Shlomo Sprung · @SprungOnSports
31st Oct 2014 from TwitLonger
3 Decent Questions With Chicago Bulls Rookie Doug McDermott
Doug McDermott made a rookie mistake.
Less than an hour before his first professional game, McDermott had his headphones on, loudly chomping on a box of Wheat Thins and generally being in the zone. His Chicago Bulls teammates had their headphones on, too.
There's an unwritten rule among writers that players with headphones on before a game are not to be bothered. But then new NBA Players Association executive Michelle Roberts (lovely lady, I might add) walked in an introduced herself to the players, including McDermott. That meant McDermott had to remove his headphones.
A few minutes after their introduction, every Bulls player who did not want to be bothered quickly put their headphones back on. Except for McDermott.
Like a ravenous vulture in a sweater and khakis, this reporter swooped in and asked McDermott for an interview. The answers aren't great, just decent, since McDermott wasn't really in the mood to talk.
One Bulls player was so annoyed with McDermott breaking the headphones rule that he interrupted this interview and talked to him afterwards about the locker room code.
So after that way-too-long introduction, a way-too-short Q&A with sharpshooting swingman Doug "McBuckets" McDermott.
Sprung- Going into your rookie season, what do you think your expectations are?
McDermott- I don't have a whole lot. You know, for us it's more about winning games and I think we have a lot of really good players where we could win a lot of games and I just hope to learn from some of the older guys. We have a great team for that.
Sprung- You mentioned earlier that The Garden is your favorite arena to play in because of the spotlight [above the court]. What about the spotlight that makes it better for you?
McDermott- I played a couple of games here last year in college, and I just like it. I like to shoot in the bright lights and it just has a basketball feel to it.
Jimmy Butler- Good talk man, I can't read with you talking in my ear like that.
McDermott- My bad.
Butler- This is the last question.
Sprung- What do you expect your role to be in the offense going into the season?
McDermott- Just, like I said, to learn from these guys. It's tough being a rookie but I'll continue to learn every day.
The moral of the story? Don't ever come between a man and his headphones.