A Day in the Life of Scott Skiles

This article is the first in the Guru's new Insider series.

By Nicholas Churchill



All is quiet on the western front. It's almost 4 o'clock am and I'm standing outside the open bedroom door of former NBA player and Chicago Bulls coach Scott Skiles. The room and everything in it is midnight black and the only thing I can hear is Skiles' laborious breathing. Skiles suffers from sleep apnea, a condition he earlier attributed to to "an overstrengthening of neck musculature, from an early age" Skiles, like so many of his generation, lifted weights pre-pubescently. I tiptoe toward the door, peering in. Skiles doesn't know I'm here. He gave me the keys to his house so I could gain exclusive access to him for the biography I'm writing. He told me not to tell him when I was coming, so that I could get a true picture of him when he wasn't awake. "I'm a different person, then," the NBA all-times assists in a game (30) leader said. Even in his loud breathing, I notice an uncanny slowness, a calm over Skiles. He is at peace.

That ends now, when his alarm-clock goes off, at 3:59:59. I jump at the cacophony of sounds.

Whistles blowing, sneakers squeaking, nets swishing, clips of Skiles himself yelling, point guards barking plays, big men slamming dunks, buzzers going off. Sounds of the game. For Scott Skiles, wakeup time is game time. He flips on the lights. Next to the alarm clock on Skiles' nightstand is a 1st edition autographed copy of Wilt Chamberlain's epic, A View From Above--"The Bible," Skiles says with a wistful look. "The greatest player to ever play the game, on and off the court."

Skiles brushes his teeth, flosses twice, lathers his face vigorously. One thought pervades every corner of my mind: Scott Skiles is a man of discipline. He still hasn't spoken to me.

As he exits the bathroom, he clears his throat and says, "Good morning," and heads toward the kitchen in his slippers. On the way, I can see his energy building with every step. Skiles makes a sharp right and shows me his trophy room. In addition to his many gleaming gold, silver, bronze and brass awards, Skiles has a great photo of his Hoosier high school days, when a shaggy-haired boy took a no-name high school to the Indiana State Basketball Title. "Back then it was all one tourney, not that 4-class BS they have now. We slayed the dragon that day, and that's not all I slayed," pointing to a cheerleader in the background. "Man that was a great day, but this is the real trophy," he says as we walk into his garage. "This, my friend, is a 1981 Dodge Stratus. I stole this car the night we won it all, back in high school. This was a car of conquest for me--sexual conquest. Obviously, I'd conquered everything else Indiana had to offer by that point."

At first glance you wouldn't think of Skiles as a ladies man. He's a shade under 6 ft, balding noticeably, and his regimented coaching style carries over to his life, even with the ladies. "Women, you have to understand, they need to be smacked around once in a while. I learned that from my Granpappy Skiles down in Terra Haute, IN. He was born in to a polygamist sect, and well, sometimes, the best way to a woman's 'heart' is with the back of your hand."

Kissing the hairy back of his own right hand, Skiles chuckles. "I gave Shaq some of this back in '93. And he won't ever forget it, don't let him tell you otherwise. Larry Krystowiak, my good friend, who I'll probably be replacing as Milwaukee Bucks coach next year, tried to break it up. Nothing doing. Shaq was a boy back then, and I could make him a boy now. I still don't know why I was the second Magic player on NBA Jam. That game didn't even showcase my skills. Boom-shaka-laka?!?! You couldn't even run a help defense, the guys wouldn't switch. It was like the Bulls this year. What a joke. Although I did like that special code-player, Mark Turmel. I believe his intials that you entered were TUR. I guess he was a designer, and he wrote himself into the game along with P-Funk. Who would've thunk it? That's genius."

The garage opens onto the kitchen. "Skiles makes way for a cabinet and pulls out an industrial sized jar of Metamusil. "That's the stuff. IBS always plagued me as a player, until I met Kareem, and he told the benefits of a healthy diet, with plenty of fiber. I'm a guy who needs regularity in every aspect of my life. Naturally, that includes the can." Skiles claims that he's had "Nothing but one wipers," since his 1992 appearance in NBA Jam. "Being in that game really cemented my legacy as a star. And a true NBA star is always in control, especially a white point guard. It starts with your bowels, and then you go from there.""

"I mean back at MSU, we'd a get a little crazy, but not like that game design guy--Turmel. We'd get a little booze, a little white, you know the usual, maybe jack a couple cars. Back then it was good clean fun. These guys now, I don't get it. Players on their phones all the time. Would you believe Ben Wallace is always texting? Neither could I, but it's non stop. Texting women, never closing the deal. It's the same on the court, he can never finish at the rim."

