Woods working on image makeover
The Blazers' Qyntel Woods wants changes on and off the court, so he increases training, enters rehab and cuts his hair
Sunday, July 18, 2004
JASON QUICK
SALT LAKE CITY -- One of the most troubled and mocked Trail Blazers, Qyntel Woods decided this offseason it was time for a career makeover.


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He hired a personal trainer, and reported to mini-camp with 15 pounds of added muscle. He entered a drug rehabilitation center to address his addiction to marijuana, insisting he has kicked the habit. And on Thursday, he sat in a barber's chair and watched his once beloved braids fall into his lap.

"A lot of people look at me as a thug," Woods said. "But that's really not the case. It's just the look, the braids and things like that. But I'm a professional and I need to start acting like one."

He is out to reconstruct his image, and more important, resurrect his career.

Both, Woods admits, can't get any lower.

Not after multiple marijuana issues, compiled with a strip club brawl, sullied his reputation. One of the instances included being stopped on Interstate 5 with burning marijuana ashes in his car, during which he showed a police officer a trading card for identification, making Woods the butt of countless jokes. It didn't help, either, that on the court, Woods was given several chances, including the backup shooting guard and backup point guard positions, only to wilt under the pressure.

"I really think my career is in jeopardy," Woods said. "So it's time for me to make some changes."

So he comes here, to the Rocky Mountain Revue summer league, for the third consecutive year. There is an unspoken embarrassment for former first-round picks at having to play in a third summer league. It all but puts a neon light over their head as being a bust, a disappointment.

But Woods comes here without pouting. Without the arrogance that says he is too good to be here.

Instead, Woods comes here looking for that next step in his revival: The next sober day. The next play that shows marked improvement in his ballhandling. The next instance where his drug-free mind makes a decision just a step quicker than before.

"A big part of it for me is just getting my mind right," Woods said. "Then I can be ready to play, and be ready for my chance to show everyone who has doubted me what I can do."


His first chance to show the new Qyntel Woods came Friday, in the Blazers' summer league opener against Utah. Woods played just 22 minutes because of foul trouble, but he had 23 points on 8 of 13 shooting, four rebounds, three assists, one steal and no turnovers.

He scored nine of the Blazers' final 14 points, and assisted on the game-winning dunk by Travis Outlaw. Included during his tear was a three-pointer from the corner, further cementing general manager John Nash's thinking that Woods can become the team's backup shooting guard behind Derek Anderson.

There never was much doubt about Woods' talent. He is 6-foot-8, extremely fast and can jump with anybody. The question was always with Woods' head. Not only would he do dumb things off the court, but he often would be a step behind on the court.

Woods attributed his poor decisions and his poor reaction time to his marijuana use. He entered a rehabilitation clinic in Atlanta this summer for 30 days.

"I had been thinking, about the trouble, the legal problems, and it was time for a change," Woods said. "I couldn't keep going like that. If I did, a year from now I would probably be out of the league, and that's real scary. I'm trying to stay. It's a good job . . . it's a great job."

Woods said he received advice from teammate Damon Stoudamire, who entered rehabilitation for marijuana last summer, and combined his words with the education he received in the rehabilitation clinic.

"I learned so much, I can't even explain it all," Woods said. "Mostly though, I learned what it does to your body: how it effects your coordination, how it makes you lazy and tired, how it slows your reaction time. It opened my eyes."

When Portland drafted Woods with the 21st pick in the 2002 NBA draft, the word was that Woods slipped because he candidly admitted he smoked marijuana when he was in high school. He promised, however, on draft night that he was through with the drug.

"And I know I have said it before," Woods said. "But I'm done. Flat-out done. I will be able to show you better than I can tell you."

Already, Woods says he can see a difference in himself.

"Oh yeah, of course," Woods said. "Just like on the court, I'm doing things I'm supposed to. I'm not doing things late, like running the plays late."

Now, the question is has the revival come too late?


Oct. 31 will be a big day for Woods.

It is the day the Blazers must decide whether they will pick up the option on the last year of his rookie contract. If they do, he will be guaranteed more than $1.8 million in salary next season. If they do not, he will play out this season, unsure of his future.

"I think he recognizes the critical nature to impress our coaches if he is going to figure in our plans over the fall," Nash said.

So far, Nash likes the makeover, from the obvious offseason workout regimen, to the drug rehabilitation, and to a degree, the haircut.

"Personally, it didn't matter to me, but I think he looks good with short hair," Nash said. "I just think it shows he is attempting to demonstrate that he is willing to do whatever it takes. But really, what I think it boils down to is I think he is maturing."

Part of that maturing is realizing his mistakes, and not placing the blame elsewhere. His inner circle has surrounded him with negative thoughts that he is getting a raw deal in Portland, but Woods has blocked out those comments.

"A lot of people think I haven't got a fair chance, but I don't think that's the case," Woods said. "I think I had my chances; I just haven't done anything with them so far."

