Del Negro Good For Bulls’ Youth

New Chicago Bulls head coach Vinnie Del Negro is inheriting a roster with loaded with young players, young players with a lot of talent. For many NBA youths, it takes a number of years to make the transition from college to the pros, and some can’t quite handle it. John Paxson recently touted Del Negro for his communication skills and leadership ability, something especially important when coaching and developing younger guys. Last season the Baby Bulls seemed to quit on then head coach Scott Skiles, and it may have been due to Skiles well-documented dictator-like coaching style. Skiles had the tendency to rub players the wrong way, even veterans like former Bulls center Ben Wallace who had a public feud with Skiles over whether he could wear a headband during games.

I think Del Negro is a better fit for the team. Many of the club’s leaders have been in the league five years or less such as Luol Deng, Kirk Hinrich and Ben Gordon, and the team also has a number of guys drafted in the past 2 years such as Joakim Noah, Tyrus Thomas and Thabo Sefolosha. Noah and Thomas have both had documented incidents with Skiles or members of his staff during practices. The Bulls will also be bringing in a high profile rookie with the number one pick in this month’s NBA Draft, assuming they don’t trade the pick. I think Del Negro’s aforementioned ability to communicate and his willingness to spend time with his players in order to relate to them will better suit this youthful roster than the tough love Skiles dished out.

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