It's late afternoon, our interviews are done for the day. Skiles shows me his court out back. We play a couple of games of PIG and then lace em up for a little one on one. Skiles insists on lowering the rim to 8 ft so we can both dunk. Needless to say, the thrown downs keep coming and coming. Skiles, though, doesn't talk any smack. He keeps it cool until the end, giving me open jumpers and a few easy buckets, keeping me in the game. "I'm playing you like the Bulls, you see, playing down to your level. Now you're seeing what I had to deal with day in day out."

It's 10-10, Game Point. I post Skiles up, give him a little chin music with my elbow. He ducks and then reaches down to his shoe, like he's twisted an ankle. "Scott, you OK?" After rolling down his old gym socks, he makes a rush at me. There's something twinkling in the sun. Swoosh. It's a switch blade. "What the fuck was that," the Coach says, pointing the knife at me. I block it with the ball which he jabs. That's NBA leather, tough as nails, tough as Scott Skiles." He turns to the other hoop and throws the knife full court, swish. "Game." But just for good measure, he steals the ball and dunks it on the near hoop like Woody Harrelson in White Men Can't Jump, a primordial scream echoes around the Skiles estate.

Inside, Skiles chugs prune juice by the bottle. "Kareem?" I ask. He nods between gulps.

I use the guest shower and Skiles hands me a leather jacket as we head for the garage. Night is falling. He puts on sunglasses and points to the '81 Stratus. "Let's roll."

This text was excerpted from author Nicholas Churchill's forthcoming biography, Scott Skiles: White Noise, due out from Simon and Schuster later this spring. Churchill is a 13 year veteran of The New Republic and a Founding Editor of Sports Illustrated for KIDS.

Congratulations Bulls fans. The team has chosen a direction, and that direction is down. With a few Charlotte wins we can grab a hold of a 2.8% chance of winning the 8th most balls in this year's lottery. So here's to four relatively terrible NBA regular season games, and the hope of a brighter future.

BULLS MAGIC NUMBER*:


ZERO

Our most recent ESPN.com NBA Mock Lottery Pick: No. 9 - Kevin Love (1.7% *Chance for #1)

*indicates number of losses needed for mathematic elimination

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/lottery2008/mockdraft

Bittersweet O.J

During his first (and most certainly only) season at USC, OJ Mayo has become a lightening rod for criticism. His antagonistic, brash style has rubbed many onlookers the wrong way. And though talented, Mayo has failed to live up to the impossible "The Next Lebron James" expectations that preceded him.

Lost in the all the hoopla is that OJ Mayo is a fantastic guard who will be a lottery pick come draft night. Lets take a look at his game.

A cut 6'4'' 210 lbs, Mayo has tremendous body control and all-around athleticism; he looks like he could have played wide receiver in the NFL if this basketball thing didn't work out. Great handle with a lethal crossover and an outstanding first step. In the halfcourt, he has the ability to pull up on a dime and drain the mid-range jumper or go all the way to the rim for creative layups or explosive slams. Has legit NBA 3 range and is a solid free throw shooter. Solid passer with good court vision; he may shoot a bit too often in college because he can get his shot off so easily but he is surprisingly unselfish with the ball at times. Defense is very good, bordering on outstanding; he is tremendous picking up his man at 35 feet and staying in front of him and has quick hands for steals. An extremely confident player who has the courage to take and make the clutch shot.

For all his strengths, Mayo struggles to fit into a team-oriented style of play. Frankly, he is a ball-hog. He needs the rock in his hands to be effective; he does not move well off screens and does not fit as a catch-and-shoot guy. FG % is low because he shoots too often. Launches too many 3's or forced shots over defenders in the mid-range. Rebounding is average for a player of his physical ability. Struggled against Russell Westbrook of UCLA and though Westbrook projects as an All-NBA caliber defender, it raises questions of how tough defense affects Mayo's offensive game. His intangible are below average; he comes off as antagonistic and arrogant on the court. Does not seem to make his teammates much better.

On talent, Mayo should be a top 5 pick come draft night but the problem is ball-hogging guards are about as out of style in the NBA right now as tapered stone-washed jeans (thank you Stephon Marbury and Steve Francis!). The problem with Mayo is that he will never be able to lead a team to a title as a first man but his game as it is now is completely predicated around being "The Man". A tremendously talented but fatally flawed player, he projects as a cross between Larry Hughes and Stephon Marbury in the league. Look for him to go between 4-10 on draft night.

