Hoiberg, Hornacek share common ground
It would be a great story if Iowa State's best player from the 1980s, Jeff Hornacek, took one of the best players of the 1990s, Fred Hoiberg, under his wing and taught him what it means to be a Cyclone.
Things didn't go down quite like that, however. Yes, Hoiberg served as an Iowa State ballboy while Hornacek was the team's best player. But the interaction between the two was more about picking up sweaty socks.
"I didn't know Fred when he was a ballboy," Hornacek said before Monday's game at the United Center. "Until (he started playing for Iowa State), he was just another kid in the neighborhood."
The two Iowa State legends coached against each other for the second time Monday. Hoiberg won the first meeting Nov. 18 in Phoenix. Hornacek, a Chicago-area native who attended Lyons Township High School, is in his third season as Suns coach.
"He was such a fun player to watch (in college)," Hoiberg said. "Just his story of going to Iowa State as a walk-on and arguably the best player ever to graduate from Iowa State University, he was a guy I absolutely looked up to when I was a kid. He's had a heck of a career, both on and off the court."
Wait a minute, Marcus Fizer isn't Iowa State's best player ever? He went fourth (to the Bulls) in the 2000 draft?
"When you look at college and pro career, it's hard to argue against Jeff," Hoiberg said with a laugh.
D-League returns:
Backup center Cameron Bairstow was back in a Bulls uniform Monday after a stint with the Austin Spurs. Bairstow averaged 14 points and 8 rebounds during his five games in the D-League.
On Sunday, rookie Bobby Portis was asked if he'd enjoy going on a D-League assignment. After playing well in the preseason, Portis has appeared in just three games during the regular season.
"No doubt. Everyone thinks the D-League is bad, but it's a chance to get reps, so there's not nothing wrong with it," Portis said. "People hear D-League and think 'Oh, man, he's in the D-League.' It's not about the D-League. It's about getting reps and getting ready. The D-League's great for getting better."
Portis still waiting:
Bobby Portis admitted it has been difficult going from college star at Arkansas to benchwarmer in the NBA, But he's trying to work hard and be a good teammate. Besides, he knew the Bulls were deep at his position as soon as he was drafted.
"It's not hard to tell," he said. "You've got (Nikola) Mirotic, you've got (Pau) Gasol, you've got Joakim Noah, you've got Taj Gibson in front of you. They've been here longer than I have and obviously I'm a rookie, so I've got to play to my role.
"And my role is to be a positive guy on the bench and cheer for my teammates and bring that positive energy. My role is not to play right now. I'm cool with that. I'm cool with waiting on my turn, and once my turn comes I'll be the Bobby Portis I've always been."