utorak, 20.02.2007.
CEDEVITA S OKUSOM CHICAGA: stiže A.J. Guyton...HAPPY B-DAYS: Sir Charles 44th, Starbury 30th
A.J. GUYTON U EPIZODI "ARTESTOVI MIRNI DANI U CHICAGU"..
Sharpshooter Guyton Answers All Doubts
Often in life we are faced with challenges that at first-look, seem insurmountable. Self-doubt easily creeps into the mind and takes root with a blink of an eye. However, there are those who feed off the opportunities placed before them to prove the naysayers wrong. A.J. Guyton is one such person - a man who refuses to recognize the words can't, impossible and unlikely. Tell A.J. Guyton he's incapable of doing something, and you'll be proven wrong - every time.
Throughout his entire athletic life, Arthur James Guyton had been questioned as to whether he possessed the necessary skills to be successful. As a child, Guyton was small in size and quiet in demeanor. Easy to overlook when it came time to choose up sides on a playground, young A.J. quickly developed an inner competitive fire, determined to establish the wealth and depth of his abilities. On the court of athletic competition, he proved to be everything but a wallflower. Overcoming countless trials and tribulations with the undying support of his family, A.J. Guyton has reached the pinnacle of professional athletics - the NBA.
ZAGREB vs. CEDEVITA - PART I (8MIN/90MB)
"Always being labeled an underdog and being surrounded by doubters can wear on you," says Guyton. "But I knew everything would be alright because my family was always on my side, encouraging me and pushing me to never give in. Their support and confidence gave me all I needed to continue to push forward and do things that a lot of people said I couldn't."
Growing up in Peoria, Illinois, Guyton first looked doubt in the eye as a fifth grader at Sterling Middle School. At the time, he had trouble convincing his basketball coaches that he was big enough and capable of holding his own against the competition. To his coaches and anyone else who would gaze upon him, Guyton was a nice, quiet, short, skinny kid. What they all failed to recognize was that inside his chest beat the heart of a fierce competitor. It wasn't until sixth grade that Guyton was able to showcase an uncanny shooting ability that would help establish him as an uncommonly good basketball player.
As Guyton played basketball though junior high, his skills as a shooter began to flourish, and he started to develop into a dangerous scorer.
As he entered high school, questions once again arose, but as before, his family was there and ready with keen support. On the first day of tryouts, his mother cautioned him with the traditional "don't be upset if you don't make the team" speech that all mothers everywhere have perfected. But young A.J. proved to be greater than the odds; his performance on the court placed him on the sophomore team as a freshman. Still, that wasn't enough to satisfy the naysayers, as, once again, questions continued to be asked regarding Guyton's ability to survive. And, once again, A.J. Guyton answered those inquisitors emphatically.
ZAGREB vs. CEDEVITA - PART II (8MIN/90MB)
Guyton's school scoring records at Peoria Central High School went largely unnoticed outside of the school's hallways, due in part to the high-flying tricks of another local hardwood hero, Mike Robinson, of rival Peoria Riverwoods, and the success of cross-town adversary, Peoria Manual High School, which dominated Illinois prep play in capturing three state crowns during Guyton's high school tenure. Many observers wondered if Guyton would be lost in the shuffle among the area's outstanding talent and if he could hook up with a national program. Inquiries also began to creep up as to whether Guyton, at 6-1 and 165 pounds, was a shooting guard trapped in a point guard's body, something he would hear several times over his collegiate career.
After shattering all the school records at Central, Guyton was off to Indiana as one of the least-known members of legendary coach Bobby Knight's heralded recruiting class, which included future NBA first-round pick Jason Collier. College basketball on-lookers wondered aloud - who was the quiet, unassuming sharpshooter from Peoria, Illinois?
