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Michael Redd has more years as a
Buck than any of his
teammates. (Getty Images) |
February 3, 2007
by Mark Hutchinson / special to Bucks.com
As Michael Redd monitored the Milwaukee Bucks’ youth movement during the offseason of 2006, he could not help but flash back to his first season with the team, when he was the unproven prospect.
Redd’s playing time during that 2000-01 campaign amounted to a grand total of 35 minutes, but he made sure the rest of his time was well-spent. He watched, he learned, he worked out relentlessly and he honed a jump shot that has become one of the most productive in the entire National Basketball Association.
Redd’s game has taken quantum leaps in each of the five and a half seasons that have come and gone since then. He paused for the cause in this month’s edition of “Crossover.”
Q: “This team has undergone a lot of changes during your years here. What were your impressions of the 2006-07 squad when you arrived in camp?”
A: “That we have a world of talent this year, with more versatility. Mo (Williams) is a scorer, Charlie Villanueva’s a scorer, Andrew (Bogut) stepped up his game at the World Championships. The more versatile our team is, the better it will be.”
Q: “Half of last year’s roster was overhauled. How do you think the adjustments have gone?”
A: “We’ve rotated guys in the last couple of years a lot. It’s been an adjustment every year. The team we have now is a young team. The guys listen and work hard.”
Q: “How does it feel to be one of the team’s elder statesmen?”
A: “I’m old, man. I’m old. David Noel said, ‘It’s like father and son,’ and I said, ‘What? Father and son?’ He was joking with me, but man, I guess so … I’ve been in the league seven years. I’m 27 now. That’s crazy to me, man, just crazy.”
Q: “You’ve improved dramatically in each of your NBA seasons. What’s your next objective?”
A: “Just keep playing and keep getting better. I think being in the Team USA training camp really helped me. I played against some great competition during the summertime. I could see where my game was. I had a great training camp. I just want to keep playing basketball, having fun, keep getting better defensively, offensively, everything.”
Q: “What impact did your experience with Team USA this summer have on you and your game?”
A: “It was great, man … and humbling. Just the fact that I was out there with the best players in the world, competing with them, and playing well. We all challenged each other. It was great.
Q: “You were not able to participate in the World Championships, but did you follow Team USA?”
A: “I watched the reruns on ESPN. I was hurt when they lost because I got close to those guys this summer. I hated to see them lose. Whether I was there or Kobe (Bryant) was there or whoever was there, it could have gone the same way. I don’t think us not being there was the reason we lost.”
Q: “Could you have made a difference, though?”
A: “One thing is, those other teams aren’t dumb. They know who the shooters are. If I am there, they’d key on me, which would open things up for everybody else to drive, penetrate and do what they do. And if they don’t key on me, then … good luck.”
Q: “Do you ever set statistical goals?”
A: “One goal of mine was to get my assists up more this year, have a career high in assists … and rebounds. Those are two things I’m focusing on. Scoring will come naturally. I’m not worried about that. That’s going to be there. I want to help somebody else score. I want to get more assists and be a smarter player.”
Q: “As this season has unfolded, Charlie Villanueva has missed a lot of games with injuries, but what sort of potential do you see with him and Andrew Bogut manning the ‘4’ and ‘5’ spots?”
A: “They can potentially be double-team guys. I like our youth there. I like the fact that Charlie can score and pick and pop on pick-and-rolls. Andrew can play out there, too. I think playing in the World Championships last summer really helped Andrew gain some confidence.”
Q: “As Charlie Villanueva and Andrew Bogut develop, this team will become much more difficult to defend, won’t it?”
A: “We’ve got a lot of scorers. Sometimes I might just step back and say, ‘You all go ahead and do your thing. When you need me, call me.’ Let’s let ’em loose.”
Q: “Your assists may go up, but when crunch time arrives, you will still be spotting up, right?”
A: “I’ll be there, man. I’ll be there.”
