Zach LaVine; Sam Smith

Sam Smith

Zach LaVine speaks about what his life is like during these strange times, and the importance of family.

Zach LaVine was enthusiastic and eager, and he hadn't given up.

The Bulls were back on the road, headed for Florida and hopefully some magic in the heat with games in Orlando and Miami. LaVine's quad injury had improved and he was planning to play on the trip. It wasn't much, but there still seemed to be a glimmer. The Bulls were coming off a home win against Cleveland, their second in the last five, the three losses by a basket or two. Rookie Coby White had gotten his first start, finishing a run in his last nine games averaging 26.1 points. LaVine has been scorching, averaging 29.8 in his last six games before the injury. Finally, a chance to see this dynamic backcourt together, the "dynamic duo" of the future LaVine had been anticipating.

"I was trying to get ready to play again, Orlando or Miami, one of those games. So I was excited," LaVine was recalling this weekend in a phone interview. "We started hearing news about they might not play games with fans when we were on the plane going to Orlando. We're like we weren't taking it that seriously, like ‘Right, that's not going to happen.'

That was just over two weeks ago in one of the most unusual and stunning fortnights in the lifetime of most Americans. It wasn't the Fortnight video game, but there was suddenly a need to save the world.

The nation is virtually shut down because of the worldwide COVID-19 virus. All sporting events have been postponed or canceled, and those guys who were flying just about everywhere—both to American cities and inside arenas—are grounded, the Bulls high flying leading scorer now at home just outside Seattle.

LaVine understands he's more fortunate than most given his substantial guaranteed salary and a comfortable home. So he's stepped up to help, providing meals in the Seattle community that he plans to extend to the Chicago area.

"Everywhere is hard hit now, but the West Coast was first being one of the quicker fights from Asia," LaVine noted about the expedient Washington state response. "When I got back to Seattle, I wanted to do be able to do something for my hometown. Jamal Crawford is one of my mentors, one of the best people you can meet. We talked about things and he's kind of the mastermind behind everything because he is so big in the Seattle community. I'm back and forth, but he's here.

"I got with his organization and Feeding America, where I could donate meals to those in need," LaVine said. "We donated 13,000 meals. We're doing some more things and we're starting to do things in Chicago as well, for people working in the hospitals, the nurses and doctors and health care professionals who are helping us. I'm finding the best way to go about it. There are so many different people being affected by this that you want to make sure it goes to the right places."

On the basketball court, LaVine has been a wizard. But like with Dorothy, for him there's no place like home. So once the Bulls fast-break began heading in all directions, Zach's was back where he grew up, where he remains in the offseason and where his parents live about 20 minutes down the road. For everyone at a time like this, it was best to return to their safe place. Zach's always has been with family.

"With the news of the virus hitting the Oklahoma City Thunder and Utah Jazz, I was playing video games," LaVine recalled. "I was pretty locked in and had my headphones. My phone just kept buzzing, buzzing, buzzing, my dad, my agent, friends, my girl calling, and I finally realize all this was happening. We didn't know what was going on because everything was put on hold so fast. Then the next day we headed back to Chicago and they said the season was going to be suspended. They don't know until when. We stayed at home in Chicago and it came out it would be suspended for at least three weeks.

"I'm a big family person," LaVine noted. "Seattle and California were getting bad. My sister and my dad were in California and my dad took my sister and drove back to Seattle and I wanted to be with my family. When I got the A-OK to go home, I left like 5 in the morning.

"I was scared," LaVine admitted. "I was going to get a private plane. My best friend, Perrion (Callandret), who played with the (Windy City) G-league team came with me. He said to just buy the seats in first class so nobody is sitting next to you. We got the flight to Seattle early in the morning and there were like 11 people on the flight. It was the weirdest thing because you were like flying the plane by yourself.

"I'm doing good," LaVine said. "But it's so crazy with everything on social media. I'm not saying things are being blown out of proportion, but if somebody coughs, if you have a regular sneeze it's like everyone is thinking you have the virus; everything's so tense. When we got back home everything was green. My girl sneezed and she was like, ‘Oh, my gosh!' I said, ‘Honey, remember you have allergies.' It's really serious, but we can't freak out."

And so life for the Bulls highest scoring player since Michael Jordan—LaVine was averaging a career-high 25.5 per game when the season was suspended—has become like most everyone else's. A virus makes no exceptions for athletic excellence.

"Kicking it," said LaVine. "Going to my dad and mom's house sometimes. In the beginning, it wasn't that different from what a typical offseason would be. When you first get back home, you take time. I'm watching movies, back in my house, reorganizing my house a little bit. I just moved into this house last summer. So I didn't have much furniture, pictures.

