ducks
07-04-2004, 06:51 PM
Bulking up is a priority for Wright
By ISRAEL GUTIERREZ, [email protected]
At his introductory news conference, Dorell Wright sat behind a microphone wearing a tannish brown suit that was falling off his shoulders and a matching shirt that, based on the loose fit around his neck, was about three sizes too big.
So when Wright mentioned who he eventually wants to look like, the men flanking him, Heat president Pat Riley and coach Stan Van Gundy, both had to chuckle a bit.
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"Alonzo Mourning's a good example," Wright said. "I'm trying to get like that a little."
Good luck. Mourning was so chiseled he could've served as a model for the world's finest sculptors. Right now, Wright looks more like a thin pillar standing 6 feet, 7 inches tall with little definition.
Even though Wright's goal seems a bit lofty, strengthening his body is one of the Heat's top priorities this summer. A sturdier frame will give the rookie a better chance of playing significant minutes this season. But helping Wright develop the proper build will also be one of the team's biggest challenges.
When it comes to weightlifting, Wright, 18, is as green as they come.
"I didn't work with weights too much," Wright said about his high school career. "I did it a little, and then we stopped. Then I did it on my own and that was kind of tough because I didn't know what I was doing. I was just in there lifting."
Heat strength and conditioning coach Bill Foran will be largely responsible for building up Wright's strength and getting him on the proper weightlifting and nutritional program. He said the challenge is unlike any he has experienced since joining the Heat 15 years ago. But it's also one Foran is looking forward to tackling.
`FROM SCRATCH'
"It really is starting from scratch for me because he's a young guy who has never done any of this before," Foran said. "One thing is, he's gotten to this level without that strength. If we add the strength component in, I just think he can really develop.
"I guess we have to fast-track him, but we have to be realistic because he's never done this before and we're starting at the bottom."
Probably the key element to strengthening Wright is the rookie's desire. If he is willing to work, the next three months will be enough time to get his body ready for the NBA.
Last summer, Lamar Odom dedicated the final six weeks of the offseason to preparing his body for the switch from small forward to power forward, and it paid off tremendously in his breakout season. Wright, however, is starting off with less of a base than Odom, meaning the work ethic will have to be even greater.
"If he's never been in [the weight room], he's got to come in with a great mental attitude that this is going to make him better," Foran said. "I worked with him [Monday] night for the first time and I sensed that he wanted to work."
READY AND WILLING
Wright said he is willing to put in the time, and he might have to if he has hopes of making an immediate impact.
"If he's here, this could be huge to him," Foran said. "It could be the difference between playing and not playing in his rookie year. If he hits a solid 12 weeks in the weight room, he's going to be so much stronger to be able to battle out there."
Wright is planning to go back to his hometown, Los Angeles, after summer league is completed Saturday, but he will be expected to maintain a program while he is home, and once he returns to Miami it should intensify.
Van Gundy, though, isn't banking on Wright's body being a finished product come training camp. And he figures that won't be much of a setback.
"Everybody in this league has to continue to work hard on it," Van Gundy said. "Dwyane [Wade's] strength helped him, but if you go the other way and look at Chris Bosh, he played center in the league, and strength was a major issue, but he had a pretty good year. [Wright's] got to get stronger. That's going to be a long process, but that doesn't mean that in that process while he's still getting stronger that he's not going to be able to play at some point.
"We'll just have to see how it all plays out."
By ISRAEL GUTIERREZ, [email protected]
At his introductory news conference, Dorell Wright sat behind a microphone wearing a tannish brown suit that was falling off his shoulders and a matching shirt that, based on the loose fit around his neck, was about three sizes too big.
So when Wright mentioned who he eventually wants to look like, the men flanking him, Heat president Pat Riley and coach Stan Van Gundy, both had to chuckle a bit.
ADVERTISEMENT
"Alonzo Mourning's a good example," Wright said. "I'm trying to get like that a little."
Good luck. Mourning was so chiseled he could've served as a model for the world's finest sculptors. Right now, Wright looks more like a thin pillar standing 6 feet, 7 inches tall with little definition.
Even though Wright's goal seems a bit lofty, strengthening his body is one of the Heat's top priorities this summer. A sturdier frame will give the rookie a better chance of playing significant minutes this season. But helping Wright develop the proper build will also be one of the team's biggest challenges.
When it comes to weightlifting, Wright, 18, is as green as they come.
"I didn't work with weights too much," Wright said about his high school career. "I did it a little, and then we stopped. Then I did it on my own and that was kind of tough because I didn't know what I was doing. I was just in there lifting."
Heat strength and conditioning coach Bill Foran will be largely responsible for building up Wright's strength and getting him on the proper weightlifting and nutritional program. He said the challenge is unlike any he has experienced since joining the Heat 15 years ago. But it's also one Foran is looking forward to tackling.
`FROM SCRATCH'
"It really is starting from scratch for me because he's a young guy who has never done any of this before," Foran said. "One thing is, he's gotten to this level without that strength. If we add the strength component in, I just think he can really develop.
"I guess we have to fast-track him, but we have to be realistic because he's never done this before and we're starting at the bottom."
Probably the key element to strengthening Wright is the rookie's desire. If he is willing to work, the next three months will be enough time to get his body ready for the NBA.
Last summer, Lamar Odom dedicated the final six weeks of the offseason to preparing his body for the switch from small forward to power forward, and it paid off tremendously in his breakout season. Wright, however, is starting off with less of a base than Odom, meaning the work ethic will have to be even greater.
"If he's never been in [the weight room], he's got to come in with a great mental attitude that this is going to make him better," Foran said. "I worked with him [Monday] night for the first time and I sensed that he wanted to work."
READY AND WILLING
Wright said he is willing to put in the time, and he might have to if he has hopes of making an immediate impact.
"If he's here, this could be huge to him," Foran said. "It could be the difference between playing and not playing in his rookie year. If he hits a solid 12 weeks in the weight room, he's going to be so much stronger to be able to battle out there."
Wright is planning to go back to his hometown, Los Angeles, after summer league is completed Saturday, but he will be expected to maintain a program while he is home, and once he returns to Miami it should intensify.
Van Gundy, though, isn't banking on Wright's body being a finished product come training camp. And he figures that won't be much of a setback.
"Everybody in this league has to continue to work hard on it," Van Gundy said. "Dwyane [Wade's] strength helped him, but if you go the other way and look at Chris Bosh, he played center in the league, and strength was a major issue, but he had a pretty good year. [Wright's] got to get stronger. That's going to be a long process, but that doesn't mean that in that process while he's still getting stronger that he's not going to be able to play at some point.
"We'll just have to see how it all plays out."