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Banks, Bowen off to Orlando
EX-FLAMES DUO LOOK TO BECOME BABY BULLS
(7/10/06)
Cedrick Banks relaxes after a workout at Bulls mini-camp last week. He probably will play some combo guard for the Bulls in the summer league. No, not really, but at least Banks and Bowen will be in the vicinity of the Magic Kingdom. Both were invited for the plane ride down to Orlando to be a part of the Bulls summer league team.
The ex-Flames impressed coach Scott Skiles and his staff enough to be included on the trip to the Pepsi Pro Summer League, hosted by the Orlando Magic, starting Monday afternoon.
Both players were giddy at the opportunity to rub elbows and compete with other rookies and young free agents.
“It’s been a great experience so far,” said Banks after the Bulls’ mini-camp workout at the Berto Center in Deerfield on Saturday. “We’re learning a lot. The coaching staff is a great bunch of guys. They know the game and they’re trying to [impress] it into the young guys. They’re treating us really well.”
“It’s been an out-of-body experience for me,” Bowen added. “It’s something you dream about all your life. Just to get an opportunity to get your foot in the door is very special, especially with my hometown team. I grew up watching Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and those guys. My agent, Keith Kreiter, called the Bulls. He told that they already had me on their short list.”
One year removed from setting UIC’s career scoring record, the 6-foot-3-inch, 185-pound Banks was the foreign MVP of the French Pro-B League, leading the league in scoring at 20.6 points per game while playing for regular-season champion Besancon. He also played for the Nebraska Cranes of the United States Basketball League in the spring of 2005.
The former Westinghouse High star has been playing some point with the Bulls after being a shooting guard in college.
“I have to get a little stronger and handle the ball a little better,” said Banks, who likens his game to Houston’s Tracy McGrady and Detroit’s Rip Hamilton. “I’m not worried about getting my shot off against these guys. I am shooter, I’ve have a quick shot.”
If Banks doesn’t hook up with the Bulls or another NBA team, he already has a backup plan. With the help of Chicago-based agent, Mike Naiditch, Banks will go back to France and play for Nancy, which tied for the Pro-A regular-season championship. However, in his contract with Nancy, Banks could opt out if he gets an opportunity with the NBA.
“France was a great for me,” Banks said. “I put together a pretty good resume over there and hopefully that will get me a professional job here in the U.S.”
France was a whole world for Banks as it was the first time he had ever left the country. Before his flight to France, Banks stayed awake the night before in anticipation of the trip and playing for his new team: “I fell asleep for the whole flight.”
“It’s a long season, like 10 months,” said Banks, whose Besancon team played once a week. “We practiced twice a day every day. The only time we had off was like two days after we played the games.”
However, the language barrier wasn’t too much of an issue for him.
“Actually, I had friends there, and the French guys spoke English very well,” Banks said. “We all went out together. The whole team spoke English, so the fans had to adjust to us.”
Banks said it was difficult to be away from his young daughter, Cednija.
“I came back for Christmas break for 10 days,” Banks said. “She was always on my mind. Thinking about her got me through [the long season].”
Justin Bowen takes it easy after a workout at Bulls mini-camp last week. He’ll see some action at the shooting guard spot for the Bulls’ summer league team. The Bulls are projecting Bowen as a two-guard prospect that could also play some small forward, but he needs to extend his shooting range and improve his ball-handling.
“I’ve been working hard on my shot,” Bowen said. “It’s getting better, but I can improve it some more. I need to continue to be aggressive on defense. I’m very comfortable at the ‘2,’ it’s my natural position. At UIC, we were a little undersized, so I had to adjust [and play in the post]. I had to do that to help the team and the coaches.”
Bowen graduated in May and has been working out every since: “I’ve been running, lifting, and shooting a lot.” He’s also gotten some advice from UIC coach Jimmy Collins, who played in parts of two seasons with the Bulls in the early ’70s.
“Coach [Collins] tells me to come out here and have fun,” Bowen said. “Play hard and be attentive. If you make a mistake, listen to the coaches and execute [the play] the next time.”
If the NBA doesn’t work out for Bowen, he also said that may play in Europe. He mentioned France, Turkey, Spain and Israel as being possible destinations.
