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Rookie Diary: First Installment
September 15, 2006
Periodically throughout the 2006-07 season, Hornets.com will chat with Hornets first-round draft picks Hilton Armstrong and Cedric Simmons, to get their thoughts on what life is like as an NBA rookie, both on and off the floor. Armstrong and Simmons attended voluntary workouts in Oklahoma City this week, joining teammates Tyson Chandler, Brandon Bass and fellow 2006 draft choice Marcus Vinicius. Armstrong (12.3 points, 6.3 rebounds per game) and Simmons (7.4 points, 7.0 rebounds) each received an initial taste of professional basketball during the Vegas Summer League in early July. In their words, here are updates from Armstrong and Simmons on their experiences since being drafted by the Hornets on June 28:
I was real happy with how I played in summer league, but I still think I can do more. I want to block a few more shots and maybe rebound a little more. But I think I showed that I have a lot more offensive ability than some people realized [Armstrong registered 20 points vs. Cleveland and shot 61 percent from the field in Las Vegas]. I think I opened up a lot of eyes there. I’ve been spending a lot of time back home in Connecticut, working on my conditioning, and I want to get stronger. I could have stayed in Connecticut and continued working out up there, but some of the guys said they were going to start working out here in Oklahoma, so I decided to come. I definitely wanted to be here. I am going to playing with them, so I thought, ‘Who better to work out with than them?’ I have to go to the NBA’s rookie orientation program in New York City, but I will be coming back here immediately after that is over. When I come back, I’ll be staying here for good and getting ready for training camp. I haven’t really had a chance to spend too much time or go out and chill in Oklahoma yet, although I have moved into an apartment. But all I’ve really had time to do so far is look for furniture.
Ever since the summer started, beginning with draft workouts with a lot of different NBA teams, it’s been very busy, so I went home to North Carolina for about a month, then I went on vacation to the Bahamas. I wanted to take advantage of having some time to get away from basketball a little bit. But I’ve been working out twice a day since the summer started. One of the fun parts of the summer for me was when I got to work at the Hornets Summer Hoops youth basketball clinics in Oklahoma. I was here for two weeks, and it definitely was hot this summer! I went into it not being a very good public speaker, but getting to talk in front of all of the kids was a great experience for me. I think by the end of the camp I was much better at public speaking and much more comfortable. Playing in the Vegas Summer League went pretty well, and at times I was happy with how I played. I think in terms of making hustle plays, rebounding and some of the putback baskets I had and blocked shots, I was OK with those areas. As far as defense goes, I noticed that the NBA’s three-second defensive rule definitely makes it tougher to help off your man and try to block shots. Right now I’m working to get in good shape, working on my post moves and my shooting. One of the main reasons I wanted to come here for (voluntary workouts) was to learn the offense and get a chance to work out with my teammates. I want to be ready when training camp starts.
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