Guyton quickly and soundly answered them, earning Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors and being named a freshman All-American. In his rookie season as a Hoosier, Guyton averaged 13.6 points and 3.9 assists, shooting .435 from the floor and .386 from three-point range. He also became only the second Indiana freshman and the eighth player in school history to score 400 points, grab 100 rebounds and dish out 100 assists in a season.
The questions were answered again when Guyton was a sophomore. He continued to blister Indiana opponents, averaging 16.8 points, shooting a career-high .468 from the floor and scoring 20 points or more on nine occasions. Guyton also began to earn a reputation as a clutch player, averaging 20.0 points and 3.5 assists in two NCAA Tournament games.
ZAGREB vs. CEDEVITA - PART III (8MIN/90MB)
When he was a junior, the questions about his abilities continued to creep to the surface. His overall scoring average dipped to 16.0 ppg as defections from the Hoosier team made Guyton the main focus of the offense. The only player to start all 34 games for Indiana, Guyton scored 20 or more points 12 times, averaging a team-high 18.1 points in Big Ten Conference action. For the first time, Guyton had to answer questions as to whether he could make the jump to the pros. The doubters often remarked that an injury or a weak senior season would kill his chances to reach the NBA.
This time, Guyton answered them in spades. His senior campaign saw him named the Big Ten Player of the Year and First Team All-American. Guyton averaged a career-best 19.7 points, shooting .419 from beyond the three-point arc. At times, he seemed on a mission, torching the eventual NCAA National Champion Michigan State Spartans for a career-high 34 points on national television. Playing at Indiana also gave Guyton the family-like atmosphere he had been so accustomed to in small town Peoria.
"Playing at Indiana, I learned how to be mentally prepared for each and every game. It gave me a edge - an advantage, in terms of how I approached everything I do."
Following graduation, the questions about professional basketball that had begun earlier in his college career were brought to the forefront. Pro scouts wondered aloud about his ability to play point guard after he acted mainly as a shooter at Indiana. Those in charge constantly debated whether he would be able to run an NBA team offensively while handling the likes of perennial All-Stars Gary Payton, Jason Kidd, Allen Iverson, Mark Jackson and John Stockton defensively.
ZAGREB vs. CEDEVITA - PART IV (8MIN/90MB)
"I wasn't worried. I always knew I could play," said a confident Guyton. "With the right opportunity, I knew I could convince those who doubted me that they were wrong. It would be just a matter of time."
Guyton went to the NBA pre-draft talent camps and, excuse the pun, proved his point, by showing outstanding passing skills while displaying his customary feathery shooting touch. His play earned him MVP honors at the 2000 Nike Desert Classic in Phoenix, where he averaged a tournament best 15.7 points per game.
"[At the camps] I tried to keep everyone involved," Guyton recalled. "I constantly talked to the guys on my team. I made sure to get them the ball. But I also looked for my shot. I'm not a gunner or anything, but I also understood what I did best and what would get me noticed in a positive way."
The inquiries as to whether Guyton would get drafted were answered when the Chicago Bulls picked him with their first second-round pick - No. 32 overall.
ZAGREB vs. CEDEVITA - PART V (8MIN/90MB)
"I went to the team I wanted to go to, so it worked out for me in the end," said Guyton. "Because I'm playing for the Bulls, my family gets the chance to see me play. I didn't know what to expect from the NBA Draft, but to be able to play so close to home is great."
"A.J. has done a fine job of staying in front of his man defensively," Bulls Head Coach Tim Floyd remarked. "He has been someone we can rely on to provide a good, solid effort on the defensive end of the floor."
Questions about his offense have come up, but Guyton answered those with some early blistering shooting exhibitions, including an 18-point, 4-three-pointer eruption in only 17 minutes off the bench versus the Orlando Magic.
With a refreshing commitment to family and basketball, Guyton seems to be poised for a big splash into professional basketball.
"Living and getting the opportunity to play pro basketball in Chicago is great," said Guyton. "I feel like this is just like home to me."
WWW.NBA.COM/BULLS
