Our Raymond spent over 3 hours translating a Titan Sports (China) interview with Vlade Divac, who is working with Yao Ming and others as a coach for the Basketball Without Borders Camp in Shanghai.

I have highlighted in bold some of the interesting points Vlade mentioned pertaining to how I think Yao will like playing under new coach Rick Adelman, especially compared to what it was like under former coach Jeff Van Gundy.

In a nutshell, I think Yao is going to quickly forget about losing JVG and like Adelman much, much more. Here’s the translation…

Vlade Divac, one of the players who knows Rick Adelman the best, was a traditional center who did not have lightning speed, and had a successful stint in his NBA career under Rick Adelman. On July 6, in Shanghai Portman Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Vlade Divac talked about his ex-mentor. In short, he said, “Relationship-wise, we are just like father and son.”

TITAN: Let’s talk about Coach Adelman. You played under him for 6 years. You are one of the players who understood him the most. Can you tell us something about Rick? What type of a coach is he?

DIVAC: Let us first talk about what kind of a person he is. He is by far one of the best and kindest persons I ever met in my life. He is a person who treasures family life, and understands and values interpersonal relationships. He treats his players well, just like they are his family members. He is very sentimental, and after you spend sometime together with him, you surely will like him. Moreover, you can learn a lot of things from him. He is just like a treasure. It is not just about basketball. He seems to know a lot of other subject matters.

TITAN: Does he scold and curse (his players)?

DIVAC: No, at most times, he is a very calm and tranquil person. He is unlike some other coaches who like to yell and gesticulate by the courtside. He understands too much basketball-related matters. He does not only teach players how to play basketball on court; he also let his players realize their own values and how to lead their lives off the court.

TITAN: So (are you saying) playing under Adelman will be interesting and full of fun?

DIVAC: Right. Under his coaching, I have enjoyed the most successful stretch of my professional career. That really had been fun and interesting.

TITAN: Now, let’s focus on what type of a coach he is. It is often said he is the type of coach that lets his players have a free hand, and seldom roared at his players from the courtside. He often sat tranquilly on the bench, and let his players face and solve their own problems.

DIVAC: What you described is just what you saw on the court. Yeah, he is exactly like that. But what you have not seen is the Adelman (behind the scene and) on the training court. He is well-prepared for every game, and he makes sure his players are well-prepared, too. Therefore, once the players compete on the court, whether the players can execute his instructions/game plans becomes the players’ responsibilities. On the court, he can peacefully sit by the courtside, and let us make our decisions on court. Unless we made a mess out of the situation that becomes totally unacceptable, then he will step in and call for a time-out.

TITAN: Well, to the Rockets who had been under Jeff Van Gundy for 4 years, this simply is an impossible dreamland.

DIVAC: Yeah, under him, we did enjoy a lot of freedom (on the court). At that time, as a player, we knew what exactly he looked for in us, and how far we could advance (as a team). The relationship between him and the players were just like father and sons Of course, there were certain boundaries that we should not trespass, or else he would become enraged and mad. I have great respect for him, and I have diligently learned a lot of things from him just like a son can learn from his father.

TITAN: So what have you learned from him?

DIVAC: Too many things. First, of course, it is about basketball. He is so different from other coaches; he has a unique perspective and vision towards basketball games. He lets me understand how I should treat my game and competitors. If you want to achieve something from your game, you have to give your all with passion in competitions. You must diligently prepare for every of your game, and if you want to be great on court then you need to work diligently starting from the training court. He is so full of wisdom. During our training, he would teach us how we should respond given certain situations. And then during the competition, those situations really happened, and therefore we knew how to handle them.

TITAN: After Adelman arrived at the Houston Rockets, many people discussed his system, and said he is primarily an offensive-minded coach. Since you have played for him for such a long time, what do you think is actually his systems?

DIVAC: It is very difficult to define Rick Adelman’s system. Indeed, it is an interesting subject. (You see) he does not stop in making changes. He did very thorough researche and study on his players. He studied the strengths and weaknesses of his players, and then he decides on what types of tactics he will use. That is probably why his players can all adapt to Rick, as definitely he can find ways to let his players play to their best abilities. If you still remember that Sacramento Kings team under him, you should understand…under Rick, we all enjoyed our most successful stretch in our professional careers.

TITAN: So you never experienced difficulties playing under Rick Adelman? We all knew Coach Adelman stressed a lot about speed and is famous for his up-tempo game. His teams always play at quick rhythm and speed in offense and defense. As a big man, were you able to adapt and be up to speed?

DIVAC: Well basketball is just like this: you have to make very quick decisions while you’re on the court. You must be able to get into the right positions in the shortest time span possible. I like playing up-tempo game. Up-tempo games are more fun to watch, and running is graceful. And to be a part of those enjoyable up-tempo games was also something beautiful. I have never experienced any difficulties playing up-tempo games (under Rick).

TITAN: So you meant you have enjoyed (those up-tempo games) very much?

DIVAC: I thought one of the reasons why his team always looked like they were playing at a very fast tempo is because he always gives his players a lot of freedom on the court. He does not want to disrupt or disturb the rhythm and tempo of the game. Since the players make their decisions faster, the rhythm of the game naturally appears to be faster. (I think) Similarly, the Houston Rockets should be able to enjoy such up-tempo games from Rick Adelman.