So I'm looking around and saying I can decorate my house a little bit. Getting things out of boxes, unpacking the house. But that got old pretty fast.

"I play a lot of video games and obviously the big thing now is people are getting into the video game community. I'm starting to do that as well," LaVine said. "I'm creating my own Twitch account because I play video games so much, anyway, and I have a pretty big following with that. Me and my girlfriend (Hunter Mar) play dominoes and board games. I work out. I play with my dog in my backyard. I've got about a half-acre backyard, so that's been good. I've been fortunate because I've been able to go outside my house in my yard and get some fresh air and things like that.

"The weather has been a little weird," LaVine said. "The first week here was pretty warm, like in the 70s, nice and sunny, green, fresh air. The last five days, it's rained every day. Summertime it usually doesn't rain that much, but it's March. I'm not supposed to be here in March.

"My parents' house has a basketball court, so we go up there every once in a while. It's good to be able to be around family," LaVine agreed. "And I'm able to shoot and things like that. My girlfriend is getting a lot better at cooking. She's been experimenting. She's making food every night since you can't eat out or anything like that.

"I make my same eggs and bacon every day when I wake up," LaVine said. "But she's been trying to get me away from that. So we're eating different, some steaks, chicken, and rice. She's trying to get me to eat more vegetables. She's been doing really good, trying different foods. I've been trying them. I don't think everything's been good, but about 90 percent has been spot on."

It was at that point there was some commentary in the background. LaVine laughed.

Then I had to ask about the Bulls season, which has been painful in a different way. LaVine has been the rock who has kept the season from crumbling entirely. He's averaged career highs in points, rebounds, and steals, and he hadn't missed a game until the recent calf strain. Though LaVine wasn't named to the All-Star team, he emerged among the NBA's elite as he turned 25 this month.

He was 12th in the league in scoring and seventh among guards. He was in the top 15 in steals and had six games scoring at least 40 points, including two of his last six games. He was averaging 29.8 points in that stretch. He averaged 28.5 points per game in January and 27.9 in February, helping keep the Bulls going with so many falling around him. His 49 points with 13 of 17 threes in Charlotte was one of the NBA highlight games of the season. He was sure this was the season he'd finally play in the playoffs three years removed from ACL surgery.

"To be blunt, I'm upset," LaVine admitted. "We had high expectations coming into the season and it didn't go our way anyway we could have thought of. We played through some adversity, but we didn't go out there and do what we were supposed to do as a team.

"I've been in the NBA six years now and it just gets frustrating," LaVine said. "I want to be in the playoffs. We really (believed). I haven't played in a playoff game and it wears on you. That's what you work so hard for and continue to play for."

But LaVine is optimistic about the team's prospects with White and believes in his teammates to make a recovery from the injuries.

"I'm looking forward to getting back out there," LaVine said. "Obviously, I love playing and I can't stand missing games. I hope the season continues. As a competitor you want to go out there to do what you can to help. We have to get this thing right; we really do. But it's a tough time for everyone. For now, the most important thing is to make sure you are safe and your family is safe. That's all I've been trying to worry about."

zach-lavine-opens-up-on-life-without-basketball

Zach LaVine opens up on life without basketball

childukich

With a win, tonight during All-Star Saturday night, Zach LaVine would become the only player in NBA history to win both the Slam Dunk contest and Three-Point contest.

Zach LaVine is ready to make All-Star history Saturday night.

LaVine, who is a two-time slam dunk champion from the All-Star weekend contests, seeks to be the first to hold the trophies from both contests in a display of rare star versatility.

"Not even a lot of guys have competed in both contests," LaVine pointed out Saturday morning at the All-Star media session in Wintrust Arena. "I feel I have a chance to go out and win it; it's big and I take it seriously. When I've been practicing I've been going through the racks. I've been timing it with the minutes. I've been getting through it pretty easily. I don't think leg strength is anything that has ever bugged me being a big-time dunker. I've got a pretty easy shot as well. I can get a rhythm down.

"I've shot a lot a shots (to practice)," LaVine added. "It's something I haven't done before. I don't like going into things not being prepared. I've shot probably like 350 shots (each day). I'm going to do another round (this afternoon)."

Davis Bertans, Washington; Devin Booker, Phoenix; Devonte' Graham, Charlotte; Joe Harris, Brooklyn; Buddy Hield, Sacramento; Duncan Robinson, Miami and Trae Young, Atlanta also are in the contest that features an extra, longer shot this season in addition to the usual ball racks.

But oh what a night it might have been if LaVine were selected for the Sunday All-Star game. LaVine was considering entering both contests if he were a part of the Eastern All-Star team, which many believed he should have been. Fans on the internet got a glimpse of what might have been when a friend posted a video of a casual LaVine dunk practice session from this week.

