According to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune, Derrick Rose “soaked up as much of the Kobe Karma as possible” when he and Bryant shot a video game commercial together earlier this month: “When you’re around people like that, of course you can learn a lot. How they manage themselves, how they eat, how they treat people, how they take care of their business, how hard they work, how they act all day. If Kobe’s not the most competitive person in the league, I’d like to see the person who works harder. That’s Kobe. He wants to win everything. I want to win everything. I guess it’s something that’s just born in you. I just wanted to ask him about winning. … It was a cool experience.”
The will to win everything…that’s cool. But personally, I hope that Derrick picked up a few defensive tips from Kobe, who is a nine-time member of the NBA All-Defensive First or Second Team.
Meanwhile, Mike McGraw of the Daily Herald reports about Tyrus Thomas’ recent charity work. And while his efforts certainly deserve mention — in the past several months, Ty started an outreach program for at-risk kids in Baton Rouge, La., sponsored a school supply giveaway, and spoke to students at the new Chicago Bulls College Prep high school — as a Bulls fan I’m more interested in the work he’s been putting in on his game.
According to McGraw: “Thomas spent the summer working on his shot — his spot-up jumpers and some moves that initiate in the post. ‘I was watching Magic Johnson and he said every summer he just wanted to add one thing, get real good at that,’ Thomas said. ‘I focused on being able to consistently knock down the 15-17 foot jumper. I’m real comfortable with that.’ Don’t cringe. Remember, the one time the Bulls won a road playoff game in Boston, the game-winning basket was a 21-foot Thomas jumper. There have been a few times in the regular season when Thomas made some clutch baskets. With Ben Gordon gone, the Bulls need a variety of offensive contributors. ‘I see myself improving a lot,’ Thomas said. ‘I know where I want to be and where I could be. Right now I’m in a situation where I just have to find my exact role on this team. Once that’s defined, I’ll probably give you more of a prediction.'”
Okay, I’m glad that Tyrus gleaned a little wisdom from Magic Johnson. However, two things about these quotes really bothered me. First was this: “I focused on being able to consistently knock down the 15-17 foot jumper. I’m real comfortable with that.” You know what? I’m not comfortable with that. Let D-Rose, Kirk Hinrich, John Salmons, Luol Deng, Jannero Pargo and even Brad Miller shoot the jumpers on this team. The Bulls don’t need another jump-shooting big. We need a big man who wants to slam dunk and own the paint. But Tyrus focused his summer efforts on knocking down the 15-17 foot jumper?! Facepalm.
The second thing that bugged me was: “Right now I’m in a situation where I just have to find my exact role on this team. Once that’s defined, I’ll probably give you more of a prediction.” I don’t know if this illustrates Tyrus’ lack of basketball IQ or Vinny Del Negro’s basic failing as a coach. I understand there’s been some turnover this summer, but that was in the backcourt. Shouldn’t Thomas’ role be pretty well-defined? I know what I think Ty’s role should encompass: rebounding, shot blocking, interior defense, help side defense, running the court on the fast break, taking the ball hard to the hoop and jamming it down as hard a humanly possible.
Man, if Tyrus was going to imitate Magic, why couldn’t he have learned the baby sky hook?
Seriously, …Magic? That guy mostly played guard. Yes, I know he was capable of playing every position, but Tyrus is NOT! Why can’t you emulate Charles Barkley. Now there is a guy that played bigger than his size.
I shudder everytime I see a big guy shooting outside if 15 ft. Sometimes it can be an effective tool to mess with the defense, however every team has small guys who can make that shot all day long. But small guys can’t rebound amongst the trees. It’s called being a part of a team. You would never install a brake pad in place of windshield wipers in your car. It already has a purpose, which it is suited for.
Is he getting nervous in front of the media? Is that why he says these things? …or does he really not know what his role is on a team that he has played on for a few seasons? C’mon, Tyrus. Do we need to get Annie on loan from the Durham Bulls to teach you how to be a man?
(…can’t you just see Tyrus wearing womens panties under his Bulls jersey, while putting up monster numbers???!)
I think you both are taking what Tyrus said out of context. He’s not going to brag about everything he’s got to offer before the season even starts. I believe it’s him trying to let his game speak instead of tooting his own horn.
The point he’s trying to make is that he’s working really hard to add to his already existing second to none shot blocking, jumping and dunking repertoire. If he’s trying to add something new, obviously it comes when you have lots of time, such as, the off-season. F@ck the haters.
To be fair Brad, I think Tyrus was saying that he learned from Magic to add one part to his game every off-season that he can be really good at; not that he is trying to play like Magic.
It would be nice if he did forget about the jumper and maybe work on things that we need our big men to do like be capable of executing basic post moves. Or since it seems that Tyrus loves to play the face up game, maybe he could learn how to dribble under control when he makes a move.
Tyrus is very frustrating.
Chris Webber version 2?
