Wednesday, 4/23/97 Life in the NBA Ed O’Bannon, George Zidek,
Tyus Edney challenged by professional basketball
By Tim Yun Daily Bruin Contributor When basketball fans in
Westwood turn on their televisions tomorrow and everyday thereafter
for the next two months to watch the NBA Playoffs, they will
realize that something is missing. Michael Jordan will be there as
usual. The Lakers will be there, and yes, even the Clippers will be
there. But for UCLA fans everywhere, the familiar faces of Tyus
Edney, Ed O’Bannon and George Zidek will be nowhere to be seen.
Nobody will ever forget the tremendous championship run the trio
led the Bruins to in the 1994-95 season. But, just over two years
later, their fortunes have changed. In the NBA draft, O’Bannon was
drafted ninth by the New Jersey Nets, George Zidek 22nd by the
Charlotte Hornets, and Tyus Edney in the second round by the
Sacramento Kings. However, only Edney remains with his original
team. During this last season, O’Bannon was traded to the Dallas
Mavericks and Zidek was traded to the Denver Nuggets. The NBA has
posed quite a challenge for the three who brought the championship
to UCLA. "It was very intimidating at first, you know playing
together with players like (Michael) Jordan and (Scottie) Pippen,"
Zidek said, "But then I realized that I am paid to do my job and I
can’t get caught up in all of the glitter and glamour of the NBA.
But sometimes I still am amazed at the fact that I am playing
alongside of some of the greatest players in the history of the
game." Not only did the three have to contend with superstars night
in and night out, but there were other intangible factors that
added pressure to their lives. A grueling 82-game schedule,
seemingly endless travel and intense training and practices were
just some of the things the ex-Bruins had to deal with. "It took a
while to get used to, with the extended travel and the long days of
practice, and the intense training," O’Bannon said. "I think that I
used my rookie year to adjust going from the college game to the
NBA. "I feel that now that I am in my second year, that I am ready
to make an impact." For the players who carried the Bruins on their
shoulders, the glitz and the glamour of being celebrities have died
down. Once on the cover of virtually every newspaper and magazine,
O’Bannon and Zidek now mire in relative obscurity, deep on the
depth charts of their respective teams while Edney (80 games
started and 9.0 points per game for two seasons) is the only member
of the trio with significant playing time. However, all three UCLA
alumni remain confident that the tides will turn and that there
will be better days in the future. "At first it was kind of hard to
get used to the fact that I would have a diminished role and (to)
the fact that I wasn’t on a winning team," O’Bannon said.
"Throughout all of my basketball career since high school, I have
been a part of winning teams, but now I am stuck on a losing team
without much playing time. I think that that’s what frustrates me
the most right now. But I realize that if I play hard and pay my
dues that my time will come." O’Bannon has averaged 16 minutes and
five points per game in his two-year career. Adjusting to the long
season – along with a whole new system of play and long road trips
often filled with back-to-back games – can be a slow process. "For
me, being on the bench for most of my rookie year actually helped
me a little bit," said Zidek, who started only two games this year
with Denver and Charlotte. "It allowed me to soak in all of the
little things about being in the NBA without actually having to
worry about actually playing in the games. Now that I have an idea
of what is going on, I hope to start to make a significant impact
with my team." Another new thing for Edney, O’Bannon and Zidek to
deal with was head-to-head match-ups. Once the heart and soul of
the 1994-95 Bruin team, the trio had to put past alliances behind
them and concentrate on improving their play and making an impact
on their own teams. Early on, these match-ups between former
teammates were awkward. "Playing against George (Zidek) for the
first time was very awkward," O’Bannon said. "I talked to him
before the game, and for a moment I almost felt that we were on the
same team again. During the game, I would find myself silently
rooting for George to do well even though we were on opposing
teams. "Over time I realized that we have to go our separate ways
and that what we accomplished at UCLA was tremendous, but we have
to move on with our careers and try to do the best that we can. But
no matter what, I can honestly say that we will remain the best of
friends." Zidek feels the same way. "I actually do talk to Tyus and
Ed as much as I can," Zidek said. "I try to keep in touch and I
make sure that I visit them in their hotel room every time they
come into town. "We remain good friends off of the court, but I
think that all of us realize that on the court, each of us has a
job to do and we can’t let anything get in the way of that."
Despite many of the hardships of the NBA, Edney, O’Bannon and Zidek
all seem to enjoy the experience of being a part of the league. "My
love for the game of basketball and the knowledge that I am among
some of the greatest athletes in the world definitely outweigh some
of the downsides of NBA life," O’Bannon said. "There is nothing in
the world that I would rather be doing at this point in my life."
Except maybe playing in the playoffs. Tyus Edney started 20 games
for the Kings, averaging 6.9 ppg and 3.2 apg. Daily Bruin Stories:
A change in the middle Ed O’Bannon named Most Outstanding Player
Hoops’ seniors wear emotions on sleeves