Training Camp: Tuesday, October 9th

By Matt McQueeny, NJNets.com West Point Day Trip: Day After The Nets were back on their practice court today after their sojourn to West Point yesterday. While it was back to business as usual and scrimmaging, the experiences had and lessons taken were evident in the minds of those who were at the U.S. Military Academy. “I think it’s a very personal thing,” said Coach Lawrence Frank today.

“Different people probably got different things out of it and I don’t think you can manipulate what they get out of it. I think it’s very personal.”

“It was a great trip,” noted Richard Jefferson. “It was a great experience to see really the future leaders of this country. Just to have the opportunity to go there and talk to some of the kids, practice there; it was a great opportunity, it was a lot of fun.”

RJ agreed that everyone will take something different, and personal, from the trip.

“You respect their discipline and the way they handle things. Everyone can learn from it but it’s different for everyone.”

Said Vince Carter, “We got the opportunity to see them in action, see them in their world, how they operate. We enjoyed it…We really got to show the respect for each other.”

Jamaal Magloire saw the trip as an “educational experience and it’s one that the troops and the team is going to value for a long time.”

While in no way do you want to equate the military with sports, there are some common themes and traits of sports analogous to the military.

Said Jefferson, “They definitely have things where they talk about coming together and who you can count on and understanding your areas, your roles, the amount of trust, camaraderie, and all those things that go into having a successful unit.”

“The same things that go into having a successful team.”

Aside from those similarities, there is also simply the shared experience that the team will have from doing this day-trip together.

“There are some similarities in that they all live together as one and a basketball team, they play as one,” noted the foreign-born Bostjan Nachbar.

“We had a chance to see the whole school march and then come in to have a meal. Nobody was late for even one second, by even one step. They were all walking together. It’s just something we can learn from. Stuff like that has to bring you together. Whether it was the young players or the veterans, we all learned something.”

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Richard Jefferson does not like the sentiment that he is an injured player. According to Jefferson, the ankle which he had surgically repaired last season has been his only real injury. The wrist injury incurred against Detroit three seasons ago could have been prevented, as far as he sees it.

“I think over my six seasons I’ve really only had one injury that lingered. I really don’t think my health is that big of a question; it’s not like I’ve had past knee injuries, or past sprained ankles. It was pretty much just this last season. I think people are going to focus in on that until you are able to play a healthy season. But that’s a part of the NBA. I honestly feel blessed to go as far in the playoffs, doing USA every single year, playing 100 games, doing all that stuff every single year to really only have two injuries – one of which should have been prevented.”

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Exciting final scrimmage today. The blue team had Vince, Jason, RJ, Magloire, Malik Allen, Sean Williams, Boki, and Eddie Gill. The white team had Jumaine Jones, Antoine Wright, Josh Boone, Mile Ilic, Rod Benson, Mateen Cleaves, and Robert Hite.

Highlights: 1) Sean Williams again showing his explosion, taking the ball and raising up in a crowd – over the crowd – to emphatically dunk it home. Left RJ walking up the court in the other direction, mouthing the words “oh my god.” 2) With the seconds winding down in the scrimmage, Jumaine Jones hit a three-pointer as time expired. White, 18 Blue, 17.

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Nenad Krstic took part in contact drills for the second day.

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The front-court situation – between Collins, Magloire, Boone, Malik Allen, Sean Williams, etc. - is still where it was at the start of camp and probably won’t be figured out until the preseason is over.

“The competition is open,” said Coach Frank.

“It’s going to be what parts fit best. So we’re going to use the whole month between practices and games to figure out what parts fit. Whoever’s out there and comes in has to beat out Collins…The front court is very competitive. You have competition there to see what parts fit best.”

Frank likes what he’s seen from Magloire in terms of his work ethic and the time he has put in, but said “I think it’s going to be a process.”

“He’s worked very, very hard. He’s put in his time before and after and he’s a very committed teammate. We’ve thrown a lot of new things at him and yet he’s responded. It’s going to be a process. It’s hard to step in right from the go…so it’s going to be a process.”

As for the young Boone, Frank said “this summer was spent almost all rehabbing. He’s making some strides, he’s getting better; the last two practices have been better practices for him.”

“Even though he didn’t experience training camp, he did experience the bulk of the season and helped us win some games. He’s better for that experience and now it’s a matter of him continuing to advance and improve.”

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