Banks and Bowen flew down to Orlando Sunday after their final workout in Deerfield and will waste no time seeing action.
Bowen will see a close friend and rival right away as the Bulls face off with the Indiana Pacers in the opening game of the summer league Monday afternoon at 2 p.m. Ronald “Boo” Davis, Bowen’s former high school teammate and ex-UWM star, will be playing for the Pacers.
“It’ll be just like in college,” Bowen said. “It’ll be competitive. Everybody’s just working hard, so we’re looking forward to the challenge.”
The Bulls will face off with Indiana, Charlotte, Miami, New Jersey and the host Magic in the next five days. Among Banks and Bowen’s teammates for the Bulls: Draft-day acquisitions Thabo Sefolosha and Tyrus Thomas, returning veterans Luke Schenscher and Eddie Basden, and former Kansas guard Aaron Miles.
The ex-Flames’ duo were also see some familiar faces down in central Florida, including Davis, former Illini forward James Augustine (Orlando), ex-Duke guard J.J. Redick (Orlando), one-time Syracuse guard Gerry McNamara (Orlando), former UWM forward Joah Tucker (Miami). Adam Morrison and Sean May will also be there playing for Charlotte.
Banks isn’t intimidated by the competition.
“To me, it’s just basketball,” he said. “You have to play your game. Hopefully, we can show the coaches that we can excel.”
Bowen says that they’ll have to be ready for a high-speed game.
“The game moves so fast, with the 24-second shot clock,” Bowen said. “Your awareness needs to be on point every single play, because everything happens so fast on this level. You definitely have to be in shape.”
BULLS SUMMER LEAGUE SCHEDULE
All games will be Webcast on OrlandoMagic.com, all times Central.
Monday, July 10: Bulls vs. Indiana, 2 p.m.
Tuesday, July 11: Bulls vs. Charlotte, 6 p.m. (approx.)
Wednesday, July 12: Bulls vs. Miami, 6 p.m. (approx.)
Thursday, July 13: Bulls vs. Orlando, 4 p.m. (approx.)
Friday, July 14: Bulls vs. New Jersey, 10 a.m.
BANKS, BOWEN TALK ABOUT FLAMES: Banks and Bowen have been around the UIC campus recently and got a taste of what the Flames will look like next year and their impressions were good.
Flames fans may finally see Karl White blossom this upcoming season, according to former teammates Cedrick Banks and Justin Bowen. Banks still stays in contact with White and has played pickup games with him and other Flames.
“Karl just needs to be himself,” said Banks, who gave his one-time understudy some advice. “Listen to the coaches. Just play basketball and be smart on the court.”
Bowen, who was the leader of last season’s Flames squad, sees some good things coming in 2006-07.
“They’ve got a great class coming in with Scott VanderMeer, J.D. [Jermaine Dailey] and Spencer [Stewart], I think they can come in and help out right away,” Bowen said. “Then there’s veterans like Kevin Bond, who’s a great shooter, and Othyus Jeffers, who’s just a monster on the boards. Karl White’s also putting in the time in the gym. These guys are working really hard now. They should have a better season next year.”
HALL OF FAMERS: The UIC athletic department announced its 2006-07 Hall of Fame class, as featured in the July-August issue of UIC Alumni Magazine.
Former Flames forward Ivan Daniels (1981-85), who helped anchor UIC’s first few Division I teams, will be one of the inductees. Daniels ranks seventh all-time in scoring (1,538 points), eighth in rebounding (656) and first in field-goal percentage (.565). He led UIC to the 1983-84 Mid-Continent Conference regular season title with a then-school-record 22 wins under Willie Little.
As part of the school’s 25th anniversary of Division I athletics, the 1997-98 men’s basketball team will be inducted as a whole. That team, led by Mark Miller, Anthony Coomes and Bryant Lowe, finished 22-6 and was an at-large team in the NCAA tournament – the first national postseason appearance by the men’s basketball program.
Other individuals to be inducted include long-time softball coach Mike McGovern, administrator John Lowenberg, softball pitcher Samantha Iuli, soccer player Eric Lukin and women’s tennis player Jacki Farr.
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