Thoughts of a Sniper

LONG BEACH, California — Michael Jordan is a rock star. This is how Craig Anthony Hodges, a Chicago Bull for four years, describes his former teammate. The reference is not so much because of Jordan’s ability or inability to sing; or his head-banging skills or lack thereof. Hodges explains that it was just the whole aura around "His Airness," in as far as the entourage that always goes with him and the throngs of people that like to see him.

"For me it was a great pleasure to get the chance to be in his presence. To be in the whole championship spirit of it," adds Hodges who won two championships with Jordan and the rest of the Bulls in seasons 1990 -1991 and 1991-1992.

Hodges says he learned so much from Jordan whom he describes as "the hardest-working player I ever played with."

This Jordan fan, however, also has his own fan-base. After all, he holds the distinction of being a 3-time All-Star 3-point shooting champion. The name "Hodges" almost instantly became synonymous to "shooting" when he sank 19 consecutive treys in the 1991 NBA 3-point shootout. And he did it from 23’9 in only 50 seconds. Larry Bird’s record was 11 in a row.

"My uncles taught me how to shoot when I was about 4 or 5 years old," Hodges recalls.

Ingenious uncles used a clothes hanger which they hung above the door and gave little Craig a ball made of socks to play with. It wasn’t until he was 8 when he started playing with a legit basketball. And from then on, there was no stopping this 6’2 point guard from playing the game he loves.

In the States, out of the seeming buffet of sports one can choose to indulge in, Hodges singles out basketball because he believes the sport "fosters a spirit of discipline, one that is lacking in our community and around the world — discipline and focus."

Throughout his 10-year career in the NBA that started in 1982, after being drafted by the San Diego Clippers in the third round, Hodges has been committed to education.

"My passion is to teach children how to play the game of basketball; because I think basketball can be a hook for education and a lot of good things in life," Hodges says. He’s usually busy with speaking engagements at the Long Beach State University, Chicago State University, University of Illinois Chicago, DePaul University, Youngtown State, Troy State, Illinois State, Prairie State College and several other high schools all over the United States and in other countries like Italy and Japan, inspiring his audience with talks about basketball and lessons from the game.

"Everyone—from the secretaries of the organization, all the way to the ball boys—everyone had the same spirit of cooperation. And I think that’s the most beautiful part of that chapter of my basketball career," Hodges shares about teamwork, one of the most valuable things he learned from the world champion Chicago Bulls team.

Hint for the LA Lakers: "Knowing that every link is as strong as the other, and regardless of what your role is, you have to play to its maximum in order to win a championship."

Having also played for the SD Clippers and the Milwaukee Bucks, Hodges says he has picked up a lot about the game and wants to share it with the next generation of hoop enthusiasts. He has trained with coaches Steve Fischer (in high school), Tex Winter (Long Beach State), Paul Silas, Don Nelson, Del Harris and Phil Jackson in the NBA, and learned from each one of them as well.

"It’s a game and I think playing and all games are fun. As long as you keep that in mind, you won’t get it twisted," he says about making it big and living the surreal world of an NBA star. (Maybe Kobe and Shaq can also learn from this.)

For now, this product of Long Beach State is going full circle, going back to his alma mater to help out players who dream of one day making it to the pros, including his own son.

"Luck and preparation lead to opportunity," he constantly advises young players. "You have to be prepared if you get lucky enough to get in a situation like this. If you prepare when the opportunities come, good things will happen."

Although he’s never been to the Philippines, Hodges says he’s heard of how passionate Filipinos are for the game of basketball. And to our Pinoy ballers who worry that they are not as tall as their foreign or Fil-Am counterparts, he has this advice: "The game is about putting the ball in the basket. When you’re not as tall, you have to work on certain aspects of the game."

In the end, Hodges concludes, the focus should be on the final score. And he translates that to a win.

For more information on the Craig Hodges Basketball School, log on to www.craighodges.net.