In addition to the usual media contingent covering Friday night’s season-opener between the Bulls and Hornets, there were 16 media members from abroad, including 10 from Japan.
At Saturday night’s home opener, the Bulls are expecting a group comparable in size to that covering an average NBA Finals game last season, including reporters from Japan, Germany, France, Australia, Spain, Italy and Switzerland.
Why the huge amount of interest? “Part of it is the interest in the Bulls,” said Tim Hallam, the team’s public relations director. “Part of it is Toni Kukoc and the interest he generates in Europe, and the other part is that, from a league standpoint, they’re encouraging more interest worldwide.”
– Jo Jo English, fresh from Minnesota and a trade that will give the Timberwolves a conditional second-round draft pick in return, said before Friday night’s game that he expected to see a little action this weekend.
“I know most of the basics of the offense,” said English, who spent most of last preseason plus six midseason games with the Bulls. “I’ve been here before. I’m approaching this the same way I did last year and just do what’s asked of me.”
English had mixed feelings about whether the CBA experience of last year helped him or whether he wished he had stayed with the Bulls.
“It definitely helped me, and going to different (NBA) camps,” he said. “If I was here, maybe I wouldn’t have grown as much as a basketball player, but maybe I’d know a little more about what to expect. It just goes to show you, things work out for the best.”
– Michael Jordan loved to play in Charlotte, near his hometown of Wilmington, N.C., but Hornets fans aren’t likely to miss him.
He was the all-time leading scorer against the Hornets, averaging 31.6 points per game. Last season, Jordan averaged 34 points in the season series. He led the Bulls in scoring against Charlotte in 19 of the 21 games played between the two teams, including all 11 in Charlotte Coliseum.
He scored a series-high 52 points last March 12 and averaged 57.5 percent shooting the last three seasons.
– At 6 feet 3 inches, 180 pounds, Steve Kerr is a more natural point guard, but says he could see himself backing up at off guard as well.
“Guards are so interchangeable in this offense with the two-guard front,” he said. “If defensively, I can match up with two-guards like Hersey Hawkins, I would think there are going to be some times when B.J. (Armstrong) and I could be on the floor together and either one of us could guard the two-guard.
“Now, if we’re playing Sacramento and Mitch Richmond is out there, I doubt you’ll see me and B.J. out there together because he (Richmond) is a post-up player who really tries to muscle you. If you look out there, there are a lot of guys who are smaller two-guards who B.J. or I could cover at times, so I kind of expect to play either spot, really.”
