Tyler A Pacer!

By now I'm sure you have heard Tyler hansbrough (Poplar Bluff native & North Carolina Tar Heel) was drafted 13th overall by the Indiana Pacers. I grew up a huge Pacers fan and couldn't be happier with the pick.

I think Larry Bird made a solid safe choice...It's one he won't regret because Tyler makes negative headlines. Tyler is the type of player (tireless worker who loves basketball) and type of person (low-key & respectful) who will endear himself to the Indianapolis and Pacers Nation.

After the Pacers made the pick of Tyler I was reminded of a watching practice before the McDonalds All-American Game a few years ago in South Bend, IN. The squad Tyler played on had it's first practice at a small community college gymnasium a few miles from Notre Dame. In the stands watching practice were NBA Coaches and front office personnel (Mitch Kupchack, Pat Riley, Isiah Thomas and Larry Bird).

I was fascinated by Tyler's drive and determination while practicing for an All-Star game. He was alone at a side basket feverishly working on bunny shots...One after another, the ball rarely touching the floor. Tyler looked to be in a "zone" and ignoring the majority of the other players who took a "showboat" approach to the practice, workout, shoot-a-round or whatever you want to call it.

The "event" looked more like a Bill Self run practice I watched prior to his Jayhawks 2005 NCAA Tournament game against Bucknell in Oklahoma City. I'll save that for another blog entry. It was not a good day for Kansas.


Back to Tyler...
Almost mirroring Hansbrough's focus was Indiana Pacers executive Larry Bird.
The former NBA great sat alone in the bleachers, away from the crowd of spectators and NBA elite, watching the soon-to-be Tar Heel great work on basic drills.


I don't know Tyler on a personal level...I have only been around him during basketball related situations and interviewed him many times over the past eight years. But I became a Tyler Hansbrough fan watching him fine tune his three foot jumper while ignoring NBA Royalty and the slam dunk contest at the other end of the court. It was truly refreshing.

Click here to hear Larry Bird talk about Tyler.