Ben Gordon Talks to Youth

Ben Gordon was more than happy to help when the Bulls asked him to speak before 90 youngsters at the Bulls Players Camp this week. The youth basketball camp is designed to help Chicago-area youth basketball players improve their game, have some fun, and learn about the importance of teamwork and the need to work hard to achieve their goals. Other Bulls players who are scheduled to lend their services include Tyrus Thomas, Joakim Noah and Chris Duhon. The camp is so popular that there is a waiting list backed up for over a year to get a child enrolled.

Said Gordon about his role at the camp, “It’s an opportunity that I want to take full advantage of. When I speak to the children, I hope that they look at me in a different light—not just as a basketball player, but someone who they can look up to on and off the court. If I can be a positive role model and give good advice, my mission is accomplished. I don’t want to take the position I’m in for granted and this is something I love to do.”

You don’t have to be a kid at the camp to see Ben Gordon, though. All you have to do is get Chicago Bulls tickets at StubHub.com.

Slate on Summer League Hoops

There’s a very interesting article at Slate about the value and annoyingness of Summer League basketball, which would be interesting for fans of the Chicago Bulls to read. As you probably know, this, being summer, is the time to focus on the NBA’s Summer League, which takes place in Orlando (where the Bulls played most of their Summer League games), Las Vegas and Salt Lake City. David Roth writes an article typical of Slate- slightly sarcastic, intellectual and scoffing- about how the Summer League is both awful and awfully awesome. The fringe players are here to throw hay-makers to get onto an NBA roster, the street balers are here to try and get legitimate, and the rookies cater to the lowest common denominator. It’s sloppy, but it’s fun.

An NBA game with the Chicago Bulls will feature a lot of the players you will see in the Summer Leagues, such as the rookie talent, and maybe a few add-ons. However, if you appreciate good defense or low turnover stats, you should probably stay away form the Summer League. This is a place where players try to boost their stats and coaches know that stats don’t matter at all. It is a funny kind of melting pot that is more WWE than NCAA, and more reality show than Seinfeld. If that’s what you like, then next time the summer league plays you should consider getting tickets.

Otherwise, for some more quality hoops, you can still get Chicago Bulls tickets at StubHub.com.

Bulls Falling Behind?

With the Celtics adding Kevin Garnett, the Knicks getting Zach Randolph, and the Magic getting Rashard Lewis, some people think that the balance of power in the NBA is getting a little less tipped towards the west. Some are also saying that the Bulls missed the boat in terms of keeping up wit the arms race in the Eastern Conference. Greg Couch’s article in the Chicago Sun-Times alleges that the Bulls’ GM, John Paxson, didn’t do enough to land Garnett before the Celtics got him. To couch, Paxson should have been more risky.

The opposite end of that kind of thinking is this: the Bulls have been carefully built as a solid core of young players who will be winning and getting to the playoffs for years. This was Paxson’s design and he has the team exactly how he wants it. To declare that the Celtics are automatically going to dominate is calling it way early. There is no telling what will happen. Why dump the strategy that is slowly getting good for a quick fix that would destroy years of work for a result that is still in question?

You can get Chicago Bulls tickets at StubHub.com.