Good stuff from Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro (shown left) talking about his high draft picks Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah. Both players were top 10 picks in the draft (Thomas 2 years ago, Noah last year) and have not quite reached their potential so far as NBA players. Here is what Coach Del Negro has to say about the situation:
Del Negro said of them: "They're young and have to find their way. When you're on the court, you have to value those minutes. The guys who are focused, know their role, commit to it and come with effort every day will play.
"I can handle mistakes. But I can't handle lack of effort. And I can't handle lack of commitment to the team. Those guys know that. They're working better. That's always a work in progress with a young team."
"Commitment is coming in with energy every day, with focus, trying to get better, lifting weights, being on time, paying attention in meetings, being ready to play, knowing what your role is, who you're guarding, what their strengths and weaknesses are, how you can affect the team in a positive way," he said. "Commitment is being a professional, working every day to get better individually. As that happens, the team gets better."
"It's not just one guy," Del Negro said. "As a team, we have to jell and there are always bumps. If guys commit to the team, they'll get a chance."