If Tyrus Thomas doesn’t know his role as a PF then we better trade him now. Why the hell is he working on a jumper. He hasn’t proven that he can control/block out/rebound yet. While I had hope for him prior to this, I have lost it as a result of this interview. Vinnie DelNegro now has to demonstrate to Tyrus what his role is? Tyrus has lost me as a fan until he becomes a true power forward. Based on his comments he thinks he is a SF.
You got to realize that if Tyrus can consistently knock down that jumper then that makes him extremely dangerous because his handle has improved dramatically since his first year. A consistent jump shot will make it much more easier for him to take other slower bigs off the dribble. What he means by his role is “are the bulls going to finally give me reigns as the starting power forward and give me the minutes that coincide with that” or are they going to jerk me around once again. You guys have to take a look at the stats…when he played over 30 minutes last year he produced averaging 17ppg 8rpg 3bpg and averaged even more when he played over 35mpg. Its when played less than starter minutes when his numbers didn’t look good. We need to play this kid 35mpg like a starter should and stop babying him and take the leash off the dog. He will suprise you all when we do that. You’ll all be like bosh who amare who.
everyone remember this is basketball? and you’re pissed cuz a guy is working on his jumper? Yeah TT should be rebounding at a higher clip. but that doesn’t mean you don’t want him working on his shot. our guards should be working on post moves too.
brad shut da fuck up ty is just tryn 2 come up in a different way dis year!
we all knoe dat he could dunk on pplz face bigger dan him!
so fuck all da haterz!!!!!
I agree with Rocky – it’s a longer-term project. If he can add a jumper this year, demonstrate it enough to the league that people take him seriously from 15-17 feet, and then add a consistent dribble-drive next year, he could be the next Shawn Marion sooner than we think. Tyrus has at least 10 good years of basketball in him, maybe 15. Let’s be patient and see what happens.
Now as I think about it, I don’t think that TT is going have a bad season this year just b-cuz he was only working on this jump shot and putting on more weight. I do agree with most of you guys that are hating on TT saying that he needs to improve more on his inside game, rebound more & play harder defense. I think that if TT can learn how to hit a consistent jump shot that will give him another dimension in scoring and help the team. For example, we all know he can dunk on bigger guys when he needs to like JJN mention already, but if Tyrus Thomas can hit those jump shots at a higher percent, his inside game will be much easier for him b-cuz most player will only expect Tyrus to take it to hole then to hit a consistent jump shot.
So then eventually they will guard him more outside and take less pressure inside for him to score easy baskets.
All I know is this everyone here is talking about jumpshots and Tyrus Thomas, correct me if I’m wrong but shooting happens at all positions, second just like when we were all playing growing up every year it was something different to approach whether it be ball handling, your jumper or even what shoes to get, it takes time to get better you must fall to stand. TT has a lot to bring he needs to get his mind in the right place and foucs only on what is important, but to him he is only thinking himself there are 12 other guys to think about, He needs to figure how to work on them to get better as whole.
Wow…
…Some of you need to re-read what I wrote, some of you need to go and watch Bull Durham, and some of you need to re-take English class.
Look, if Tyrus was a guard or a small forward, I would be thrilled to hear that he has been working on his midrange jumper. It is an awesome and under-utilized tool in the modern game(See: The success of Rip Hamilton). Too often guards or SF’s want to drain the three or drive to the hoop, but the midrange pull-up is consistantly there all game long.
BUT TYRUS IS A POWER FORWARD …on a team with Rose, Kirk, Pargo, Luol, Salmons, & our new draftee Johnson. Wouldn’t you rather have any one of them take that same shot???
Besides, the knock on him has always been that he took too many jumpers, too far away from the basket. It’s like he heard the critism, but reacted the wrong way. I have no problem with him working diligently on his game, quite the contrary; I applaude it. It’s just that for a guy who plays PF, it seems to me that you should work on the fundamentals of interior play and help defense before you expand that to a solid 15-17 foot jump shot. Especially when that interior defense is what your team truly needs.
The sad fact is: We all know that Tyrus could do it and we are rooting for him. It’s why this is so frustrating. If he were just a scrub at the end of the bench, no one would be having this conversation.
Of course, It could be that I’m just a hater trying to keep a Tyrus down!!!
Brad, you could not be more right. The fact of the matter is, Tyrus needs to absolutely KNOW his role. He should be driving and dunking like he did his rookie year when he had all those highlight plays. He doesn’t use his athleticism nearly as much as he should. I don’t mind him trying to add a jumper to his game, but he’s got to learn to use his ability the right way like fundamentals and slowing it down. Hey, I just want to see him dunk on somebody
I think if Tyrus Thomas does not improve at all this his season, the bulls should stop wasting their time on him and trade him for a true PF player like David Lee or Carlos Boozer, since they are expect to be traded earlier this season. I do agree with Brad and some other people saying that he needs to work more on his inside game, block out defenders, learn hot to rebound effectively and working on his interior defense, since he is considered to be more of a PF player then SF. I don’t see him being an effective SF, since their are a lot of players out their that are way better then him playing that position like Deng, Salmons and even James Johnson.