Comfortably ensconced in the pool room at the Dream Team's resort hotel in Scottsdale, Ariz., head coach Lenny Wilkens sat down for a recent question/answer session:
Q: After a five-day training camp in Chicago and three exhibition games, have you been able to formulate an opinion about the team's progress?A: Everything is still evolving, but it's been a great experience. The thing I'm seeing, and I experienced this (as assistant coach) in '92, is that when you spend time together, you get to know one another. And there are intense rivalries, like in '92. Patrick (Ewing) didn't like Larry Bird and they became the best of friends. I'm sure there are some intense rivalries during the season, like with Shaq (O'Neal) and Karl (Malone), but now you're around the guy, get a chance to talk, find out a little about him, and all of a sudden you think, "Hey, he's not as big a jerk as I thought." And that's important because we have to come together as a team.
Q: Did you approach the three-week training session with a definitive plan in terms of lineups, strategy and scheduling when the players gathered in Chicago on June 30?
A: Sure. Offensively you have to get a flow right away. Where you want to go, what you want to do. We worked on how to attack the zone defenses we're going to see. Now we're starting to emphasize the defense more. As for the lineups, I will start different people and try to give everybody a chance to play quality minutes, at least during the exhibition tour. So far it's worked out well. I'm starting to see progress. Players are starting to learn each other, know how to reach each other.
Q: Has this team developed an identity yet, or is it too soon?
A: It's almost there. They're a little more reserved. They'll kid and joke, but not like the team in '92. But the team in '92, you had a lot of legends. This is a little younger group. Some of them, like Penny Hardaway and Grant Hill, are trying real hard to fit in. Sometimes I have to yell at Penny to shoot. He's making the extra pass, sometimes when I think he should shoot. I don't know if he's in awe, but I know he wants to show everyone he's unselfish. But I know that.
Q: What other comparisons can be drawn to the original Dream Team?
A: That was a better outside shooting team, and we're not as good a passing team. I think that's because we're a little more impulsive. We see something and, booom!, we want to do it right now rather than let it develop. That's youth. If it's there, ram it through! But this team is a better defensive team. The trademark of this team will be its defense.
Q: Has anyone surprised you?
A: Two things. Mitch Richmond is a good defensive player. I mean, I knew about his offense. But I didn't know he could stay up, pressure, double (team) like he can. Even in practice, I see it out there. And I'm impressed with Shaq. This guy is learning all the time, and he's so young . You know, I'm impressed with what he can do. He's learning those low-post moves, to make a spin, jump-step, pop and take it to the rim real strong. He's a better passer than I thought. And the thing I like about him so much: He knows what he has to work on, like his free throws. This whole group works hard.
Q: Who are the introverts?
A: Hakeem (Olajuwon) is the quietest. David (Robinson) is a little reserved, too, but he's talking a lot more than he did in '92. Grant doesn't say much. But he's another guy. You see him growing every day. This is a great experience for him.
Q: Everyone is familiar with one character (Charles Barkley) on the roster. Are there others?
A: There's a few. Mitch has got a great sense of humor. He'll do imitations of everybody. Shaquille, the other day he was getting on the bus, and he had his headphones on, and he was singing to his rap music. We were all watching him. But he kept right on rapping - and he was good, too! Penny likes to joke around. Then of course, there's Charles (laugh). He said to me, "I thought you were going to put me on the team. How come I was added late?" I said, "Charles, you kept telling everybody you weren't even going to play this year." He said, "Well, I'm back." It's good, because he really gives us some personality.