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Home | Sports | Gophers

Wolves Insider: A fun journey, still ongoing

Rick Bowmer, Associated Press - Ap

Former Gophers center Joel Przybilla, battling ex-Blazers star Rasheed Wallace, is playing in his eighth NBA season.

Joel Przybilla, one of the oldest players on the Blazers roster at age 28, reflects on how he got from Monticello to here.

By Jerry Zgoda, Star Tribune

Last update: December 31, 2007 - 1:04 AM

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WOLVES WEEK IN REVIEW

Record: 0-3

• The Wolves arrived in the Pacific Northwest for two games after Wednesday’s 105-101 loss at Golden State, where the Warriors ran off to a 50-28 lead. Friday night, the Wolves lost to Portland 109-98, the Trail Blazers’ NBA-best 12th consecutive victory. And Saturday the Wolves were routed 109-90 by a Seattle team that got by mostly without Kevin Durant.

STAR TRIBUNE'S STAR OF THE WEEK: Al Jefferson, forward

As Antoine Walker once said of the team's season, this is getting repetitive. But you can't deny Jefferson's 20-point, 19-rebound game Wednesday that included 10 offensive rebounds. He's second in the league in offensive rebounds, behind only New Orleans' Tyson Chandler.

THIS WEEK: Three games

Monday: At Los Angeles Clippers, 8:30 p.m. Wednesday: vs. Portland, 7 p.m. Friday: vs. Denver, 7 p.m.

• The Wolves conclude a demanding December in which they played 11 of 16 games away from home with a New Year's Eve game in L.A., followed by a rematch with the Trail Blazers.

THE QUOTE

"She’s everywhere."

-- Wolves guard Marko Jaric on girlfriend Adriana Lima, the Brazilian supermodel who is one of 12 choices, along with Salma Hayek, Beyonce and even Tom Brady, in Esquire Magazine’s voting for the 2008 Sexiest Woman Alive

JERRY ZGODA

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The tall, skinny kid who lured the country's most famous college coaches to Monticello, Minn., a decade ago now is all grown up.

Married, with a young son about to turn 2 years old and in the second season of a five-year NBA contract that will pay him $32 million, Joel Przybilla, at age 28, considers himself both a father and mother figure on a Portland Trail Blazers team where he is the second-oldest player.

On another cold, rainy winter's day in Portland, Przybilla, a Gophers center for a fleeting time who now is in his eighth NBA season, sat down after the Blazers' workout at their posh training facility and fielded these five questions:

Q Last year, you struggled with injuries and perhaps the burden of that big, new contract. This season, you're rejuvenated and your free throw shooting has improved from 47 percent to nearly 70 percent. What's the deal?

A Last year was a down year for me, and after having knee surgery after last season, I just told myself I was going to come back this season no matter what happens and I'm going to be ready and have a good year. I hired a personal trainer, and I worked with [Portland assistant Monty Williams]. I changed the way I shoot: I was shooting it way over my head, like Larry Bird did. Now, I just keep it right in front of my face and follow through. It has been paying off.

Q What was your favorite Timberwolves moment growing up?

A It's kind of funny because I was a big Sam Mitchell fan when they were an expansion team and he played for them. When I was in Milwaukee, he was an assistant coach there. To get to know him was a great experience. He's a great person. I owe a lot to him. He kept my spirits up when I was down in Milwaukee and not playing a lot. He told me to keep working because my chance would come, and it did.

Q Your toughest matchup in the league?

A It used to be [Shaquille O'Neal]; Shaq was tough. I'd have to say Yao [Houston center Yao Ming], and [Orlando center] Dwight Howard is right up there. Both those guys, their size and strength is just unbelievable. Yao, the legs on that guy are humongous. The thing that separates him is he is 4, 5, 6 inches taller and he has got so many skills, he can get his shot off against anyone. Dwight Howard is strength, the way he runs and jumps. Two different types of players. I've got to get amped up to play both of them.

Q Would you have liked to play for Tubby Smith when you were at the U?

A He came and visited me at my home when he was at Kentucky. They were in my top five. I really enjoyed him. He was a great guy. But Clem Haskins was my guy, man.

Q Is there going to be room for an old center on the Blazers when No. 1 draft pick Greg Oden recovers from knee surgery?

A For me? I hope so. You know, he's got a long way to go even when he does get back from the knee. People don't realize he's such a young guy and he has so many expectations on his shoulders. What they expect of him is probably through the roof. It will take him a couple of years to develop, even if he didn't have the injury. I'll help him any way I can. I've had a lot of ups and downs in this league. Whoever would have thought, when my contract is done, that I'd play 10-plus years? I've been blessed. I've learned lots of things I wish I could do over, but I'm having a blast right now. It has been such a fun journey.

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