Bulls' new facility 'unlike any around the league'
John Paxson has a good perspective on the Bulls' latest shift in practice facilities.
When he first joined the Bulls early in the 1985-86 season, his first practice was at Angel Guardian gym in Chicago, where the team practiced during most of the 1970s.
"Then we moved right into the Multiplex," Paxson said. "So I was only in Angel Guardian one time and the Multiplex seemed like a huge step up from there. It's amazing how far the league has come along."
When the Bulls built the Berto Center in 1992, they were the first NBA team to have their own practice facility. On Friday, they officially opened their new practice facility, the Advocate Center, which sits a block east of the United Center.
"I felt the same way walking in (the Berto Center) for the first time as I did walking in here," Paxson said. "It was something that didn't exist in the league. This building, everyone has one, but the room we have, the space, is unlike any around the league."
The Bulls doubled their court space, expanding the gym from one full-sized court to two. Another notable change is a large players lounge, complete with dining facilities. The coaches' offices, along with the offices of Paxson and general manager Gar Forman, overlook the practice court.
"We're just thrilled with the building and how it turned out," Forman said. "A lot of our players have been in this week and I think they're just startled seeing it and how classy a building it is."
Forman and Paxson toured several practice facilities, pro and college, to cull ideas. They mentioned the Oklahoma City Thunder, Cleveland Cavaliers and West Virginia University as three that stood out.
"We just stole a little bit from each, things that we liked and tried to incorporate it into this building," Forman said. "One of the things we wanted is for it to be open and light with a lot of room. We also wanted a flow where there would be a lot of interaction."
To try to encourage interaction, the weight room borders the practice court and the training room has no solid walls. Someone sitting on a training table can have a conversation with someone lifting weights. To get from the locker room to the court, players will have to walk through the training area and weight room.
The weight room also has two-story windows facing Madison Street, with the championship banners visible from outside.
During a ribbon-cutting ceremony, Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel talked about moving the team's headquarters from suburban Deerfield, where it's been for roughly 30 years, to Chicago's West Side.
Many of the Bulls younger players already live in the city and this move will eliminate the dreaded home-game drive down the Edens and Kennedy Expressways.
"Just the lack of stress they might experience, it's a good thing," Paxson said. "We see all positives in this. We didn't just make this decision overnight. There was a lot of thought that went into moving down here. We feel like we did it right."
Training camp is expected to open on Sept. 29.
Rose rising in Spain:
Derrick Rose is shooting just 27 percent from the field at the FIBA World Cup, but John Paxson isn't particularly worried.
"I know everybody's paying attention to his numbers. I'm certainly not," Paxson said. "I like the way he's moved on the floor; his explosiveness. You see times when he just turns on the jets and explodes. Those are the things I focus on."
Added Gar Forman: "We've been very encouraged because you can see he's healthy. You can see the athleticism, the explosiveness. Though he's not making shots, obviously that's going to come. The biggest thing to us is him showing the ability to make Derrick Rose-type plays again and I think he's shown that. He looks very healthy."
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