Nene is actually taking the offseason seriously

cpawfan · Sep 14, 2008

http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_10452669

Count Nene among those who were steamed when the Nuggets traded Marcus Camby to the Los Angeles Clippers. The irony is that the trade of Nene's best friend on the team has also been a reason for the Brazilian to smile. It was, in large part, a giant leap of faith in him.

"I'm gonna be honest, I was very angry during that time," he said. "First of all, he's like my brother. He helped me a lot."

Economics drove the decision to move Camby. The team removed $10 million from its payroll, which was important for owner Stan Kroenke, who, according to the NBA, cut the league a luxury tax check of roughly $13.5 million for last season's payroll, which was $81 million.

Aside from money, the choice to make Nene the featured player in the middle was the unspoken part of the Camby trade. The Nuggets are relying on Nene as their center for now and the future. Within the organization there is a belief Nene is an all-star talent, if he can stay healthy and refine his game.

After beating testicular cancer and coming back from numerous injuries, Nene heads into the third year of a six-year, $60 million contract knowing he has to deliver if the Nuggets are going to improve.

With training camp set to start Sept. 30, Nene promises to be ready. He has spent all summer preparing.

"I've been though a lot of things, the injuries, the chemotherapy," Nene said. "To be able to be fine through the season, I had to sacrifice my summer and be in shape early to prevent all that stuff. So that's what I did."

In past years, Nene spent much of the offseason in Brazil. This summer, he went for just 15 days in July.

"I know I was going to miss a lot of people in Brazil, but I know I have a lot of good people here, too," Nene said. "And for my game, I invested in myself. That's going to be an advantage in the future."

In six seasons, the only thing that has defined Nene more than his trademark smile has been his trademark "did not play" in the scoring summary. Injuries derailed a promising start to his career, then testicular cancer kept him out most of the second half of last season.

Since being drafted No. 7 overall in 2002 by the Knicks, then traded that night with Camby to the Nuggets, Nene has played in 293 of a possible 492 regular-season games, just under 60 percent.

Only once has Nene averaged more than 30 minutes a game (2003-04), which, incidentally, was the last time he started full time. Since starting all 77 games he played in that season, he has started just 61 games, total, over the past four seasons.

His injury list is long. In 2004-05, there was a sprained medial collateral ligament, a hip contusion and a strained hamstring. It was a torn ACL in the 2005-06 season opener that cost him 81 games.

Last season, he injured his left thumb in the fifth game of the season and missed seven weeks after surgery to repair a ligament. He returned Dec. 26, but left the team Jan. 11 after a tumor was found during a routine drug test. He played in 16 games before having surgery Jan. 14.

Nene said he still feels the effects of chemotherapy.

"It still bothers me a little bit," Nene said. "But I work hard and I feel better. I want that (cancer) to get out of my body. I feel better, but sometimes my stomach feels painful when I'm doing a lot of work or exercise.

"But that's why I came (back) early, to get accustomed to all of that stuff."

He is not expected to have any more chemo, but will have checkups every three months. His weight has fluctuated because of the chemotherapy, but currently he's at 269.

In January 2007, the Nuggets put Nene on a diet and he lost 40 pounds. He entered the playoffs at 250 pounds, which he later said was too light for his position.

Nene, 6-feet-11, insists he can play at his current weight. Teammate Chris Andersen, who has been playing against Nene in pickup sessions, vouches for that.

"That's why I come in here and go against him, to try to push him a little bit more," Andersen said. "And I'm very, very impressed. It's hard for me sometimes because he's just so strong. He's definitely going to be able to take that center role."

Nene sounds ready to put the past two years behind him.

"A lot of things that I had in my life — all these injuries, all these physical problems — I know for a lot of people's eyes these are bad things," he said. "But for my eyes, that is a good thing. They made me learn a lot of things spiritually. From what happened to me, the chemotherapy, the cancer, if you want to be an example you need to be an example in every aspect of your life, on and off the court. I have that experience.

"After the chemotherapy, a lot of people said, 'You're my hero because you're so young, and you've been through all of this stuff. You passed and you've come back strong.' A lot of people take me as an example. That is good."
Click to expand...

Thank goodness he didn't go back to Brazil and get fat and out of shape like most summers. He still needs to drop weight as 270 is way, way to heavy for him to be effective.

Shapecity · Sep 16, 2008

The Nene File

Count Nene among those who were steamed when the Nuggets traded Marcus Camby to the Los Angeles Clippers. The irony is that the trade of Nene's best friend on the team has also been a reason for the Brazilian to smile. It was, in large part, a giant leap of faith in him.

"I'm gonna be honest, I was very angry during that time," he said. "First of all, he's like my brother. He helped me a lot."

Economics drove the decision to move Camby. The team removed $10 million from its payroll, which was important for owner Stan Kroenke, who, according to the NBA, cut the league a luxury tax check of roughly $13.5 million for last season's payroll, which was $81 million.

