Now an assistant coach with the Mavs, Tyson Chandler has resurfaced on the NBA scene at the request of his former teammate in Dallas, Jason Kidd. While he was peacefully enjoying his retirement from the courts, the pivot, crowned NBA champion with the Mavericks in 2011, gave in to the temptation to return to the fold of the Great League, in contact with a young skinny pivot recently drafted in particular , Derek Lively II.
But Tyson Chandler has been hanging around the NBA boards for a while. Indeed, he went directly from high schools to the highest level in 2001, more than twenty years ago.
The Bulls’ “Twin Towers”
Drafted by the Clippers for his greatest happiness, as second choice behind Kwame Brown, Tyson Chandler will not finally be able to fulfill his dream of playing in the NBA on his native land of California until much later in his career, in 2018 with a contract with the Lakers when he was at the end of his career.
Traded immediately to Chicago, against Elton Brand in particular, he was then the future of the Bulls. By forming a duo that made people fantasize in the racket, with Eddy Curry, selected two choices later by Chicago…
“Eddy was extremely talented,” recalls Tyson Chandler in the podcast Up The Smoke. “People don’t realize it, he was so imposing and strong. He was big but he could do a backflip. At first, we didn’t like each other. For no real reason, except that we had been compared and opposed in different rankings [d’avant la Draft]. I remember a press conference with enormous unease between us. We sat opposite each other on the podium and didn’t look at each other. [rires]. And then, as we got to know each other, we became close. I discovered a guy with a huge heart. It was a beast! But he had to touch it too. For me, he was the most talented player in our Draft! »
Recruited specifically to care for the two toddlers, Charles Oakley came home to Chicago in 2001. The former Knicks All-Star took his mission very seriously.
“Oak was the best vet for me, he was a big brother. I saw him slap several players. He also shook me up a bit on occasion! During the video sessions, he forced us to stand right in front of the screen with Eddy! He was on our backs all the time. Once he told us: ‘I’m going to beat you both up!’ I told him: ‘you might beat us but I’m not going to let it happen like that’. It was [Bill] Cartwright our coach at the time. As soon as he heard that, he stopped the video session [rires] ! I said to myself, damn, you don’t want to continue a little longer anyway, so that he calms down a little. Everyone left the room and he waited for me at the exit. We started to push each other, to fight. But he’s super strong. He threw me to the ground and I arrived in the locker room with cuts on my back. What happened ? Oak and I came to blows! And then we left for training [comme si de rien n’était]. »
Again repeated in Charlotte
A few years later, in Charlotte, Tyson Chandler found his mentor. Now retired and a member of Paul Silas’s coaching staff with the Bobcats.
Then again, “Oak” wasn’t kidding. As evidenced by this muscular confrontation with Gerald Wallace, the local All-Star. The reason ? Assistant to Paul Silas who wanted to change the “loser” mentality of the Bobcats, Oak did not appreciate Wallace putting a towel over his head on the sidelines. Because it doesn’t look professional!
However, for Gerald Wallace, it was not a question of attitude. If he put the towel over his head, it was to protect his braids from sweat and not get them dirty.
