Hodges defines Pinoy mold for NBA breakthrough

MANILA, Philippines - Visiting basketball legend Craig Hodges said yesterday it will take a special mold for a Filipino player to make the grade in the NBA but didn’t rule out the possibility of a breakthrough as the game has gone global and welcomed the entry of players like New York Knicks guard Jeremy Lin.

Hodges, 51, played 10 years in the NBA with San Diego, Milwaukee, Phoenix and Chicago. The 6-2 deadshot from Long Beach State led the league in three-point percentage twice, won the three-point shootout thrice and played on two Bulls championship teams in 1990-91 and 1991-92. After retiring from active competition, Hodges coached the Chicago State varsity and joined coach Phil Jackson’s staff as a shooting “doctor” with the Los Angeles Lakers.

“I think Jeremy’s emergence is good for the league,” said Hodges who’s in town to do clinics for kids and coaches on a trip organized by Kevin Gray and Jackie Gupilan, two Filipinos living in Los Angeles. “Jeremy gives hope for players to make it to the NBA even from obscurity if they’ve got the talent and there’s an opportunity to play. I can visualize a Filipino combo-guard playing in the NBA or maybe a point guard with a lot of quickness. If a Filipino gets the opportunity to perform on the global stage, like in an international competition, scouts will spot him if he’s good. But it’s also about a support system, giving a talented player the chance to play in a top college basketball program in the US.”

Hodges said this is only his second trip to Asia. “My first visit was to Japan about 13 or 14 years ago with a group of NBA players,” he said. “I’ve heard a lot about Philippine basketball from guys like Glenn McDonald who played at Long Beach State like me and teammates like Kenny Fields with Milwaukee in the NBA. I never got offered to play in the PBA which I think is a very exciting and competitive league. I was over at the coliseum to watch Game 2 of the finals. I’ve met coach Tim (Cone) and I know he runs the triangle offense which I learned by heart from coach Tex Winter at Long Beach State. Coach Tex taught me everything I know about the game, the terminology, the intricacies. I also learned a lot from coach Phil at Chicago and later when I was with his staff at Los Angeles. Coach Phil brought me in as a shooting coach with the Lakers, primarily to work on Trevor Ariza. I left the Lakers when coach Phil retired.”

Gray, whose grandmother Josephine is actor Dolphy’s sister, and Gupilan own the sports promotions company Upper Echelon. They are connected with former NBA guard Bryon Russell, due to visit Manila soon, and Lakers forward Metta World Peace, formerly known as Ron Artest. Gupilan’s father Sal is a close friend of Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo who invited Hodges to conduct clinics in Sorsogon and Naga last week. Hodges is scheduled to leave Manila and return to the US tomorrow after a two-week stay. Last Sunday, he supervised a camp for kids and coaches under Nic Jorge’s BEST umbrella.

Hodges and Larry Bird are the only NBA players ever to win three consecutive three-point shootout crowns. Asked who is the better shooter, Hodges smiled and said, “you should ask Larry that question, he’ll tell you.”

Hodges said the secret to accurate shooting is tied to setting your sights on the target. “That’s the first thing, you look at your target, the goal,” he said. “Then, you bring up your shooting hand. Your whole body adjusts to what you see in your mind as your target. The flick of the wrist is important, too.”

Hodges said he was blessed with the opportunity to be involved in basketball as a player and coach. “At Chicago State, I coached two years and to this day, I still connect with my players,” he said. “I always emphasized the importance of a college education to my players a lot of whom came from the south side of Chicago. Throughout my life, I’ve always stressed literacy, the ability to read and learn – it builds a strong foundation for the future. I myself finished at Long Beach State with a sociology degree, major in Black Studies. My parents were civil rights advocates and I was a child of the civil rights movement. To this day, I remain committed to this advocacy.”

In 1996, Hodges sued the NBA for what appeared to be a concerted effort to kick him out of the league for his outspoken views on political issues particularly concerning African-Americans. He was cut by the Bulls after the title season in 1991-92 and although barely 32, never got picked up by any team. “I went from making $600,000 a year to making nothing,” said Hodges quoted by ESPN.com. “No one would give me a chance. I went from helping a team win it all to all of a sudden not being good enough to play for the worst team in the league.” The suit, however, never prospered.

Hodges’ Chicago teammates included Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, John Paxson and B. J. Armstrong. Jordan once said, “Craig made all the difference in the world to my game and the entire club’s…with him hitting the outside jumper consistently, other teams could no longer afford to double and triple team…most importantly, I think Craig really added some fun and enthusiasm for the team and fans with the three-point shot.”