THE MAN OF THE HOUSE
June 23, 2002
STORY BY ROMAN MODROWSKI * STAFF REPORTER
Tyson Chandler's brand new Mercedes rolls up his driveway in a cloud of dust while construction workers sweat out the final phase of the new subdivision.
Chandler has lived in the house less than a month and doesn't know any of his neighbors, which is similar to the way he felt last year at about this time, when he wasn't sure what part of the country he would call home.
The NBA draft is Wednesday, and one year ago Chandler was an 18-year-old prospect from Dominguez High School in California who decided to jump to the NBA straight out of Compton.
''I worked out in Washington two days before the draft, so I wasn't really sure where I would be at,'' Chandler said. ''The Clippers had told me, basically, they would take me at No. 2, so I didn't know if I would go 1 or 2.''
The Clippers selected Chandler with the second pick and promptly traded him and Brian Skinner to the Bulls for Elton Brand. Chandler considers the Wizards' choice of Kwame Brown as the No. 1 pick a personal snub and uses it as motivation.
Chandler's two-floor house doesn't feature many mementoes of his rookie year, except for a couple of game-night programs on a coffee table. There weren't a lot of keepsakes from the 21-61 season, considering potential and optimism aren't suitable for framing.
Chandler has to wait before he can hang his hat on any type of success, but he doesn't plan to wait long.
''I can't go through that again,'' he said.
So he's trying to ensure things will change as quickly as next season.
After cutting his summer vacation short, Chandler has been working out six days a week, sometimes twice a day, at the Berto Center. He works out in the morning with teammates Eddy Curry, Trenton Hassell, Jamal Crawford, Marcus Fizer and Dalibor Bagaric. And Chandler heads back at night with a couple of friends who are helping to break in the new house.
''Every day I come in [the Berto], there's something new drawn on the board,'' assistant athletic trainer Eric Waters said. ''There's some artwork on the greaseboard because Tyson has been here working out, and his friends have been waiting on him to finish and draw on the board. So I know he's been here the previous night.''
Jerry Krause snuck into the Berto on a recent holiday to try to walk off some calories, and Chandler was in there by himself working on his game.
''I see great similarities between Tyson and Scottie [Pippen] and Horace [Grant],'' Krause said. ''I probably never had two players work harder between their first and second seasons than Scottie and Horace.
''Eddy, Trenton and Dalibor are doing the same thing. They were coming all on their own, all voluntary.''
Chandler stands 7-1, although he feels he still may be growing, but his height already presents a mismatch at power forward. He weighs about 240 pounds and plans to add some muscle.
''I want to be able to finish stronger in games,'' he said. ''I want to be the guy my teammates look for late in games.''
The workouts include pickup games when the weightlifting is over. A recent game featured Chandler and former teammate Charles Oakley, who is a free agent but still works out at the Berto at Chandler's request, against Curry and Hassell. The talk is loud, and Oakley continues to teach the youngsters the physical nature of the game, leading to battle stories among the three later once Oakley has left for the showers.
Chandler blocks a couple of shots with explosive force, but his most emotional outburst is kicking a rack full of balls after he and Oakley lose. It's the middle of June, but the sting of defeat has Chandler lying alone on the Berto Center court for 15 minutes.
He needs help. And that's what Chandler has been searching for on the second floor of the Berto Center, where the management offices are located.
''If I'm going to be here, I want people around here who are going to win,'' Chandler said. ''[Management is] going to talk to me, but I don't wait for them to approach me. I go up there and give my input.
''I tell [Krause] I think certain players fit in and others don't really want to win. But it will be his decision.''
To his credit, Krause appreciates input from players because it reflects how serious they are about winning.
''Tyson and I have a very good relationship,'' Krause said. ''He's a bright young man, and he can be talked to. He makes good common sense.''
The night before Duke point guard Jay Williams worked out for the Bulls, Chandler made an unannounced visit to his hotel room. Chandler knows what it's like to work out for a team that already has someone playing your position. Fizer was the incumbent power forward when Chandler was acquired, and Jamal Crawford is the current starting point guard.
''I understand what he's going through and how tough and lonely that can be,'' Chandler said. ''It's like you're on an island and everybody's against you, as far as some players who might not want you to be here.
''So I kind of just wanted to go over there and tell him we do want him here, so just go and worry about the workout and not the other stuff.''
Williams appreciated the gesture, and his eagerness to join the Bulls convinced Chandler.
''I would love [Williams] to be here,'' Chandler said. ''I think he has that spunk, that fire in him, and he looks like he would be a great professional.
''He'll be the type of teammate who will come in and work hard with me. I could see it in his eyes when I was talking to him.''
Chandler's also excited about trade possibilities that include the Hornets' Baron Davis and the Cavaliers' Andre Miller, although with Williams on board, it's unlikely the Bulls would grab another point guard. Williams' presence, however, could result in Crawford being dealt for help at one of the frontcourt positions.
Chandler also has been studying the prospective free agents.