Charles Oakley was ready to confront him in the locker room, but, once in a while, it was Stephen Jackson, little known for playing justice of the peace, who intervened and begged Oak not to crack down. : “You’re a coach now Oak, don’t do that!” »
During the same era of the Bobcats, Paul Silas did not joke with discipline. The slightest lack of respect towards the coaching staff was noted and punished. In this case, the leaping Tyrus Thomas was also put back on the right path, by the coach himself, who took him by the jersey and insinuated that it was better not for him to hear again complaining about returning to the bench another time…
| Tyson Chandler | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2001-02 | CHI | 71 | 20 | 49.7 | 0.0 | 60.4 | 1.6 | 3.2 | 4.8 | 0.8 | 2.5 | 0.4 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 6.1 |
| 2002-03 | CHI | 75 | 24 | 53.1 | 0.0 | 60.8 | 2.3 | 4.6 | 6.9 | 1.0 | 2.9 | 0.5 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 9.2 |
| 2003-04 | CHI | 35 | 22 | 42.4 | 0.0 | 66.9 | 2.3 | 5.4 | 7.7 | 0.7 | 2.5 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 6.1 |
| 2004-05 | CHI | 80 | 27 | 49.4 | 0.0 | 67.3 | 3.3 | 6.4 | 9.7 | 0.8 | 3.4 | 0.9 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 8.0 |
| 2005-06 | CHI | 79 | 27 | 56.5 | 0.0 | 50.3 | 3.4 | 5.7 | 9.0 | 1.0 | 3.8 | 0.5 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 5.3 |
| 2006-07 | NOP | 73 | 35 | 62.4 | 0.0 | 52.7 | 4.4 | 8.0 | 12.4 | 0.9 | 3.3 | 0.5 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 9.5 |
| 2007-08 | NOP | 79 | 35 | 62.3 | 0.0 | 59.3 | 4.1 | 7.7 | 11.8 | 1.0 | 3.1 | 0.6 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 11.8 |
| 2008-09 | NOP | 45 | 32 | 56.5 | 0.0 | 57.9 | 3.6 | 5.1 | 8.7 | 0.5 | 3.2 | 0.3 | 1.6 | 1.2 | 8.8 |
| 2009-10 | CHA | 51 | 23 | 57.4 | 0.0 | 73.2 | 2.2 | 4.0 | 6.3 | 0.3 | 2.7 | 0.3 | 1.8 | 1.1 | 6.5 |
| 2010-11 | DAL | 74 | 28 | 65.4 | 0.0 | 73.2 | 2.8 | 6.6 | 9.4 | 0.4 | 3.2 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 10.1 |
| 2011-12 | NYK | 62 | 33 | 67.9 | 0.0 | 68.9 | 3.4 | 6.5 | 9.9 | 0.9 | 3.0 | 0.9 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 11.3 |
| 2012-13 | NYK | 66 | 33 | 63.8 | 0.0 | 69.4 | 4.1 | 6.6 | 10.7 | 0.9 | 2.9 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 10.4 |
| 2013-14 | NYK | 55 | 30 | 59.3 | 0.0 | 63.2 | 2.9 | 6.7 | 9.6 | 1.1 | 2.6 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 8.7 |
| 2014-15 | DAL | 75 | 31 | 66.6 | 0.0 | 72.0 | 3.9 | 7.6 | 11.5 | 1.1 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 10.3 |
| 2015-16 | PHX | 66 | 25 | 58.3 | 0.0 | 62.0 | 2.7 | 6.1 | 8.7 | 1.0 | 2.2 | 0.6 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 7.2 |
| 2016-17 | PHX | 47 | 28 | 67.1 | 0.0 | 73.4 | 3.3 | 8.2 | 11.5 | 0.6 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 8.5 |
| 2017-18 | PHX | 46 | 25 | 64.7 | 0.0 | 62.4 | 2.9 | 6.2 | 9.1 | 1.2 | 2.3 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 6.5 |
| 2018-19 * | All Teams | 55 | 16 | 61.6 | 0.0 | 58.6 | 1.7 | 3.9 | 5.6 | 0.7 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 3.2 |
| 2018-19 * | LAL | 48 | 16 | 60.9 | 0.0 | 59.4 | 1.8 | 3.8 | 5.6 | 0.7 | 1.9 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 3.1 |
| 2018-19 * | PHX | 7 | 13 | 66.7 | 0.0 | 55.6 | 1.0 | 4.6 | 5.6 | 0.9 | 3.0 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 3.7 |
| 2019-20 | HOU | 26 | 8 | 77.8 | 0.0 | 46.2 | 1.0 | 1.6 | 2.5 | 0.2 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 1.3 |
| Total | 1160 | 27 | 59.7 | 0.0 | 64.4 | 3.0 | 6.0 | 9.0 | 0.8 | 2.8 | 0.5 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 8.2 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
