No. 50 has a long way to go
Indiana Pacers forward Tyler Hansbrough and Charlotte Bobcats forward Derrick Brown tussle for the ball during an NBA basketball game in Charlotte, N.C. on Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009. The Bobcats won 104-88. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)
Nov 23, 2009
You know you are a little ways away when you're own coach says "He's got a long way to go." That's what Pacers coach Jim O'Brien said about rookie Tyler Hansbrough. What rookie doesn't have a long way to go though?
Tyler scored 8 points and grabbed 6 rebounds in 21 minutes of work in a blowout loss to the Bobcats. It was the first NBA game he's ever played in NC. Scott Fowler of the Charlotte Observer broke down his performance in last night's game. He says Hansbrough will have plenty of floor burns from his 4th quarter play. He dove for loose balls, forced jump balls and took a charge. Bobcats coach Larry Brown sees big potential.
"He's going to be great," Brown said. "Anybody that plays as hard as he does every possession is going to be successful in our league. He does what he does best. He pursues the ball. He runs on the break. He does all the little effort things that you can't teach."
Fowler even had this nugget - with all of the Tar Heel Blue in the house last night you could have put together quite an alumni team. MJ, Sam Perkins, Phil Ford, Hansbrough and Felton. And Brown and Roy Williams (sat in front row) could have coached.
