Pollard endured ‘toughest year’ in NBA

By Andy Samuelson     Jun 18, 2004

Scott McClurg/Journal-World Photo
Scot Pollard snares a rebound during a scrimmage at KU coach Bill Self's basketball camp. Pollard played Wednesday at Horejsi Center.

When things started getting fiery Wednesday afternoon during the annual scrimmage at Bill Self’s Kansas University summer basketball camp, it was pretty easy to see which former Jayhawk was the spark of the competitive intensity.

Not only did Scot Pollard have a red devil displayed on his sleeveless T-shirt, but he almost had the heated disposition to match.

“If you don’t start calling something, somebody’s going to get hurt,” barked Pollard to a referee after committing a hard foul on a current KU player in the post.

“If he runs into me and my feet are set, how is that a foul on me?” Pollard questioned, giving another intimidating glance back at the ref.

If Pollard’s play sounds tough, don’t blame him. He was just passing along a lesson to KU’s incoming freshman big men, like former Kansas pros had to him.

And perhaps, at the same time, releasing a little frustration from the tough lessons he learned last season while playing a limited role on the NBA’s Indiana Pacers.

“It was the toughest year of my NBA career, except for Detroit during my rookie season,” said the seven-year NBA veteran, who graduated from KU in 1997.

“It was a year of adjustments, swallowing pride, swallowing my ego.”

That Pollard did.

After missing 40 games because of a stress fracture in his lower back during the 2002-03 season with the Sacramento Kings, Pollard, who was acquired in a trade by the Pacers for Brad Miller, watched his productivity plummet.

He had played a career average of 18.9 minutes per game, but averaged just 11.1 minutes last year.

Pollard — who ranks second all-time at KU in blocked shots, and fourth with 850 rebounds — saw his defensive stats dwindle as well.

During the 2001-02 season when the Kings fell to the Lakers in Western Conference Finals, Pollard posted his best overall numbers as a pro — averaging 6.4 points and 7.1 rebounds with a field-goal percentage of .550 in 23.5 minutes a contest.

Last year, Pollard scored just 1.7 ppg., with 2.7 rpg., and a .412 field-goal percentage.

“Sometimes nothing comes easy,” Pollard said, of last season’s struggles.

“But I’m probably going to be somewhere else next year,” continued Pollard, who despite making $5,310,000 last year in Indiana on a six-year contract running through the 2005-06 season, was left as an unprotected free agent by the Pacers for next week’s NBA expansion draft.

One big KU fan — All-America candidate Wayne Simien, said he not only admired Pollard’s skills while growing up a KU fan in Leavenworth, but said he thought the 29-year-old Pollard had a lot of NBA game left in him.

“You saw him out there, he’s definitely athletic, big and aggressive,” Simien said. “Just because he didn’t play that much this year, doesn’t mean he’s done.”

Simien said the best thing about having the former Jayhawks who are in the NBA come back was that they could offer tutelage about what it took to play at the next level.

“Obviously that’s where I want to be at after next year, so it’s great to have these opportunities to play against those guys when they come back,” Simien said. “The guys are back all summer and fall to train. It not only gives you a feel about what the next level is like, but it’s a real family-like atmosphere.

“They have houses here, they bring their kids to the camp. They kind of act like a big brother to the program.”

Pollard said he was proud of one of the accomplishments of one of his former NBA brethren, Lindsey Hunter. Hunter was the only player still on the world champion Detroit Pistons who was there when Pollard was drafted in the ’97-98 season.

“How about that,” Pollard said of the Pistons’ victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. “It’s been that way throughout my career.

“Kansas has gone to the Final Four since I’ve been there, and I didn’t get there. And we were supposed to be the best team in Kansas history. The schools I was choosing between all won national championships, but I don’t regret any decision I’ve ever made.”

At the same moment Pollard talks about how next year’s Jayhawk squad “is in good hands,” he turns and places one of his gigantic paws on one of daughters, helping her climb into in the family SUV.

“And now for me, this is what I do,” Pollard said, this time flashing a big smile as he drove off with his wife, Mindy, and daughters Lolli and Tallula.

  • Braun likes Wilkes: Cal-Berkeley made it official on Thursday, announcing the transfer of former Kansas player Omar Wilkes.

“We are very pleased Omar has decided to transfer to Cal,” Golden Bears coach Ben Braun said. “He is a versatile guard who should help strengthen our backcourt. We look forward to him joining our program this season.”

The 6-4 Wilkes will have to sit out the 2004-05 season, but he will have three years of eligibility remaining, beginning in the fall of 2005.

  • Williams visit ends: Terrence Williams, a 6-7 forward from Seattle’s Rainier Beach High, completed his campus visit to KU on Thursday.

“It was fun,” Williams said. “I went to see campus, played (pickup games) and talked to a lot of people.”

Williams said he had been offered scholarships by KU, Louisville and Indiana.

“I have a lot to think about,” Williams said. “I don’t know when I’ll make a decision.”

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