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ShareDerrick Coleman: Happy to Be Back in Philadelphia
During the second half of the 2002-03 season, Sixers forward Derrick Coleman looked like a rejuvenated man. He averaged 11.3 points and 8.8 rebounds per game in the final 28 games of the season, up from the 7.9 points and 5.7 rebounds per game before the All-Star Break. This was one of the reasons that it was important for Sixers Team President and General Manager Billy King to re-sign Coleman during the off-season.
"When Derrick and I had breakfast a couple of weeks ago, we talked about the direction the team wanted to go, and we said we would just figure out the financial part of it," said King. "This is something that I am happy about because Derrick was a big part of our success last year."
Coleman was equally as excited to re-sign with the team that re-acquired him in a three-team deal back in October 2001.
"My whole thing was that I don’t think that I have ever been part of a team where I have been around a bunch of good guys," said the 6-foot-10, 270-pound forward. "I think we all get along, and you find that hard in any sport where you have egos. I enjoy those guys, I enjoy playing here, and I enjoy being here in Philadelphia."
Rumors began to circulate that Coleman was going to sign with the Pistons when former Sixer Head Coach Larry Brown accepted their coaching job. Coleman and Brown have a great deal of respect for each other, coupled with Coleman's Detroit upbringing that naturally lead to the rumors.
"I talked to Coach Brown at least once every two weeks, really not about the game of basketball, but about situations that were out there for me," said Coleman. "He advised me that he thought this was the perfect situation for me even if he wasn’t here. He said I should try to come back to Philadelphia and help the team be successful."
Fortunately for the Sixers, Coleman feels the same amount of respect and admiration for new Head Coach Randy Ayers.
"The thing with Randy and me is the same thing with Coach Brown and me; it’s respect more than anything," said Coleman. "He’s a guy who understands the game of basketball, understands miss matches and really gives you input of what’s going on. We’re all basketball players and come from a basketball background. I think the relationship with Coach Brown was that he always let us give our input as to what was going on and I see the same thing with Coach Ayers."
With the player changes that the Sixers have been through this off-season, Ayers is looking forward to having Coleman back on the roster and keeping the core of the Sixers roster together.
"One thing about Derrick is that he knows how to play and that’s one thing I love about him," said Ayers. "He allows you to do other things on the floor that you may not be able to do with other forwards. He knows I respect his background a great deal."
With the medical condition of Todd MacCulloch and the loss of Samuel Dalembert, DC was thrust into as the Sixers lineup as the team's center for the second half of the season where he flourished and helped lead the Sixers to 23-10 record and a fifth straight Playoff appearance. What would happen if he was asked to play the center position again?
Coleman jokingly responded, "If that’s what I have to do then that’s what I have to do. Do I like it? No I don’t like it."
"When Derrick and I had breakfast a couple of weeks ago, we talked about the direction the team wanted to go, and we said we would just figure out the financial part of it," said King. "This is something that I am happy about because Derrick was a big part of our success last year."
Coleman was equally as excited to re-sign with the team that re-acquired him in a three-team deal back in October 2001.
"My whole thing was that I don’t think that I have ever been part of a team where I have been around a bunch of good guys," said the 6-foot-10, 270-pound forward. "I think we all get along, and you find that hard in any sport where you have egos. I enjoy those guys, I enjoy playing here, and I enjoy being here in Philadelphia."
Rumors began to circulate that Coleman was going to sign with the Pistons when former Sixer Head Coach Larry Brown accepted their coaching job. Coleman and Brown have a great deal of respect for each other, coupled with Coleman's Detroit upbringing that naturally lead to the rumors.
"I talked to Coach Brown at least once every two weeks, really not about the game of basketball, but about situations that were out there for me," said Coleman. "He advised me that he thought this was the perfect situation for me even if he wasn’t here. He said I should try to come back to Philadelphia and help the team be successful."
Fortunately for the Sixers, Coleman feels the same amount of respect and admiration for new Head Coach Randy Ayers.
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With the player changes that the Sixers have been through this off-season, Ayers is looking forward to having Coleman back on the roster and keeping the core of the Sixers roster together.
"One thing about Derrick is that he knows how to play and that’s one thing I love about him," said Ayers. "He allows you to do other things on the floor that you may not be able to do with other forwards. He knows I respect his background a great deal."
With the medical condition of Todd MacCulloch and the loss of Samuel Dalembert, DC was thrust into as the Sixers lineup as the team's center for the second half of the season where he flourished and helped lead the Sixers to 23-10 record and a fifth straight Playoff appearance. What would happen if he was asked to play the center position again?
Coleman jokingly responded, "If that’s what I have to do then that’s what I have to do. Do I like it? No I don’t like it."