So just experimenting LaVine tried a 360-degree spin and dunk….from the free-throw line. He barely missed.

"It wasn't even supposed to go viral, man," LaVine said with a laugh. "I got mad at my friend. He was with me recording. I was just messing around, trying to see what I still had and what I could do. It was just in good fun. I was practicing some things after I got done shooting. I did a couple (of those) years ago. It's on YouTube somewhere. Andrew Wiggins recorded it when I was in Minnesota. You'll actually see Kris Dunn in the video. I made one. I just wanted to see if I still had it. I got pretty close on my first attempt. I could probably make it still.

"If I wanted to enter, I would've entered," LaVine said about the dunk. "I think my dunking is something that carries with me everywhere. But I don't have a lot more to prove in that area. I've won it a couple of times. If I would've made the game, I feel like I would've tried a lot more things in All-Star weekend. I'm focused on the three-point contest. It's something different that I haven't done before. You know me: If I get a rhythm, I can get real hot."

Of course, it would be an unnecessary risk to try the dunk again considering LaVine's knee surgery two years ago. Plus, the stars of the game privately dismiss the dunk contest these days as something for lesser and up-and-coming players to make a name for themselves. LaVine is passed that. He just needs to help his team catch up now.

"Chicago is a great place," LaVine said. "We have to build back up what we are representing and where we are going in the future. We have to do a better job of putting more Ws in the win column.

"For me personally, just to keep the foot on the gas pedal," LaVine said. "You never know what's going to happen. I'm always somebody who looks at the glass half full. We're not out of the playoffs yet. As a team, we've got to come back focused. We can't be on vacation mode yet. Sometimes you come out the break, teams go up or down. Hopefully, we'll be one of the teams that go up. If you're not confident in yourself or your team, you already lost the battle. Whenever I play, regardless of what the result is, I think we're going to win. If you don't have that approach as a competitor, what are you playing for? Obviously, I'm going out there to win trying to help my team win and I think we have a chance.

"I appreciate the fans who have stayed loyal," said LaVine. "Me personally, I appreciate all the fans who come out and supported me and come each and every game. I feel like I'm somebody they can trust and somebody who puts the work in. I don't care if we're down 100 or up 100. You're going to get the same type of reaction from me, the same determination to try to win. We're trying to win. You know me personally. I want to do nothing but win. I just want to say thank you to them."

It's the Mamba mentality that LaVine embraced growing up on the West Coast a Kobe Bryant fan. There's considerable emotion this All-Star weekend with tributes to Bryant following his death in the helicopter crash. "I was the biggest Kobe fan in the world," said LaVine. "That was my guy growing up; that was my idol. There were a lot of All-Star moments. One of my favorites was when they inbounded the ball and he split the double team and threw between his legs and did that a fadeaway. He had so many different ones; he's pretty much an All-Star legend."

Perhaps LaVine begins to add his name Saturday night in Chicago.

zach-lavine-could-make-history-this-all-star-weekend-in-chicago

Zach LaVine could make history this All-Star weekend in Chicago

Zach LaVine's All-Star Game candidacy is up in the air, but the next four games could be a crucial stretch.

Now comes the difficult part for Zach LaVine's quest to play in next months' 2020 NBA All-Star Game in Chicago.

The All-Star Game starters were revealed Thursday before the weekly TNT broadcast. Fans accounted for 50 percent of the vote, while current NBA players and media accounted for 25 percent each.

The Eastern Conference starters are Kemba Walker, Trae Young, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid and Pascal Siakam.

The Western Conference starters are LeBron James, Anthony Davis, James Harden, Luka Doncic and Kawhi Leonard.

By receiving the most votes in their conferences, Antetokounmpo and James will be the captains of teams to be chosen by them on Feb. 6 in a televised event on TNT. The seven reserves for each team will be selected by a vote of the coaches from each conference and announced Jan. 30 on TNT.

The speculation has been that with the game in Chicago, LaVine's best chance to be selected could be as an injury replacement. Commissioner Adam Silver makes that choice, if necessary, without regard to any list or vote. Joel Embiid is currently out after surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left hand, but he is expected to return at least a week before the All-Star Game, if not sooner.

LaVine is certainly in the conversation for a coach selection based on his play this season, averaging 25 points, which is fourth-best in the Eastern Conference, and ranking sixth in the conference in steals with 66. LaVine also is shooting 39 percent on threes with 4.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game, becoming one of the more versatile players in the NBA.

