MVPuppets “Handshake” Featuring… Z?!?!?

Ilgauskas’ long road to longevity a lesson for Yao, Oden by Scott Howard-Cooper (nba.com)

by Scott Howard-Cooper (nba.com)

David Dow/NBAE/Getty Images

He is 34 years old now, in his 14th season in the NBA and his 12th season actually playing in the NBA, in a new role in Cleveland that could be seen coming and a new role in the league that no one could have envisioned.
What an unlikely record holder.
What an unexpected inspiration.
“I think if I can do it, if I can come back, then anybody can,” Zydrunas Ilgauskas said. “I’m not special.”
Except that he is.
That Ilgauskas is playing, period, in 2009-10, is meaningful. That he is playing an important role anywhere, let alone for the 27-9 Cavaliers, is the stuff of Vegas long shots. His is a comeback story for all-time in the NBA and especially in this time, in the season when the careers of Greg Oden and Yao Ming pretty much ended.
Just like the career of Ilgauskas pretty much ended a couple dozen times.
Oden has the coincidental and unfortunate linkage to Sam Bowie and Bill Walton in the tradition of centers picked very high in the draft who gimped their way through frustrating Trail Blazers careers. Yao has the burden of an entire country (China) and a city (Houston) aching at every gloomy medical bulletin, but they also have Ilgauskas as the reminder that a happy ending is possible. “Big Z” is the walking, talking Get Well card, proof that there is a future after all.
Ilgauskas and Yao talked a few times in the summer and met when the Cavaliers were in Houston last month. He’d be glad to speak with Oden, if Oden would like, with the same message that patience and sticking with the rehab even as the hours of long, tedious work pile high.

“Nobody but me knows what it takes to come back from all those injuries,” he said. “You obviously take that [people wanting to talk to him] as a compliment. But you don’t take that for granted, what it took you to get here.”
Ilgauskas the inspiration. Incredible.
Remember when he was Ilgauskas the incapacitated?
The rookie campaign, 1996-97, as the No. 20 pick in the draft, was zero appearances thanks to a broken right foot and subsequent surgery, the same injury that caused Big Z to miss the season before in his native Lithuania. The NBA debut was playing all 82 games in 1997-98. The tease. Next, five games, due to a fractured left foot, followed by missing all 1999-2000 while continuing to rehab the left foot, including another surgery. Cleveland signed him to a six-year extension on Jan. 29, 2000. Suckers. The payback was 24 games in 2000-01, before more pain in the left foot, more surgery, more end-of-career talk.
Some of that was in conversation with himself, some in conversation with those close to him. He was realistic enough to realize that retirement could be very near.
And then the strangest thing happened. Z got healthy. Then kept getting healthy.
He returned Dec. 4, 2001, the first game in about 50 weeks, and played 62 of the final 65 contests, losing one on a coach’s decision and two because of back spasms. He missed one game each of the next two seasons, three in each of the next three and nine in 2007-08 before sitting out 17 games last season, mostly because of a sprained ankle.
From the brittle life of missing two full campaigns and playing less than one-third in two others to seven seasons of good health plus 2009-10 that has started in the same positive direction. From one stretch of 29 appearances over three seasons to a pair of All-Star games. From having no future to setting the team record for the most games played, making his 724th appearance with the Cavaliers on Dec. 2.
“When you have somebody that’s that good of a person have a chance to accomplish something like this, especially with the hardships that he’s been through, it’s special,” coach Mike Brown said. “You’re happy for him and for him getting that mark. But it’s the type of person and it’s his makeup that helped him get to that bar or that goal.”
That was the night anything officially became possible for Oden and Yao. It was the special game in Cleveland when the team that gave a wobbly player a long-term contract lived to see it become a good investment … and the popular big man who couldn’t make it through a season stepped into the record books for longevity. It didn’t matter that it was part of his new assignment as a backup, established once the Cavs traded for Shaquille O’Neal. Ilgauskas was historically linked with durability.
Inspirational, if a couple other centers noticed.
“Just be patient,” he said of the message to Yao and Oden. “Listen to your doctors. And the biggest thing is just patience. A lot of guys tend to get overzealous. They feel good and they want to make the next step. Just be patient. Don’t rush anything. Listen to your body, more than anything.”
Because things can get better.
“Yes,” the special center said. “Of course.”

