A Nate Story (Bickerstaff)......

[ABM]

http://www.columbian.com/weblogs/bl...rstaff-recalls-the-mistake-that-was-mcmillan/

Portland Trail Blazers assistant coach Bernie Bickerstaff recalled Tuesday his earliest memory about Blazers head coach Nate McMillan.

Bickerstaff:

I could plead senility on that. ... I thought (Seattle) had made a mistake when we drafted him. That was a year we didn't have a first-round pick, because Len Bias was a guy who had gone to Boston for Gerald Henderson. And we drafted Nate. And our (public-relations) guy didn't really do a good job, in terms of a highlight film. So, when we walked out on stage with the second-round pick, I got booed. We announced, 'Nate McMillan.' Then we showed the highlight tape. And the highlight tape showed Nate missing shots; throwing the ball away; he fell. And then after, I went to watch him work out after we brought him on board. And he could hardly move because he had severe tendinitis in his knees. So, I asked him, 'Nate can you dunk or touch the net?'

But the one thing about Nate is, he was cerebral. He figured out how to guard Kevin Johnson; all the quick guards. Because he figured out all the angles. He was the guy getting the ball to Dale Ellis. And that team that we had, we probably had three 20-point scorers on that team. But the catalyst of that basketball team was Nate McMillan.

 

[BoomChakaLaka]

I like the addition of Bickerstaff! He can ask Nate, "Nate, is this an offense you are running, or is my sinility rubbing off on you?"

 

[barfo]

We announced, 'Nate McMillan.' Then we showed the highlight tape. And the highlight tape showed Nate missing shots; throwing the ball away; he fell.

I love that. That should happen more often. HCP, you ought to "accidentally" play a lowlights tape now and then this season.

barfo

 

[MARIS61]

If Bic could plead senility when Nate was drafted, how f'ing old is he now?

 

[Natebishop3]

I love that. That should happen more often. HCP, you ought to "accidentally" play a lowlights tape now and then this season.

barfo

Yeah, I thought that was pretty damn funny.

 

[Mediocre Man]

This explains so much

 

[MARIS61]

Maybe Nate missing shots; throwing the ball away, falling...were highlights.

Nate doesn't sound like a "Nate player".

 

[BBert]

Maybe Nate missing shots; throwing the ball away, falling...were highlights.

Nate doesn't sound like a "Nate player".