Now, all he asks for is another chance, one with this new Qyntel Woods who is in better shape physically and mentally and who is desperate to prove he belongs.

"There is untapped talent with Qyntel," Nash said. "And whether he can tap into it remains to be seen. This (summer league) is just a baby step in a journey."

http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/sports/1090151724147760.xml

[Edited by - raven on 07/19/2004 02:45:21]

Nuggets not sitting back after turnaround
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Sean Deveney /
Posted: 4 hours ago

http://msn.foxsports.com/story/2585230

Don't think for a moment that Denver general manager Kiki Vandeweghe was overjoyed at the Nuggets' success last year.

The team went 43-39, earned a playoff spot for the first time in nine years and a playoff win for the first time in 10 years. That's impressive for a team coming off a 17-win season. But it was nothing to get excited about.

Consider all the warning signs that alerted Vandeweghe to problems that had the potential to pop up this season. The 43 wins were nice, but the Nuggets accomplished that without any major injuries — their starting five missed just 24 games combined, and center Marcus Camby had the healthiest season of his career. The odds of the Nuggets having that kind of luck with injuries in consecutive years are slim. There was also some dissension in the ranks toward coach Jeff Bzdelik, and though Vandeweghe has yet to give Bzdelik a ringing vote of confidence (i.e., a contract extension beyond next season), the best way to dodge controversy is by winning. There won't be much behind-the-scenes sniping at Bzdelik if the Nuggets are winning.


Not lost on Vandeweghe, too, was that the Nuggets were a bad team on the road. Only 10 teams were worse than Denver's 14-27 mark away from home. The Nuggets also closed the season very poorly, going 11-16 to close the season, and nearly falling out of the playoffs in the final week of the season. If the Jazz had not lost Matt Harpring, or if the Blazers had not dropped their final four games, it could have been a disappointing and postseason-free year in Denver.


GM Kiki Vandeweghe pointed the Nuggets in the right direction by selecting Carmelo Anthony. (Garrett Ellwood / GettyImages)


For Vandeweghe, this was an off-season destined to be spent more ear-to-telephone than backside-to-hammock, and it has paid off already in two shrewd signings. The Nuggets kept Camby and, wisely, included in his contract heavy incentives based on the number of games he plays. Camby is 30, but before last season, he essentially had the previous two years off. If he can stay healthy — and his contract provides plenty of reason for him to strive to stay healthy — he can be one of the top 5 centers in the league.


Vandweghe also scored a coup by signing Nets All-Star power forward Kenyon Martin to a maximum contract, giving the Nets three first-round picks in the process. The Nuggets overpaid for Martin, but the desperate Hawks had pushed up the market for him. The Nuggets were in good position to overpay, though, having cleared out an acre of cap room dating back to Vandeweghe's first major Nuggets transaction, the trade for Juwan Howard's obscene contract at the deadline in 2002.


Martin is a great rebounder and defender, and those are the two things the Nuggets need most from him. The team was 24th in the league in defensive rebounding, and Martin ranked as the seventh-most efficient defensive rebounder in the league — a big key to New Jersey's fast break success. Denver, despite the presence of Camby and Nene inside, was an easy team to score on, ranking 24th in field-goal percentage allowed.


Martin has improved offensively (though he still needs work), and he has shown he can be an ideal big man on fast breaks, running with Jason Kidd in New Jersey. That's a good fit for Denver's fast-paced team. And, if the Nuggets are not so lucky when it comes to the injury bug this season, they will be well-prepared in the frontcourt. Among Camby, Martin and Nene, the team can easily withstand a big-man injury.


Once you get out of the paint, though, the Nuggets are in a bit of trouble, and that's Vandeweghe's next challenge. He has good depth at the point, with Miller and Earl Boykins, but neither of those players is a threat from the 3-point line. Anthony shot a so-so 32.2 percent on his 3s and of the team's other 3-point threats — Rodney White (37.9 percent), Jon Barry (37.0) and Voshon Lenard (36.7) — only Lenard has a contract for next season.


Even with those guys, the Nuggets shot a miserable 33.6 percent from the 3-point line, and their lack of perimeter shooting was a major reason for their late-season collapse. Teams began to play zone defense against the Nuggets, leaving them open for perimeter shots, which they frequently missed.


The Nuggets are in the market for backups to Anthony and Lenard, and they must ensure that both reserves can hit outside shots.


Not to say that the Nuggets' success in 2003-04 was a mirage, but there was certainly a chance that the team as it stood was not going to get better. Vandeweghe could have sat back, recounted those 43 wins over and over, and leave the coming season to chance. But by keeping Camby and grabbing Martin, Vandweghe has pushed the Nuggets into the league's Top 10, and as the summer's transactions continue to shake out, it seems that only the Pistons, Timberwolves and Spurs can be confidently called better than the Nuggets, with the Heat, Pacers, Grizzlies, Rockets and Kings up for argument.


That's a much better position than when the Nuggets ended last season. Vandeweghe still has work to do, but judging by what he's accomplished so far, expect it to get done.