'The 300 Level' Entry #1: Biggie Bagel Wins Again

"Do you really want to win, or just look good losing" – Phonte from Little Brother

The Bulls don't want the Eighth Seed.

Eighth seed in the East, lets be honest, is like winning your IM B-League. You know, the league where the frats play their third string dudes like it's a damn JV game and there might be a dude out there in loafers. Teams don't have shirts, they have to borrow pennies, and they're one penny short, so they gotta switch when the dude with the loafers come into the game. It's like that. You've clearly got some skills, but you can't compete with the A-League where the dude you heard transferred from D-1 because he blew out his knee dishes to like the thirty year old assistant coach who got in cause he knows the ref, and the 6-4 hippie in Tevas (rainbows, if tevas are no longer the hippie sandal of choice) slams the put-back. (I've literally seen a 6-4 hippie dunk in the lane over some guys. Does every college IM ball have this dude?) My point is, sure you made it, but your not touching the elite teams.

See up here with 300 Level tickets you really need a close game and a team worth rooting for if you want an exciting game, and right now the Bulls rarely put either on display. Excitement for the Dunkin Donuts race is a good barometer for how good the game is (better than the literal fan barometer, the meter that measures the yelling of the crowd. More on this in later entries). For those not familiar with the Dunkin Donuts race, somewhere late in the third quarter the Bulls feature a three lap race between three personified Dunkin Donut products. Without getting into the details, Dashing Donut and Biggie Bagel race against Cuppy Coffee, all with about an equal chance of winning. Now, the discrepancy between the cheering for the game and the cheering for the race can pretty well show how into a game the crowd is. Recently, I would say Dunkin Donuts is beating the Bulls by about 1500%.

Without a team that has some direction and has guys consistently playing hard, that ratio is going to stand pat (Now cheering out of your mind because you won the free chipotle burritos for a year, that's understandable. That's just a damn good prize.) Unfortunately for the Bulls, they have neither of these elements. Some nights they lose to a lottery-bound eastern conference team and you think hey, maybe we can hit the lottery, get lucky, and get a quality draft pick. Other nights, they play like the hard-working Skiles led Bulls that we had come to know and love. But if they keep switching off then we get that eighth seed. No new assets, no real hope for the future of this core. We can do better than the IM B-League championship, either with a solid playoff showing, or a total collapse. But if we keep treading water, that A-League (I guess represented here by the 13 or 14 more legitimate teams than the bulls) will keep showing us how to do this. We might look better than a lottery team, but we'll definitely be losing like one. Phonte Holla at me!

Bulls Sign Nocioni, What's Next?

The Chicago Bulls announced today that the have resigned Argentinian forward Andres Nocioni to a 5-year deal worth a reported $38 million, with a team option for a 6th year. Nocioni was a restricted free agent, meaning that the Bulls would have had the opportunity to match any offere from another team. The only one with reported interest was Memphis, whose offer was not significantly higher than Chicago's.

With Nocioni now signed to a long term deal, is this a signal that the Bulls are now shopping Luol Deng? Deng has been rumored to be a key piece in the Kevin Garnett sweepstakes, with the Bulls being a frontrunner for the former MVP's services. With extensions expected to be offered Deng and Ben Gordon, who are both heading into the last year of their rookie deals, the Bulls are suddenly looking at a crowded financial situation, given Nocioni's new contract. Starting PG Kirk Hinrich will be paid 11 million for the first season of his own 5-year contract.

The Bulls, who are still looking for offensive firepower, particularly low post scoring, have stayed committed to their young talents just as GM John Paxson said they would. The team, however, is still a player away from being a sure bet in the weak Eastern Conference, after falling to Detroit in 6 in the 2nd round. The team has been rumored to be actively shopping backup PG Chris Duhon, who is slated to make nearly $4 million the next year in the last year of his deal.

While Paxson can count on continued improvement, at least from Deng and Gordon, this latest move is disturbing, given that it would take Nocioni's approval on any sign and trade. His contract, while not over-indulgent, while nontheless be hard to move, unless the Bulls offer young pieces like Tyrus Thomas or Joakim Noah to go with him.

With Nocioni in the fold, now, this does seem like Paxson could be on the verge of making a deal for Garnett or Kobe Bryant, with Deng being the centerpiece. The Bulls simply cannot afford to pay two small forwards upwards of $16 million combined, which is what they are looking at if they want to keep Luol. If this is their plan, they are on the road to becoming the Pistons, a very good team whose starters' high salaries make for a thin bench and playoff meltdowns.

