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Boston's Scot Pollard (66), Kevin Garnett (5), James Posey (41) and Eddie House complain to a referee in this December 2007 file photo. Pollard, a free agent, isn't ready for his NBA career to be over.
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Elise Amendola/AP File Photo
Boston's Scot Pollard (66), Kevin Garnett (5), James Posey (41) and Eddie House complain to a referee in this December 2007 file photo. Pollard, a free agent, isn't ready for his NBA career to be over.
An NBA general manager in need of a 6-foot-11, 278-pound good-luck charm might consider giving free agent power forward Scot Pollard a call.
"I've been lucky enough to be in The Finals the last two years. You sign me ... you go to The Finals. That's the angle I'm using right now," said former Kansas University standout Pollard.
He earned an NBA championship ring with the Boston Celtics last season after playing for the runner-up Cleveland Cavaliers in 2006-07.
"If somebody needs a mentor to help teach young guys how to play, somebody with no need to complain about being on the court all the time, I'm the right fit," Pollard said. "It's what Boston was looking for last year. Now they are looking to go with heavy-minute guys (off bench)."
Pollard most definitely is not ready to give up basketball at age 33. In fact, the man who played in just 22 games for Boston last season and 27 for Cleveland the year before because of injuries, feels rejuvenated following last spring's reconstructive surgery on both ankles.
"I have the itch to play. Winning the championship ... inside my head it's made me want to play more," said Pollard, who lives in Lawrence in the offseason with wife Mindy and daughters Lolli and Tallula and son, Ozzy.
"I figured if I ever won a championship I'd be done. Now that we've won one, I'm saying I want to win one and be part of it on the court."
Back on his feet, Pollard believes he'll be in tip-top shape in September - in time for training camp if an NBA team decides to give him a chance. He's not ruled out the possibility of playing in Europe.
"It was one of the toughest things I've had to do in my life, not run for 4 1/2 months," Pollard said. "If anybody saw me jogging the last couple of days in Lawrence ... it was old-mannish jogging," he cracked.
Pollard's sense of humor has made him a popular player during his NBA stops in Detroit, Sacramento, Indiana, Cleveland and Boston.
In Beantown, he starred in a series of Comcast TV shorts entitled "Planet Pollard. Type in Planet Pollard in the youtube.com search engine and you'll find some of Pollard's pieces, including one in which he visited a Boston bar to interview fans the night of KU's victory over Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl.
Pollard was able to witness KU's other big sports highlight of the 2007-08 school year in person - the Jayhawks' overtime victory over Memphis in the NCAA title game in San Antonio.
"I was unlucky enough to have surgery. I was in a boot and couldn't travel with the (Celtics) team. I said, 'If I can't travel with the team, I'll go to San Antonio,''' Pollard said.
KU coach Bill Self has told the story of Pollard saying he was as happy watching KU win it all as if he was on the court winning the title himself.
"I went up to him that night he had the get together (party at hotel after victory)," Pollard said. "I went up and told him there were a lot of guys on KU teams that 'coulda, shoulda woulda' (won titles but didn't). I said in my small way I feel part of this, absolutely.
"I'm so glad he decided to stay," Pollard added of Self, who declined an offer to return to coach his alma mater, Oklahoma State, after the season. "He is a great coach. I'm excited about the future."
KU's future and his own.
"I will not play until I'm 40. I'll be lucky if I'm able to walk when I'm 40," he said.
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Comments
afilmer (anonymous) says…
there's nobody else like pollard. hope the best for him next season.
KGphoto (anonymous) says…
Lolli, Tallula and Ozzy. Only in Lawrence.I love that so many players stay and live there. Sure says a lot about the town. Anybody ever see him around? How about Manning?
Timmay97 (anonymous) says…
Did you guys see how much trouble Memphis is in? The booster phone call to Abdul Gaddy is a pretty big offense. That's f'ed up!See, Xavier......come to a program that's run right! Mind as well cross Memphis off your list now. Also, it seems as if John Wall is going to be a Baylor Bear. Apparantly, his AAU coach is taking a job with Baylor and Wall's commitment could come as early as next week. Sound familiar Mr. Chalmers?Any news on the Morris' getting eligible for this year?
BCRavenJHawkfan (anonymous) says…
Timmay97,As always the Morris brothers are in the "final stages" of getting eligible.Been that way since March, could be that way come November.
tis4tim (anonymous) says…
"Did you guys see how much trouble Memphis is in? The booster phone call to Abdul Gaddy is a pretty big offense. That's f'ed up!"You might even say it's F'ed Ex-ed up. I'm shipping DHL from now on.
jaybate (anonymous) says…
Timmay97,I for one think Dooley and Townsend are top candidates to be head coaches, don't you? Their hiring would of course open up another position on the staff for Father Wall. ;-)Of course, John Wall is most likely to end up at KSU. Why? Because the KSU Chancellor will fire Martin and Dalonte, and hire Wall's Dad as their new head coach. I hear from an inside source at Silage State University that they plan to hire a new head coach every year--the father of the best one and doner they can get each year.
BrockIII (anonymous) says…
That John Wall situation sounds very sketchy to me. I thought he was bound for Kentucky or maybe Oklahoma St.On another note, about 5 years ago when I was attending KU I saw Pollard walking around Target. It was kind of surreal. That is one large mammal.
KGphoto (anonymous) says…
Large indeed. I was surprised to see 278lbs. Couldn't have been anywhere near that at Kansas.Looks like Memphis is gonna skate.
imnotpaulpierce (anonymous) says…
Talk about a guy who has made the most out of his chance with the NBA. What Scott has done in the NBA is the equivalent of a third-string quarterback surviving in the NFL for a full decade. He certainly has some major people skills.
Yahweh (anonymous) says…
Planet Pollard: Orange Bowl is hiiiiilarious.
DSommersby (anonymous) says…
Pollard is a stud. Good ambassador for KU. Hope he can hang on for a few more years.
Strikewso (anonymous) says…
Pollard is a funny guy. Big shock that somebody brought up the Morris twins' eligibility. Broken record.
jerhawk (anonymous) says…
Pollard is great for ku to have