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Oct 16, 2003 |
Michael Olowokandi Interview
By InsideHoops.com
Center Michael Olowokandi spent years on the Los Angeles Clippers. This summer he signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves. InsideHoops.com met with him for an exclusive interview.
InsideHoops.com: For starters, you're out of LA now, and...
Michael Olowokandi: (Giant smile)
InsideHoops.com: ...and you obviously have a lot of thoughts on that, how's the transition been to the new team?
Michael Olowokandi: For me, personally, it gives me an opportunity to have a clean start. I'll definitely take some of the positives from the past and bring that with me, but, I get to wipe the slate clean and start all over again and start in a very good situation.
InsideHoops.com: What's the first thing that went through your head when you found out you were definitely getting to join this team?
Michael Olowokandi: First of all, it's certainly cold. That was the only
thing that might have served as, not a hindrance, but something that did play
on my mind. Obviously, having been in California for the last nine years - through
college and then the pros - but then you weight that with the team, the personnel,
the commitment to winning, proven past success, being in the playoffs and winning
50 games each and every season, and being in a situation where you have players
coming in to give KG a little bit of help... so for me, it's going to be a great
situation.
InsideHoops.com: What's it been like playing with Garnett in practice, seeing him up close do his thing?
Michael Olowokandi: It's unbelievable to watch. You play him four times during the season, which isn't really that much, compared to the 82-game regular season. But, he's an unbelievable athlete. And he's gotten a lot better from last year to this year, too. He worked on a lot of things, shooting the hook a little more - from the left block coming into the middle. He's gotten a lot better.
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