''I go in B.J. [Armstrong's] office every day and look at the board [of free agents] and tell him my ideas,'' Chandler said. ''And we'll battle back and forth.
''I really feel like this is my team. I want to know everything, like who we're going to draft and who we're going to take through free agency. That comment is not meant to be selfish because without guys like Eddy and Trent, we can't do anything.''
Chandler wasn't sure where he would go at this time last year, but he knows how far he wants to go next season.
''Sophomore season definitely gives you a different confidence,'' Chandler said. ''You know what's out there, and you come in with the mentality that I'm going to do well because I've seen it and wasn't far from it.
''I plan on being an All-Star. I just want to go as far as I can take myself. No limit.''
Chandler reached a limit last season. The year began with him chafing on the bench while Tim Floyd brought him along gradually, and it ended with Chandler and Curry experiencing the mental and physical fatigue most rookies face.
So after the season, Chandler retreated to his grandparents' farm in Hanford, Calif.
''We had a family reunion and stuff like that,'' he said. ''It was relaxing; nobody knew I was there.''
The reunion, however, didn't include Chandler's biological father. The only picture hanging in Chandler's house is that of his brother, Ryan, and his sister, Erika, on a wall in his bedroom. Those are his siblings from his father, who is not a part of Chandler's life.
''I respect him because he's an adult and he is my father, but I'm just trying to get to my little brother and sister when I call,'' Chandler said. ''Our time has passed. I'm a man now.
''It's difficult. It's a hard situation to be in.''
But Chandler saw how difficult it was for his mother, Vernie Threadgill, to raise three children, including Terrell and Tervon. Threadgill's parents also raised the children on their farm, and that's why Chandler's big offseason purchase was a house in Riverside, Calif., for his family.
It was the farm, though, that provided the serenity Chandler needed after the season.
''I was fishing for about a week and a half, relaxing with family,'' he said. ''I helped with the farm. My mom still makes me do my bed before leaving the house. It's the same thing. That's what I like, still having the chores.
''But I got bored. I started watching the playoffs and was ready to start playing. During one game, Jalen [Rose] called me and said, 'You've got to get me to there [to the playoffs] next season.' I called [Bulls management], and they arranged for me to come back to start working out.''
Chandler returned and began to put his new life in order. He no longer lives with 33-year-old Tom Lewis, who was an adviser from California because now Chandler feels like the man of the house.
Chandler's eager for next season, and he's dying to leave the rebuilding to the construction workers outside of his home. Chandler's ready for the NBA's high-rent district.
June 23, 2002
STORY BY ROMAN MODROWSKI * STAFF REPORTER
Tyson Chandler's brand new Mercedes rolls up his driveway in a cloud of dust while construction workers sweat out the final phase of the new subdivision.
Chandler has lived in the house less than a month and doesn't know any of his neighbors, which is similar to the way he felt last year at about this time, when he wasn't sure what part of the country he would call home.
The NBA draft is Wednesday, and one year ago Chandler was an 18-year-old prospect from Dominguez High School in California who decided to jump to the NBA straight out of Compton.
''I worked out in Washington two days before the draft, so I wasn't really sure where I would be at,'' Chandler said. ''The Clippers had told me, basically, they would take me at No. 2, so I didn't know if I would go 1 or 2.''
The Clippers selected Chandler with the second pick and promptly traded him and Brian Skinner to the Bulls for Elton Brand. Chandler considers the Wizards' choice of Kwame Brown as the No. 1 pick a personal snub and uses it as motivation.
Chandler's two-floor house doesn't feature many mementoes of his rookie year, except for a couple of game-night programs on a coffee table. There weren't a lot of keepsakes from the 21-61 season, considering potential and optimism aren't suitable for framing.
Chandler has to wait before he can hang his hat on any type of success, but he doesn't plan to wait long.
''I can't go through that again,'' he said.
So he's trying to ensure things will change as quickly as next season.
After cutting his summer vacation short, Chandler has been working out six days a week, sometimes twice a day, at the Berto Center. He works out in the morning with teammates Eddy Curry, Trenton Hassell, Jamal Crawford, Marcus Fizer and Dalibor Bagaric. And Chandler heads back at night with a couple of friends who are helping to break in the new house.
''Every day I come in [the Berto], there's something new drawn on the board,'' assistant athletic trainer Eric Waters said. ''There's some artwork on the greaseboard because Tyson has been here working out, and his friends have been waiting on him to finish and draw on the board. So I know he's been here the previous night.''
Jerry Krause snuck into the Berto on a recent holiday to try to walk off some calories, and Chandler was in there by himself working on his game.
''I see great similarities between Tyson and Scottie [Pippen] and Horace [Grant],'' Krause said. ''I probably never had two players work harder between their first and second seasons than Scottie and Horace.
''Eddy, Trenton and Dalibor are doing the same thing. They were coming all on their own, all voluntary.''
Chandler stands 7-1, although he feels he still may be growing, but his height already presents a mismatch at power forward. He weighs about 240 pounds and plans to add some muscle.