Z Sets Record

Cavs center Zydrunas Ilgausksas became the team’s all-time leader in games played when he entered tonight’s game at the 3:50 mark of the first quarter. It marks Z’s 724th career game, surpassing Cavs GM Danny Ferry (723 games).

All Time Leader Games Played

Video of LeBron’s Opinion of the Z Situation

LeBron Goes Public on Coach Brown’s Z Snub

LeBron James criticizes coach Mike Brown’s failure to play Zydrunas Ilgauskas in record-setting game Saturday
By Mary Schmitt Boyer, The Plain Dealer
November 30, 2009, 2:40PM
Joshua Gunter, The Plain Dealer

via cleveland.com

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — LeBron James criticized Cavaliers coach Mike Brown today for his failure to insert Zydrunas Ilgauskas into Saturday’s win over the Dallas Mavericks, which would have given Ilgauskas the Cavaliers record in games played at 724.
Speaking after a rousing game of touch football following today’s practice, James said:

“Me personally, I definitely thought he should have played. I’m not trying to stir up anything with coach or the organization. I

1 DNP CD - on his big day

Ilgauskas, who worked on his shot while most of the rest of his teammates took part in the football game, declined an invitation to speak to the media, the first time reporters remember that happening. Saturday’s game might have been the first time in his career he did not play in a game based on a coach’s decision, although that cannot be verified.
He was the first person to head to the locker room after Saturday’s game and the first person to leave the locker room, also two rarities. He reportedly was devastated by the decision, in part because he had a contingent of family and friends at the game to help him celebrate.

It has been a difficult season for the 33-year-old center, who is coming off the bench for the first time in his career, backing up Shaquille O’Neal.

Z is One Week From History

Just a reminder, that with all the hubbub of Shaq and Delonte and JJ starting to play well that we may have overlooked a major milestone coming up in just one week.

On Nov 27th, big Z will tie former player and current GM Danny Ferry with 723 games played and on Nov 28th he will have played in more games than any Cavalier  EVER.

Pretty big deal.

Old Man Z (as a young man)

Ilgauskas Juggling New Roles – On Court and at Home

via NBA.com reporter Steve Aschburner

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — LeBron James kept the chatter in perspective when he was asked, at the start of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ high-expectations training camp, how much advice he sought from fellow NBAers on life with Shaquille O’Neal.

“He’s a teammate,” James said. “I mean, I’m not adopting a kid.”

No, the Cavaliers player doing that would be Zydrunas Ilgauskas.

This offseason, in fact, Ilgauskas and his wife Jennifer adopted a pair of brothers from an orphanage in the 7-foot-3 center’s hometown of Kaunas, Lithuania. Upon arrival, Deividas, 5, and Povilas, 4, instantly transformed the Ilgauskas’ household into a burgeoning family, something the couple had planned for prior to the miscarriage of twins two years ago. The brothers are way shorter than their dad’s newest, biggest teammate and, combined,

Big Z

probably weigh about as much as one Shaq thigh, yet they’re requiring some adjustments at home as profound as Ilgauskas is facing these days at work.

“I’m not sleeping as much obviously. I’m a lot more tired,” the 11-year veteran told reporters after a practice last week. “It’s been a blast. It’s been challenging at times. But all in all, it’s been a great experience. It’s an adjustment for everybody — obviously, a big family now. … All of a sudden, overnight, you become a father. I’m learning as I go and I try to do the best job I can, and sometimes it’s not easy. Everybody can relate to that.”

Not everybody can relate, however, to a future Hall of Famer and massive marquee name showing up at the office, ready to crowd you out of your cubicle. With that challenge — O’Neal taking over as Cleveland’s starting center, Ilgauskas adapting to a backup role — the affable guy known simply as “Z” is on his own. The key is, he’s still affable and figures to stay that way.

