Kansas University senior Eric Chenowith left his home in California on Sunday morning for the week-long Pete Newell Big Man Basketball Camp in Honolulu.
Newell is known as a guru for both pro and college 7-footers, and his camp will cap a summer Chenowith has dedicated to basketball.
Chenowith, the Jayhawks’ 7-1, 278-pound pivot from Villa Park, Calif., has been a man possessed this summer as he tries to bounce back from an off junior campaign.
Chenowith averaged 8.6 points and 5.6 boards a year ago after averaging 13.5 points and 9.1 boards as a sophomore.
“I’m going to work to be the best player I can be to go to the Final Four, to be a lottery pick in the NBA Draft,” Chenowith said. “I have a chance to be a lottery pick. Not many players can say that. I can’t let that slip by.”
Chenowith has actually been to the Newell camp once before his senior year in high school.
“I went against guys like Jermaine O’Neal, Dickie Simpkins and Eric Montross. ‘Big Country’ (Bryant Reeves) was there,” Chenowith said.
The big men 10 college players and 30 pros will attend this week’s sessions. Two hour sessions will be held in the morning and two hours again at night.
“I improved a lot last time and expect that will happen again this time,” Chenowith said.
The Newell camp culminates a sweat-soaked summer for Chenowith.
Here’s a look at the big guy’s summer vacation.
Chenowith ran drills six days a week with his old high school coach Kevin Reynolds and current members of Villa Park High’s team, including 6-11 junior blue chipper Martin Eto.
Former NBA center Bob Thornton held private workouts with Chenowith three days a week. Thornton, a 6-10, 275 pounder who retired four years ago, is seeking an NBA assistant coaching job.
Chenowith spent two weeks in Lawrence working as a counselor at Roy Williams’ basketball camp. Chenowith lifted weights each day and played pick-up games with the Jayhawks at night.
Chenowith worked out from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. five days a week under the direction of Portand Trail Blazers assistant coach Tim Grgurich. Stanford’s Adam Keefe and Utah’s Chris Burgess also took part in the drills.
The trio scrimmaged against several Portland Trail Blazers’ summer league players including rookie Erick Barkley from 10 a.m. until noon.
Chenowith relaxed during the day then lifted weights from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. four nights a week at Villa Park High.
On July weekends, Chenowith played in the 20-team “Say No” college basketball league in Los Angeles. Playing for Team Hollywood, along with UCLA’s Ryan Bailey and Rico Hines, Chenowith averaged 22 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks per game.
NBA rules were used in the league, which consisted mostly of California college players.
Chenowith spent the first seven days of the month at Grgurich’s Big Man Camp in Las Vegas. Workouts were held from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. with scrimmages from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
In all, 40 players and 25 NBA scouts attended.
Other notable players included UCLA’s Dan Gadzuric, USC’s Brian Scalabrine and Fresno State’s Melvin Ely.
So what’s up with all the work?
Chenowith says it most definitely is not in response to critics who bashed him for attending several Dave Matthews Band Concerts last summer.
“The truth is I went to eight concerts over a six-month period not just in the summer,” Chenowith said. “I heard somebody say I went on a 21-show tour or something like that. Two of them I went with my high school coach after working out with him during the day. I don’t worry about that (critics) at all.”
Chenowith’s dad, Bob, marvels at Eric’s work ethic.
“His summer has been filled with nothing but basketball, basketball, basketball,” Bob Chenowith said. “That is it.
“It has been a blessing Eric has been home for our family this summer,” he added.
It has not been an easy summer.
First, one of Chenowith’s good buddies former Villa Park High classmate Ryan Ferguson died suddenly on June 25.
Then, five weeks ago, Chenowith’s mom, Janey, was diagnosed with breast cancer.
She had a masectomy two weeks ago and has started chemotherapy.
Janey Chenowith will undergo six treatments every three weeks for an 18-week span.
“Jane’s been having a hard time. She’s allergic to every medicine and bandage you can think of,” Bob said. “Eric has been tense and nervous. He is worried about his mother. Before we left for the airport (and flight to Hawaii) he told me, ‘You guys take care of Mom.’ It’s been on his mind a lot.
“They caught it early and she’s going to make it. My wife will survive this. The prognosis is good and in six months, hopefully, she’ll be cancer free.”
Bob and Janey won’t be able to see Eric play until January.
With a risk of infection, Chenowith’s mom has been told to avoid large crowds for the next several months. ‘
The Chenowith’s will drive to Lawrence for KU’s final home game then attend the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City. Several other family members will also make the trip, including Eric’s older sister and her children.
“It will be neat deal for us. It’ll be our March Madness,” Bob said. “We’ll be celebrating my wife’s recovery and Eric’s senior season.”
