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First Practice Sets Challenging Tone Get Sonics News Delivered to You! Sonics News Archive

Bob Hill

Johan Petro

Robert Swift

"I think the guys that stuck out the most to me were Robert and Johan," said Hill. "I thought they really had good practices right from the beginning. We had a lot of guys who had good practices, but those two guys are so important to us this year.

"I think the guys that stuck out the most to me were Robert and Johan. I thought they really had good practices right from the beginning." Terrence Vaccaro/NBAE/Getty

"Being on the floor and being next to them when they're making their moves, they're doing everything with more confidence, better execution and more aggressiveness."

Much has changed for Petro and Swift from a year ago, at the start of 2005 training camp. Then, Swift was battling for a spot in the rotation behind projected starter Vitaly Potapenko, while talk about Petro centered on whether he would spend part of his season in the NBA Development League. When Hill took over in January, he committed to his young centers, and they responded by averaging a combined 13.1 points and 10.8 rebounds per game over the final 52 games of the season.

Now it's time for Petro and Swift to take the next step.

"I made it clear last night at the team dinner," Hill said. "We have to embrace all three of those guys [including rookie Mouhamed Sene], support them. When they don't do well, kick them on the butt. When they do well, pat them on the back."

During his first practice, Sene showed the talent that led the Sonics to draft him 10th overall in June, but also signs of his age (20) and inexperience.

"He had his moments when he was really good, but he has a lot to learn yet," Hill said. "When they were playing before, they were just playing basketball. He had days where he was real good, really good. And today he had his moments, but he's thinking right now. When you have to play and think like that, you're not going to be as quick and as active as you should be. But he had a good day for a rookie."

Fortson Limited, Rush Sidelined

Sonics center Danny Fortson, still trying to work through a sore left knee that forced him to miss the final 46 games of last season, participated in the first half of practice but sat out when the team began scrimmaging.

"Danny's going to rest his knee on and off," said Hill. "Danny did a nice job today. He was out there longer than I thought he would be. He got competitive in some of the drills and did a good job."

Kareem Rush suffered a left groin strain during a drill and set out the rest of the day. He was expected to be examined Tuesday afternoon.

While working on late-game scenarios during the portion of practice open to the media, Hill had Luke Ridnour, Ray Allen, Rashard Lewis, Chris Wilcox and Swift together on the green team - a lineup that looks like it could be the Sonics starting unit. However, he said afterwards not to read anything into the grouping.

"We were just working on a situation," Hill explained. "Who was out there doesn't have anything to do with the starting lineup. That was just one of the three teams in that drill."

AUDIO

Listen to Bob Hill's meeting with the local media after practice. Also, Sonics broadcasters David Locke and Francis Williams discussed what they saw at practice.

Milt Palacio was also on the green unit. The white team had Earl Watson, Desmon Farmer, Damien Wilkins, Nick Collison and Petro. Mike Wilks, Denham Brown, Mickaël Gelabale, Noel Felix, Kenny Adeleke and Sene made up the red roster.