''I want to be able to finish stronger in games,'' he said. ''I want to be the guy my teammates look for late in games.''
The workouts include pickup games when the weightlifting is over. A recent game featured Chandler and former teammate Charles Oakley, who is a free agent but still works out at the Berto at Chandler's request, against Curry and Hassell. The talk is loud, and Oakley continues to teach the youngsters the physical nature of the game, leading to battle stories among the three later once Oakley has left for the showers.
Chandler blocks a couple of shots with explosive force, but his most emotional outburst is kicking a rack full of balls after he and Oakley lose. It's the middle of June, but the sting of defeat has Chandler lying alone on the Berto Center court for 15 minutes.
He needs help. And that's what Chandler has been searching for on the second floor of the Berto Center, where the management offices are located.
''If I'm going to be here, I want people around here who are going to win,'' Chandler said. ''[Management is] going to talk to me, but I don't wait for them to approach me. I go up there and give my input.
''I tell [Krause] I think certain players fit in and others don't really want to win. But it will be his decision.''
To his credit, Krause appreciates input from players because it reflects how serious they are about winning.
''Tyson and I have a very good relationship,'' Krause said. ''He's a bright young man, and he can be talked to. He makes good common sense.''
The night before Duke point guard Jay Williams worked out for the Bulls, Chandler made an unannounced visit to his hotel room. Chandler knows what it's like to work out for a team that already has someone playing your position. Fizer was the incumbent power forward when Chandler was acquired, and Jamal Crawford is the current starting point guard.
''I understand what he's going through and how tough and lonely that can be,'' Chandler said. ''It's like you're on an island and everybody's against you, as far as some players who might not want you to be here.
''So I kind of just wanted to go over there and tell him we do want him here, so just go and worry about the workout and not the other stuff.''
Williams appreciated the gesture, and his eagerness to join the Bulls convinced Chandler.
''I would love [Williams] to be here,'' Chandler said. ''I think he has that spunk, that fire in him, and he looks like he would be a great professional.
''He'll be the type of teammate who will come in and work hard with me. I could see it in his eyes when I was talking to him.''
Chandler's also excited about trade possibilities that include the Hornets' Baron Davis and the Cavaliers' Andre Miller, although with Williams on board, it's unlikely the Bulls would grab another point guard. Williams' presence, however, could result in Crawford being dealt for help at one of the frontcourt positions.
Chandler also has been studying the prospective free agents.
''I go in B.J. [Armstrong's] office every day and look at the board [of free agents] and tell him my ideas,'' Chandler said. ''And we'll battle back and forth.
''I really feel like this is my team. I want to know everything, like who we're going to draft and who we're going to take through free agency. That comment is not meant to be selfish because without guys like Eddy and Trent, we can't do anything.''
Chandler wasn't sure where he would go at this time last year, but he knows how far he wants to go next season.
''Sophomore season definitely gives you a different confidence,'' Chandler said. ''You know what's out there, and you come in with the mentality that I'm going to do well because I've seen it and wasn't far from it.
''I plan on being an All-Star. I just want to go as far as I can take myself. No limit.''
Chandler reached a limit last season. The year began with him chafing on the bench while Tim Floyd brought him along gradually, and it ended with Chandler and Curry experiencing the mental and physical fatigue most rookies face.
So after the season, Chandler retreated to his grandparents' farm in Hanford, Calif.
''We had a family reunion and stuff like that,'' he said. ''It was relaxing; nobody knew I was there.''
The reunion, however, didn't include Chandler's biological father. The only picture hanging in Chandler's house is that of his brother, Ryan, and his sister, Erika, on a wall in his bedroom. Those are his siblings from his father, who is not a part of Chandler's life.
''I respect him because he's an adult and he is my father, but I'm just trying to get to my little brother and sister when I call,'' Chandler said. ''Our time has passed. I'm a man now.
''It's difficult. It's a hard situation to be in.''
But Chandler saw how difficult it was for his mother, Vernie Threadgill, to raise three children, including Terrell and Tervon. Threadgill's parents also raised the children on their farm, and that's why Chandler's big offseason purchase was a house in Riverside, Calif., for his family.
It was the farm, though, that provided the serenity Chandler needed after the season.
''I was fishing for about a week and a half, relaxing with family,'' he said. ''I helped with the farm. My mom still makes me do my bed before leaving the house. It's the same thing. That's what I like, still having the chores.
''But I got bored. I started watching the playoffs and was ready to start playing. During one game, Jalen [Rose] called me and said, 'You've got to get me to there [to the playoffs] next season.' I called [Bulls management], and they arranged for me to come back to start working out.''
Chandler returned and began to put his new life in order. He no longer lives with 33-year-old Tom Lewis, who was an adviser from California because now Chandler feels like the man of the house.
Chandler's eager for next season, and he's dying to leave the rebuilding to the construction workers outside of his home. Chandler's ready for the NBA's high-rent district.
