Dumars on son: 'He's not afraid to shoot it'

  Lots of catching up to do after a week off, and as interview requests go, it was a halfcourt shot Tuesday morning to call the Detroit Pistons and try to get president of basketball operations Joe Dumars for a phone interview, just two days before the NBA Draft. The first person in the Pistons' media relations department said it'd almost certainly be after the draft before Dumars could return a call, so all they could promise was that they'd pass along the message.

Thirteen minutes later, Dumars called, happy to take a break from last-minute draft workouts to talk about his son Jordan, a 6-foot-6, 230-pound wing from Detroit Country Day who has accepted a scholarship offer to play at USF for Stan Heath, starting with the 2009-10 season.

Dumars, who won two NBA championships in 14 years as a player in the league, said he knows many people in Tampa through Palace Sports & Entertainment, which owns the Pistons and until just recently owned the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning. He admitted, however, that he "did not know a lot about USF at all" until he drove from Orlando to Tampa with his wife, Debbie, and Jordan for an unofficial campus visit while the Pistons were in Orlando to play the Orlando Magic.

GA: How long have you known Stan Heath?

JD: I knew Stan when he was an assistant at Michigan State. Just knew he was a really good, young assistant coach. I know he saw Jordan play last year, right before the season, and he saw him play in AAU this summer. Stan really started talking to him while we were in the first round of the playoffs, against Philly.

GA: What were the biggest things that attracted Jordan, and your family, to USF?

JD: We drove over from Orlando and that answered a lot of questions about USF. My wife, as mothers will do, wanted to know everything she could about the school. She was Googling everything about it. We liked a couple of things that were very important to us. The person you're going to play for is paramount, and Stan and the man that he is, that was a huge appeal to us. Second, but just as importantly, Jordan wanted to find a program that was up and coming. He wanted to be a part of something like that. Jordan's put a lot of thought into this, and we felt like we were able to check off all the boxes with USF.

GA: Tell us about Jordan as a player, from a dad's perspective more than an NBA front-office perspective ...

JD: He'll be a very good defender. He can really shoot the ball, and he has a very high basketball IQ. And as a father, he's a kid who is never going to have one day of problems. He's very committed to basketball and South Florida. As Stan has said many times, he's a player who will help you win games.

GA: Any similarities between your game and his, things that remind you of yourself at that age?

JD: Well, we both were never bashful about shooting. People will see that he's not afraid to shoot it.

GA: You and Heath both have teenage sons named Jordan, which probably shouldn't be that big a surprise for two fathers who have been involved in basketball as much as you have been.

JD: Jordan's name actually wasn't from No. 23. I saw enough of Michael not to name my son after him (laughing). We just liked the name, and we would have picked Jordan whether it was a boy or girl.

(photo courtesy of Associated Press)

Comments

[Dave W]

Nice, first big interview back is one of the most important guys in the NBA. Is he 6'6" or 6'4"? That makes a huge difference in regards to his position. At 6'6" he could easily guard the 2 or 3.

Joe didn't happen to mention where Tayshaun and Sheed will be playing next season, did he?

[G.A.]

I had asked for the interview with the promise that I'd only ask him about his son, so didn't want to push things. Probably should have asked him about Gransberry, but didn't get a chance to ...

[The Champ]

Being a Pistons' fan I really have a lot of respect for Joe D as a player and as a GM/president of basketball operations.However I haven't forgiven him for taking Darko over Melo with that 2nd pick.We would have at least 3 NBA Titles instead of just that 1.Now he needs to go get Josh Smith, Gerald Wallace,or Melo.Hopefully a combination of the two.That would make me and the other Pistons' fans I know very happy.

BTW good to have you back G.A. and getting this interview with Dumars is as good as it gets.Great Great work.

Now when you have the time can you talk about Pena or who may get the last 2009 scholarship we have to give out at this time?

With two downtown shooters committed what direction do you believe or are hearing USF will move in next?

[AGW]

Yeah, G.A. what have you heard about Crawford and Pena? Also, what big man are we targeting for 2009?

Champ, have you heard anything about our assistant coaching situation? Will a move be made soon? If so, who is leaving and who might be coming in? Give us the inside scoop.

[G.A.]

AGW, not sure on Pena -- for him to come in, USF would have to lose one of its signees, and that doesn't seem likely yet. Same for Crawford -- I'll check on him more this week, but it seems the Bulls would have to lose someone before they can gain anyone for 2008-09.

[The Champ]

Well G.A. USF has lost one of it's scholarship players with Dwan McMillan.Apparently he has yet to make his qualifying test score.It's a shame because I really liked this kid, but if he is unable to help us this year then the move in this direction was the only way to go.

Some better news is that Teeng Akol is only a few days away from making it official by signing with USF, probably meaning he has taken care of his academics and will be ready to attend USF this summer like the rest of the signees as they get ready for next season.

Heath says he is not likely to sign another player for the '08 class and may just hold it over for '09.Now I suspect if a player of interest comes open then we will see him get signed by USF.

Need to keep an eye on Heath as it looks like he is hiding something or someone that is a difference maker type either for this season or the next.

Credit goes to the TBO.com blog(B.Mac) for the Millan and Akol updates.

[Ken]

Nice interview.