Mock Draft #1 (Lottery Picks)

With what could be the best NBA draft, top to bottom, in history only two days away, we are looking at monumental reshaping of the league. Kobe and KG are on the trading block, Danny Ainge is trying to figure out how to get his Celtics out of mediocrity, and Blazers GM Kevin Pritchard is about to make the toughest decision of his life. If you're an optimist, Pritchard can't lose with either pick. However, history has shown that even with two greats coming out, one will be better than the other. Hakeem vs. Michael. Lebron vs. Darko vs. Carmelo. Without further ado, here goes; these picks are slated as to how best they would help a team, and the rumors I have heard on the wire, they will not factor in potential trades.

1. Portland--Greg Oden. Pritchard makes the safe choice, and gets the best big man to come through the NBA in 2 decades. Oden, with paired with the duo of Randolph and Aldridge, also leaves Pritchard wiggle room to trade one of his other bigs. Or, he could just keep them all and have the most dominant, deepest front line in the league. Oden is a defensive ace, and while he needs to develop offensively, sheer size and athletic ability make him an immediate force in the paint.
2. Seattle--Kevin Durant. New GM Sam Presti, who was schooled under Spurs gurus R.C. Buford and Greg Popovich, makes the no brainer choice with Durant, who simultaneously opens up the perimeter and frontline for the Sonics. Durant can spread the floor, back his man down, run the offense, and take it to the cup. This allows the Sonics to let Rashard Lewis go if they please, and saves cap space for a franchise in flux.
3. Atlanta--Al Horford. Billy Knight's practice of taking the best player available finally pays off. Though Mike Conley should be in the argument here, Horford gives the Hawks legit low post scoring and defense, and passes well for a big man. Along with Shelden Williams and Pachulia, the Hawks all of the sudden have an intriguing frontcourt.
4. Memphis--Mike Conley. Why take Joakim Noah or Brandan Wright when you already have Pau Gasol? Firesale talks in Memphis will quiet down with the lightning quick PG, who draws immediate comparisons to TJ Ford, but with a better sense of pace, and a semblance of a jumper. Conley is a superb athlete who should be able to break defenses down a la Tony Parker. He might be one of the few players in the league able to stay with Parker on the perimeter, and extremely valuable skill come playoff time.
5. Boston--Yi Jianlian. This is where things get interesting. Ainge will likely be drafting for someone else, and Yi gives him some options there. Yi is also a better complement to Al Jefferson than Brandan Wright or Jeff Green, should the Celtics choose to keep the pick. Wright has been slipping, after being outplayed in workouts by Green and Corey Brewer.
6. Milwaukee--Brandan Wright. The Bucks roll the dice on Wright instead of taking Jeff Green. Wright has better longterm potential, and in an East that is beginning to get crowded, there is no immediate future with Green--short term, he doesn't raise them to a second round team. Wright is an athletic complement to the bruising Andrew Bogut, and also benefits from Bogut's passing ability.
7. Minnesota--Cory Brewer. With a KG trade imminent, possibly with Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum coming in from the Lakers, Brewer shores up the 2 and 3 spots for Minne. Paired with Randy Foye, he can provide an athletic backcourt, and be a defensive thorn.
8. Charlotte--Nick Young. With a frontcourt already filled with young solid players Okafor and Sean May, MJ turns to the backcourt and drafts someone who reminds him of himself, athletically. Young is a smooth 6-6 who can do it all, back down, shoot the 3, take it to the rim and finish. He and Ray Felton give the Bobcats a quick backcourt to offset their deliberate frontcourt. And if the team can retain Gerald Wallace at the 3, we're talking playoffs next year.
9. Chicago--Spencer Hawes. While Jeff Green and Joakim Noah intrigue, the Bulls go for sheer size and low post scoring, drafting for need in the conservative Paxson way. Hawes speed and defensive deficiencies can be masked by Ben Wallace and a long Luol Deng. The Bulls get a proven back to the basket player who has a creative arsenal of moves, and who should be able to pass out of the post to their perimeter shooters.
10. Sacramento--Jeff Green. Green has the more polished offensive game than Noah, which is what this pick comes down to, as Sactown is forced to hang onto Bibby. Green can play either the 3 or 4 along Brad Miller and even Ron Artest, because he is an unselfish player who can be effective as a focal point, or not.
11. Atlanta--Acie Law. Atlanta finally shores up their PG spot, though Mike Conley might have been a better pick at #3 strictly based on team need. Law and Joe Johnson both can shoot it, and Law and the moxie and closer mentality that the Hawks sorely lack. He can step right in, contribute, and be a captain for the future.
12. Philadelphia--Joakim Noah. The slide is over for Noah as he falls into the Sixers--who need a power forward--lap. Noah is never going to be a great scorer in the league, but at 12 he's too good to pass up. He can be a double double energy guy a la Marcus Camby, and delivers defense to any 3, 4, or 5. Noah can be a matchup nightmare and gives Philly some needed star power.
13. New Orleans--Julian Wright. The Hornets get another initiator in Wright, who can take some of the pressure off Chris Paul. Wright can run the floor and be a matchup nightmare defensively, offsetting the plodding D of Peja Stojakovic. He makes the Hornets make the jump to playoff team in the West.
14. LA Clippers--Thaddeus Young. The clippers got hosed, watching Law and Wright fall off the board, their two best fits. So they go future with Thaddeus Young, who is a better fit than Elton Brand than Al Thornton. Young is athletic, and does it all for this team, allowing them to move Maggete.

