Rookie Reggie Bullock is having some trouble seeing the floor in Los Angeles, getting just 10.5 minutes of run per night for the Clippers. But when you’re playing behind names such as Jamal Crawford, Jared Dudley, J.J. Redick and Matt Barnes, that’s expected, even for a 22-year-old from UNC heralded for his shooting ability and defense.
Adjusting to the NBA is a tough task for any first-year player, and Bullock’s experience has been no different. Recently, he talked about the transition with NBA.com. You can read the excerpt below or head on over to NBA.com to hear Bullock compare himself to Richard Hamilton.
Playing in the NBA has been my dream since I first picked up a basketball. I have always worked so hard with that goal in mind, and the past four and a half months have been a whirlwind as my dream became a reality.
I’ll never forget the feeling of hearing my name called at the NBA Draft. All of the hard work was worth it and it felt like I had finally made it. I could not wait to start my professional basketball career.
My summer flew by. I moved to Los Angeles, which is so different from North Carolina- everything moves a lot faster here! After that, I was focused on training and preparing for preseason. I wanted to make a good impression on my teammates and coaches, so I worked out daily. I was very focused on my conditioning and played a lot of pick-up basketball against some really great competition. At the end of the summer, I felt strong and confident and ready to officially start my first NBA season.
I was so excited to have the opportunity to wear a Clippers jersey and represent this organization. Going in to training camp felt like I was a freshman again! I was nervous and knew this time it was way bigger than college preseason. I didn’t really know what to expect beyond that. Lucky for me, I am with a great organization and had a very positive experience.
Our team has some of the best veterans and coaches who really helped make it a smooth transition for some of us newer guys. Antawn Jamison also played at UNC so we had that in common from the start, and I’ve been watching CP since I was a kid. I actually played for his first AAU team. Both guys, and really the whole team, have been helpful with advice on the court and off, and remind me to stay confident and to always be ready to go when my name is called.
I am looking forward to picking up more minutes and trying to do my best to fill in for Matt Barnes while he is injured. Stepping into his role is going to be challenging, he is such a great defensive player, but I need to just stay confident while shooting and listen to coach so I can contribute to the team. Our goal is to win the championship, but we are taking it game by game, realizing that playoffs and finals are a long way away. Personally, I am focused on staying confident in my game, gaining minutes, and doing whatever I can do to help my teammates play better and raise a Clippers banner in the Staples Center. It would also be really cool to play in the rookie/sophomore game at All-Star!
What do you think?
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