Aside from money, the choice to make Nene the featured player in the middle was the unspoken part of the Camby trade. The Nuggets are relying on Nene as their center for now and the future. Within the organization there is a belief Nene is an all-star talent, if he can stay healthy and refine his game.

After beating testicular cancer and coming back from numerous injuries, Nene heads into the third year of a six-year, $60 million contract knowing he has to deliver if the Nuggets are going to improve.

With training camp set to start Sept. 30, Nene promises to be ready. He has spent all summer preparing.

"I've been though a lot of things, the injuries, the chemotherapy," Nene said. "To be able to be fine through the season, I had to sacrifice my summer and be in shape early to prevent all that stuff. So that's what I did."

In past years, Nene spent much of the offseason in Brazil. This summer, he went for just 15 days in July.

"I know I was going to miss a lot of people in Brazil, but I know I have a lot of good people here, too," Nene said. "And for my game, I invested in myself. That's going to be an advantage in the future."

In six seasons, the only thing that has defined Nene more than his trademark smile has been his trademark "did not play" in the scoring summary. Injuries derailed a promising start to his career, then testicular cancer kept him out most of the second half of last season.

Since being drafted No. 7 overall in 2002 by the Knicks, then traded that night with Camby to the Nuggets, Nene has played in 293 of a possible 492 regular-season games, just under 60 percent.

Only once has Nene averaged more than 30 minutes a game (2003-04), which, incidentally, was the last time he started full time. Since starting all 77 games he played in that season, he has started just 61 games, total, over the past four seasons.

His injury list is long. In 2004-05, there was a sprained medial collateral ligament, a hip contusion and a strained hamstring. It was a torn ACL in the 2005-06 season opener that cost him 81 games.

Last season, he injured his left thumb in the fifth game of the season and missed seven weeks after surgery to repair a ligament. He returned Dec. 26, but left the team Jan. 11 after a tumor was found during a routine drug test. He played in 16 games before having surgery Jan. 14.

Nene said he still feels the effects of chemotherapy.

"It still bothers me a little bit," Nene said. "But I work hard and I feel better. I want that (cancer) to get out of my body. I feel better, but sometimes my stomach feels painful when I'm doing a lot of work or exercise.

"But that's why I came (back) early, to get accustomed to all of that stuff."

He is not expected to have any more chemo, but will have checkups every three months. His weight has fluctuated because of the chemotherapy, but currently he's at 269.

In January 2007, the Nuggets put Nene on a diet and he lost 40 pounds. He entered the playoffs at 250 pounds, which he later said was too light for his position.

Nene, 6-feet-11, insists he can play at his current weight. Teammate Chris Andersen, who has been playing against Nene in pickup sessions, vouches for that.

"That's why I come in here and go against him, to try to push him a little bit more," Andersen said. "And I'm very, very impressed. It's hard for me sometimes because he's just so strong. He's definitely going to be able to take that center role."

Nene sounds ready to put the past two years behind him.

"A lot of things that I had in my life — all these injuries, all these physical problems — I know for a lot of people's eyes these are bad things," he said. "But for my eyes, that is a good thing. They made me learn a lot of things spiritually. From what happened to me, the chemotherapy, the cancer, if you want to be an example you need to be an example in every aspect of your life, on and off the court. I have that experience.

"After the chemotherapy, a lot of people said, 'You're my hero because you're so young, and you've been through all of this stuff. You passed and you've come back strong.' A lot of people take me as an example. That is good."

Chris Dempsey: 303-954-1279 or cdempsey@denverpost.com

The Nene file
It has been an up-and-down career for Nene, who starts this season as the clear man in the middle. A look at Nene's statistics with Denver:

Year Games Starts Min. Pts. Reb.
2002-03 80 53 28.2 10.5 6.1
2003-04 77 77 32.5 11.8 6.5
2004-05 55 18 23.9 9.6 5.9
2005-06 1 0 3.0 0.0 0.0
2006-07 64 42 26.8 12.2 7.0
2007-08 16 1 16.6 5.3 5.4

Injury list

2004-05: Sprained medial collateral ligament, hip contusion and strained hamstring.

2005-06: Torn right ACL in season opener.

2007-08: Injured his left thumb in the fifth game of the season and missed seven weeks after surgery.

2007-08: Left team Jan. 11 and had surgery for testicular cancer Jan. 14.
Click to expand...

Source: Denver Post

Log in or Sign up

Nene is actually taking the offseason seriously

cpawfan Monsters do exist

Shapecity S2/JBB Teamster Staff Member Administrator

Share This Page

Log in or Sign up

Nene is actually taking the offseason seriously

cpawfan Monsters do exist

Shapecity S2/JBB Teamster Staff Member Administrator

Share This Page

Useful Searches