“Z’s a team guy,” Cavs coach Mike Brown said. “He will do whatever we ask him to do. That’s his makeup. I don’t think he knows any other way. Obviously, when we acquired Shaq, the first call I made was to Z. We talked about his role … and before I even got started, he was like, ‘Coach, whatever I need to do to help us win, that’s what I’m going to do.’ That goes back to the trust thing; he trusts us as coaches. That’s been built over the years.”

Said Ilgauskas: “It’s still basketball. Obviously, it’s a little bit of an adjustment. I’ll have to find what’s the right mindset for me, how do I prepare for the games? It’s just something I guess I have to learn, because I haven’t done it a lot, with starting for so long.”

Specifically, Ilgauskas has started for Cleveland in his past 534 games dating to the 2002-03 season. He’s been an All-Star twice in that time and ranks as the franchise’s all-time leader in rebounds and blocked shots. He hasn’t come off the bench since 2001-02, when coach John Lucas was being especially careful in the wake of Ilgauskas’ notorious foot surgeries and subbed him in 39 times in 62 appearances.

Now the Cavaliers crave more inside presence to cope with the likes of Dwight Howard, Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan and maybe Andrew Bynum. Ilgauskas is best as a pick-and-pop center, and he clearly was lacking foot speed in the postseason last spring. Also, the team sought O’Neal’s star power to court James, the resident superstar. All of which means that Ilgauskas will gain the benefits of facing some second-string centers and logging fewer minutes, while coping with the costs of new game-night routines.

“It won’t be as much wear and tear on my body,” he said. “It’s going to be a little harder because obviously you’re going to come off cold — you aren’t warmed right up from warmups. But a couple minutes up and down the floor, I should be OK. I’ve thought about it, but I don’t really see much of a difference besides getting loose and getting into the flow of the game.”

Brown, asked if Ilgauskas easily accepted the new role because he could thrive against the league’s backup centers, said: “More important, what he expressed, it could help the team.”

It is refreshing, let’s be honest, to see such a smooth and rancor-free baton handoff in a league where so many players — out of self-preservation or ego — resent the arrival of a proven teammate who shares their position. No Big Prima Donna here, at least not from Ilgauskas’ side of the aisle.

“Once everything settled down, I knew it obviously made the team better. And it’s hard to make yourself better after you win 66 games,” he said. “At this point in my career, I really want to win. I’m 34 years old and I really want to win a championship. Whatever helps with that, I’m all for it. I’ve always been high on Shaq — he’s the best center I’ve ever played against — so if anyone’s going to replace me in the starting lineup, I don’t mind that at all.”

Remember, these days, it’s all about team for Z. At work and at home. Jennifer is the one who handles Deividas and Povilas while he’s practicing or attending to other Cavs obligations. He’s the one who navigates the Lithuanian, since the brothers’ English is, well, just coming off the bench these days too. But they’re making it work — and making it feel like play.

“I’m in a happy place in my life right now,” Ilgauskas said. “I’m really satisfied, and kind of content where I am as a player and a person. The kids obviously completed our family — we had great lives but now it’s even better. It’s more challenging and a little harder, but you get rewarded in different areas.”

There is, basically, just one area that is non-negotiable for the big guy: banging every day with the even bigger guy. Just so we know the parameters for the renewed daddy and Cavs elder statesman: He will do bedtime stories and board games. He won’t do Shaq in practice.

“I won’t,” Ilgauskas said. “Somebody else is going to have to guard him in practice. Otherwise, I won’t last till Christmas.”

And Christmas, after all, is going to be big this year. Both in Los Angeles — Cavaliers vs. Lakers — and in the Ilgauskas household.

Steve Aschburner has written about the NBA for 25 years

Shaq to Cavs?

Every news outlet has this as a done deal for Sasha, Ben and half a mil.

I will add the big guy to the site once cavs.com makes it official. But if Windhorst reports it, its probably true.

I am going to be bummed seeing Z as a bench guy, even though I knew it would happen some day