There aren’t many 28-year-old, five-year NBA veterans who’ve played significant roles on NBA championship teams playing in the NBA’s Las Vegas summer league this week. But there aren’t many men like Leon Powe, who’ll play for the Bulls summer league team opening play against Boston Tuesday. Powe endured a childhood in which his family moved at least 30 times, living in everything from cars to homeless shelters as he eventually ended up in foster care. He overcame serious knee surgeries in high school and college to enjoy a surprising starring role for the Celtics in the 2008 Finals. So summer league with all those kids and never-going-anywhere free agents? Leon Powe has overcome so much more. “I’ve always had to prove myself,” Powe said after workouts at the Berto Center last week. “Sometimes you want to get mad, but you can’t get mad. In high school, I was No. 1, No. 2 in the country. I hurt myself and worked my way back. They said I’d never get into the league. I got into the league. They said I’d never be a productive player. I love proving people wrong. “It’s why I wanted to come to Las Vegas,” said Powe. “There are more teams there, more people to show that I’m fine. I’m not in any wheelchair. They keep putting out there that I’m not OK, like my leg is killing me. That’s why I’m going. I’ve just been doing two a days with the Bulls. I wanted to go where it wouldn’t be easy. I’ve been working (to rehabilitate his leg) three years. I came to show everyone my leg is fine. Rebound, defend, show leadership. Nothing has changed. I’ll play the game hard and respect the game. I can help anyone.” The Bulls may need that help as well with uncertainty on the roster, and Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau is a great admirer of Powe from their Boston days together. It was in Game 2 of the 2008 Finals that Powe may have saved that championship season. Powe scored 21 points in less than 15 minutes with the Celtics losing in the Celtics’ eventual Game 2 win to go up 2-0 heading for Los Angeles. Read more: http://www.nba.com/bulls/news/leon-powe-eyes-return-bulls-summer-league.html
Not a great first effort, but perhaps that was mostly on Teague. Hope things work out for him. It would be nice to have him as the fifth big man, and have Scal go up to the booth, or perhaps replace Adrian Griffin when he gets hired.