TITAN: So have you noticed Yao Ming’s growth and development in the past years?

DIVAC: Of course. He has grown and developed so much. He has made significant progress from his rookie season up till now, and has become one of the outstanding centers in the league. I also believe that he has a lot of untapped potential. With Coach Adelman by his side, Yao Ming will continue to make progress.

TITAN: So do you mean that Yao Ming, just the same as you, will not encounter any difficulties under Rick Adelman’s systems?

DIVAC: Of course. Of course. Please believe me. No one will encounter difficulties under Rick’s systems. Just like what I have been explaining to you, Rick will help you. He knows how to use a cetner, just like he knew how to use me. He can let Yao Ming learn how to make his own decisions, and learn to take initiative to adapt to on-the-fly changes on the court.

TITAN: Do you think Coach Adelman will play Yao Ming more in the low post, or let him attempt more mid-range jumpers?

DIVAC: Although Yao Ming has astonishing height, he also has an astonishing shooting touch. This will give him a lot of options to choose from, and it also allows him to adjust his game in accordance to different match-up situations. As for him, more importantly, it will be a question of whether his teammates can deliver the basketball to his hands at the appropriate time and position. After all, basketball is all about team play. But you really need not worry. Rick can certainly let Yao Ming play 100% to his best capabilities.

I am also fully confident on another subject matter. In Rick’s systems, Yao Ming will have very good times, because he will never have to worry how he needs to change his game to adapt to Rick’s systems. He only needs to compete and give his best day-in and day-out. It is because Rick will understand where he should get the ball, and where is his comfort zone (in offense). He will formulate his game plan/set play for him.

TITAN: I am not sure whether you have noticed that NBA games have become more and more speedier in the recent years. How has this kind of change affected the center position?

DIVAC: I think this all depends on individual team. If your team really has some big men, and a good center, then you may choose to play a much more slower game, because it is definitely not reasonable to demand your big centers to follow the quick tempo and speed of your short and speedier point guards. Wise and intelligent coaches will make adjustments in accordance to the types of players he has on hand. But if there is no big center or big men, then certainly you may want to play at a quicker tempo to create superiority.

TITAN: In other words, if a team has players like you, Yao Ming or Dikembe Mutombo, they will play much more slower. Now that the tempo of NBA games is getting quicker and quicker, is it because there are fewer and fewer genuine traditional centers?

DIVAC: Correct. You mentioned Deke Mutombo? Oh my God ! And he is still playing up till this day. Man, he is such a character.

TITAN: You said Rick and you are like father and son. Can you tell us a story between you and him that left the most impression with you?

DIVAC: Well it was something that happened in 1999 to 2000 that had elevated our relationship above just being coach and player. At that time, it was a mess back at my home country; war broke out and a lot of my patriots died. I worried so much for my home country, and somewhat I was mentally and physically exhausted. I kept training and playing; I went home and got very little sleep. I sat in front of my television or computer to keep myself abreast of what was happening back at my home country. I did not reveal all these to him. But somehow he felt it. One day, he told me: “Go home. Sleep and take a rest. You need to look after yourself.” He is so sensitive, and he takes good care of his players. I just cannot forget him for the rest of my life.

TITAN: Do you remember clearly how many times you have visited China?

DIVAC: (This must be) my third or fourth visit. It was about 4 years ago when I made my first visit to China. Everything was so new, strange and eye-opening for me. It’s a completely different type of culture. Now having come back a few times more, and every one of my visits lasting a bit longer, I’m feeling more and more comfortable. Shanghai? I particularly like this city….full of energy and vitality.

TITAN: So you have been to China so many times. Relating to your experience, what startled you most?

DIVAC: What startled me is the speed the cities here in China keep changing and developing unceasingly. Another thing is how basketball is becoming more and more popular. Now more and more people like basketball.

TITAN: So this time you have come for the Basketball Without Borders Asia 2007. What do think about the significance of this activity?

DIVAC: I was one of the creators/initiators of this activity. At that time, war broke out back at my home country. I thought basketball can unite youngsters all over the world. Forget about hatred, pain and war. Therefore we sort of initiated and organized such activity. We hope through this way (i.e. through basketball), we can unite all the children of the world and simultaneously, we also provide them with a rare learning opportunity and experience, because in these camps, they can learn from some of the world’s best basketball players and coaches. Basketball is a game that you need to keep learning and improving every minute and second. Even though I retired several years ago, I still think there are still so many things I have yet to fully grasp.

TITAN: Basketball Without Borders is sort of NBA’s way to connect with the world. As one of the earliest international players of NBA, how have you helped to change NBA, and how NBA has changed this world?

DIVAC: I started as a rookie in 1989 and I retired by 2002. And throughout these past years, new things kept happening and changing every day. I just knew the international players had helped accelerating the globalization of NBA, and simultaneously the NBA also enabled the international players to become more outstanding players, because as far as basketball competition is concerned, the NBA is regarded as the world’s best. And once young players get engaged into this game of basketball, the NBA should surely become their dreams. After all, several hundred of the best basketball players on this planet are all here in NBA.

This entry was posted on Saturday, July 7th, 2007 at 11:22 am and is filed under Rockets' off-season. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.