The Hawks are expecting one of their big men, forward Kevin Willis, back from a broken foot in the next two weeks now that he`s resumed practicing with the team. But he`s not the biggest man who`ll be working out with the team.
Jorge Gonzalez, the 7-foot-7-inch, 380-pound center for the Agentinian national team, was drafted in the third round by the Hawks and expected in this week to begin workouts with the team. But because he can`t speak English, the Hawks are looking for an interpreter who also knows basketball.
They also are looking for a really big shoe.
”We gave Converse one of his shoes, and they said it was the widest they`d ever seen,” said Hawks General Manager Stan Kasten.
– With Sam Vincent expected to be out at least until Friday and Scottie Pippen slowed by the flu Tuesday, the Bulls were feeling the injury/sickness bite with 10 ”key-man” games lost to injuries this season.
But through Monday, Atlanta had lost 48 ”key-man” games (one of the top nine players), Boston had lost 33, Milwaukee 13 and Detroit 9. Meanwhile, Cleveland has lost just four such games and New York two, accounting, in part, for their fast starts.
Pippen, meanwhile, said his chest cold forced him to go to Glenbrook Hospital Monday for intravenous treatment to replenish fluids he had lost.
– Pippen and Horace Grant both called in sick for Sunday`s team practice, Grant with a 24-hour flu. But both had to come to the Multiplex for the long- planned team picture, in which they are not thought to be looking their best.