Spurs Stomp Cavs into Ground

Cleveland's best game of the 2007 NBA Finals wasn't good enough. The San Antonio Spurs, the class of the NBA, won game 4 83-82 in what was the only remotely compelling game of the series. The game wasn't as close as the score indicated, not with Tony Parker attacking the paint relentlessly, and Tim Duncan crashing the boards (he finished with 15 rebs) to overcome a poor shooting night. The Spurs, as they have done every opponent this year and in years past, ground the Cavs down clinically and once again made LeBron James look human.

While questions of a Dynasty, in my opinion, should be reserved for teams who have pulled off back-to-back titles, the Spurs have a longevity that some great teams like the Rockets, Pistons, and Shaq-Kobe-lead Lakers did not. And don't even begin to think this team is finished. Tim Duncan is a young 31, and his game, premised on defense, rebounding, and footwork , should age well. Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili are just entering their primes, and you can bet the Spurs will find somebody worth keeping--my bet's some Euro--with their 28th pick in this year's draft.

The Spurs got it done--as always--with stifling perimeter and interior defense. LeBron's epic drives were met by 2 or 3 of the best defenders in league, and his teammates couldn't hit a jump shot to save their respective lives. Donyell Marshall and Damon Jones, formerly solid contributors, showed their age and as much as I like Daniel Gibson, he's not a true point and still has a long way to go. It seems that every Cavs player--maybe LeBron included, even--has some flaw that prevents them from working cohesively with their teammates. Whereas the Spurs are built perfectly: their talents accentuate and feed of each other's. Duncan's passing breeds good drives for Parker and Ginobili, for example. Oberto and Horry's rebounding give second chances that end up in the hands of lights out shooters like Michael Finley and Brent Barry.

Speaking of Finley, his acceptance speech was muddled and hilarious: he let out a King Kong growl and that game ball was glued to his hands, which doubtless, are huge and lend themselves to good shooting, unlike certain Cavs players, probably Larry Hughes, whose jumper makes me grimace.

The Cavs were worse finals opponents for the Spurs than either the Pistons--proven history-- and the Bulls, whose peak performance ability could probably have taken at least a game or two. Cleveland needs many a band-aid, but they have untradeable contracts and a plethora of decent parts that fail to add up to a good whole. It is worth noting, again, the greatness of the West; I am convinced that the Suns, Mavs, Jazz, and Rockets even would have beaten the Cavs in a 7 game series. That doesn't take away from Cleveland's excellent play against Detroit, but the Cavs would have been a 4 or a 5 out West and might not have escaped the first round. Last year's finals was better by a mile.

The Cavs need a good distributor not named Hughes to take the pressure off the Chosen one. The need 1 or 2 shooters who can do what Damon Jones did the past two years. Drew Gooden was solid, but they need more upfront, a slasher who can crash the boards. Would Phoenix take Gibson and Gooden--or another package-- for Marion? Marion and Lebron would get it done, and Marion could be a clear cut #2 in Cleveland. Phoenix could unload cap.

That would never happen, unless it were in the Cavs dreams. Just like an NBA title is only a dream with this flawed roster.

As for the Spurs? The most efficient and boring NBA team needs no further explanations. They are the best, and they will be the best, or among them, for the next 5 years.