New coach well-prepared
Vinny Del Negro visited the Berto Center for a two-day interview late in the search process. He arrived last week after Chuck Person and Dwane Casey were in for second interviews.
General manager John Paxson revealed Wednesday that he first spoke to Del Negro during the Orlando predraft camp, which ran from May 27-30.
Asked what he did to make such a strong impression, Del Negro answered, "Obviously, in my position, I had to be very prepared. I don't want to say that was easy for me, but that's what I'm really good at."
Del Negro's father, Vinny, added some insight toward what his son carried to the table when meeting with the Bulls.
"He's a very detailed person," the elder Del Negro said. "We went to dinner last night and he showed me the books that he put together on the game of basketball and brought to his interview. We were astounded for what he did."
The younger Del Negro thought it helped that he interviewed for the Phoenix Suns' coaching job before checking in with the Bulls.
"I think one advantage I had in this process, if there is any, is I've known John for over 20 years," he said. "There was a comfort level there. When we started talking, it was one of those things where it felt like you were talking for five minutes and you turn around and you were taking for 3½ hours."
Pax leaves the box: Bulls general manager John Paxson expected to take some heat for his unconventional coaching choice but welcomed the chance to explain his decision.
"The further I got into the process, the more I started thinking along the lines of, you don't always have to look at things in a conventional way or a way that satisfies the mass of people," he said.
"For whatever reason, there were a lot of things out there and there seemed to be the sense that we didn't know what we were doing. At the Berto Center, we never felt that way at any point. We were doing our job and going through the whole thing the way I thought it should be done.
"We never were panicking up there," he added. "I heard a lot of ideas and a lot of philosophies. I said to myself, 'Why not think outside the box a little bit?' Why not take a chance?' It's not something that hasn't been done before."
Paxson said Del Negro's contract terms were reported incorrectly but declined to reveal the correct amount. Del Negro's salary is believed to be in the neighborhood of $4 million over two years, with some sort of third-year option.
Bull horns: General manager John Paxson said top draft prospects Derrick Rose and Michael Beasley will visit the Berto Center next week. An announcement on the exact dates is coming Friday. … Vinny Del Negro said his college decision came down to North Carolina State, Kentucky or DePaul. He also visited Illinois State before choosing N.C. State. "Coach (Jim) Valvano being Italian, getting along, the whole thing -- it just felt right," Del Negro explained. "It was right when Ray (Meyer) was stepping down (in 1984); I think it was Joey (Meyer's) first year."