of me! (laughs) They were getting paid really good money. It was different.

It wasn’t until I got to Portland and James Jones and even Raef LaFrentz, those guys took me under their wing and helped me out. Quentin Richardson did a great job with me too. And when I got to Phoenix, that’s when I started developing into what I am now.

Where you almost relieved to be traded out of that situation?

Frye: No. You know what? I’m extremely loyal. So I wanted to win here (in New York), but I understood that they needed big names – and Zach Randolph was a pretty big name. So I thought: If I’m getting traded for him, that’s pretty legit.

What were the rookie initiation rituals back then?

Frye: I had to wake up at 6 o’clock in the morning, make sure that everybody’s paper was in front of their door, get their food, make sure they got their wake-up calls. Things like that.

And then, for us, on the plane we had to wear suits every game. Like belt, socks, shirt, tie – the whole thing. And we had to help with the bags. So it’s snowing, you’re out there in a suit helping with bags.

And you had to be first to the airport and last on the plane. That was about it; it wasn’t that bad. We got fined a couple times for getting on the plane early, but it was good. That’s how it should be.