LaVine scored 25 points in the Bulls win on Wednesday

Working against LaVine's chances is the Bulls' record, currently 17-29 and 10th in the Eastern Conference. The Bulls are two and a half games behind eighth place Brooklyn, and play Sacramento on Friday, Cleveland on Saturday, San Antonio on Monday and Indiana on Wednesday. The coach votes are due Thursday. It's conceivable that when they travel to Brooklyn on Jan. 31, the Bulls could be playing for eighth in the conference.

But since the coaches historically have tended to break ties in favor of players from teams with winning records, LaVine's selection remains debatable.

On Thursday, the NBA released the standings of the voting among fans, players and media, and LaVine was in position to be selected based on those results. However, the coaches can ignore those totals since that voting was only for the starters.

The starters' voting was divided in two categories of frontcourt and backcourt players.

Among East backcourt players, LaVine was tied for sixth with Ben Simmons. After starters Walker and Young, Kyrie Irving was third and Derrick Rose and Kyle Lowry were tied for fourth. Irving slipping out of a starting spot probably aids LaVine's candidacy because the coaches are unlikely to add Irving since he's missed so many games (27) and the team has played poorly in games he's played (1-4) since his return from injury.

Among frontcourt players after the starters, Jimmy Butler finished fourth, Jayson Tatum fifth and Bam Adebayo sixth.

Based on those rankings, LaVine would be in position to be one of the last two additions to the 12-player squad. But the Bulls record may remain the largest obstacle.

The popular TNT broadcasters—Charles Barkley, Shaquille O'Neal, Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson—offered their choices for the reserves following the announcement on their show. None, of course, have any actual influence in the true vote.

But none selected LaVine among their seven East reserves.

Barkley: Bam Adebayo, Jimmy Butler, Andre Drummond, Derrick Rose, Domantas Sabonis, Ben Simmons, Jayson Tatum.

Smith: Bam Adebayo, Malcolm Brogdon, Jimmy Butler, Khris Middleton, Derrick Rose, Ben Simmons, Jayson Tatum.

O'Neal: Bam Adebayo, Bradley Beal, Jaylen Brown, Jimmy Butler, Andre Drummond, Khris Middleton, Domantas Sabonis.

Johnson: Bam Adebayo, Kyle Lowry, Jimmy Butler, Khris Middleton, Domantas Sabonis, Ben Simmons, Jayson Tatum.

Though not binding, their guesses are usually reasonably accurate and reflect conventional wisdom about the game's top players.

The most notable omission among the Eastern Conference starters was former Bull, Jimmy Butler, now with resurgent Heat. Butler will surely be added to the team.

Boston's Jayson Tatum also seems to be a certain selection with the 29-14 Celtics having a better-than-expected season.

Which also is what could work against LaVine.

Miami, Toronto and Indiana, the latter without Victor Oladipo, are all having positive seasons. Coaches generally like to reward players from those teams.

The Pacers didn't get a starter, so the sentiment seems to be Domantas Sabonis and/or Malcolm Brogdon will be added, even though LaVine's scoring production has been significantly higher than either of those players. Similarly, coaches usually like to add a player or two from a high achieving team, which was generally why Khris Middleton made the team last year. He probably will again with Milwaukee owning the league's best record of 39-6.

Likewise, Toronto could get a second player along with the 76ers, most likely Kyle Lowry from the Raptors and Ben Simmons from the 76ers, respectively. Plus, there's been sentiment to add a second Miami player because the Heat are a surprise second in the East. The likely candidate would be Bam Adebayo.

If that thinking prevails, the reserves could be:

Butler Tatum Sabonis Lowry Adebayo Simmons Middleton

Then there's popular and productive players from teams with losing records, like Bradley Beal, Spencer Dinwiddie, Derrick Rose, Andre Drummond and Nikola Vucevic, and others who might be in consideration like Jaylen Brown and Tobias Harris.

Frank Vogel will represent the Western Conference as head coach with the Lakers clinching the top record. No team can pass the Lakers, who are in first by 4.5 games, by the Feb. 2 final record date. Coaches cannot appear in consecutive seasons, so Milwaukee's Mike Budenholzer is ineligible. West reserves likely will be chosen from among Paul George, Russell Westbrook, Nikola Jokic, Damian Lillard, Chris Paul, Donovan Mitchell, Brandon Ingram (not Zion yet), Rudy Gobert, DeMar DeRozan, Devin Booker, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, LaMarcus Aldridge, Karl-Anthony Towns and Ja Morant.

It's going to be a nervous few days for LaVine and the Bulls, and a few timely wins could help.

breaking-down-zach-lavines-all-star-candidacy

Breaking down Zach LaVine's All-Star candidacy

none

Presented By

AT&T

<a title="Bulls Play-In Tournament Tickets are On Sale Now" href="https://www.nba.com/bulls/postseason">Bulls Play-In Tournament Tickets are On Sale Now!</a>