North Carolina State University Athletics
TIM PEELER: Catching Up With Vinny Del Negro
6/23/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
BY TIM PEELER
Of course, that might be easier said than done for former Wolfpack hero Vinny Del Negro, who was named head coach of the Chicago Bulls less than two weeks ago. All Del Negro has to do is make sure the Bulls choose the right player with the top pick in the June 28 draft, whether it’s Kansas State forward Michael Beasley or Memphis State guard Derrick Rose.
Lowe, twice a head coach in the NBA, recommends Beasley, just because Del Negro inherits a team that is already fairly well stocked with young guards. But Lowe also recognizes that the Bulls are already stocked with young players hungry and ready to be successful in the league.
“He might not be fighting for an NBA championship right away, but I think he is going to be pleased that he has a group of young men that just play hard,” Lowe said late last week. “They play hard and that’s all you can ask. He has a nice young core and I think he is going to enjoy that.”
Most NC State fans remember Del Negro’s remarkable career with the Wolfpack, which was jump-started when he entered the starting lineup midway through his junior season to help the Wolfpack win the 10th ACC Championship in school history. And most remember his successful 12-year NBA career with four franchises, with a two-year stop-over in
But many were taken by surprise when Del Negro, quietly retired in
Lowe, who has known Del Negro for years through their connection with the Wolfpack and in the NBA, wasn’t that surprised that Del Negro became the fourth former NC State player to become an NBA head coach. He had, after all, dropped a few hints in recent years.
“We talked about it every now and then when I would see him,” Lowe said. “Sometimes you have an idea that people are thinking about doing something, when they ask you about players. We would talk about players and strategy things. Vinny thought the game as a player. He was a pretty intelligent player. I wasn’t that surprised [that he got a head coaching job].”
Del Negro took a few minutes to talk about his new job and one of his biggest influences, the late Jim Valvano and his expectations for the future with GoPack.com.
GoPack.com: This has obviously been a whirlwind since the announcement was made last week. What’s it been like?
Del Negro: Every day gets a little bit easier. Obviously, it has been quite taxing here for a while. But this is a tremendous opportunity and I couldn’t be happier than to be associated with the Chicago Bulls, with the great legacy this franchise has. Jerry Reinsdorf, the owner, and John Paxson, the general manager, have been fantastic. Things kind of lined up and worked out really well. It’s been busy, but I am now in the process of putting together a great staff and getting in front of all the players and tell them what is expected. I am just trying to get a little bit done each day.
GoPack.com: So, have you gotten a lot of phone calls?
Del Negro: I can’t even count them all. I have just gotten so much support, starting with my wife, Lynne, who is also an NC State graduate, and my family. Everything has gone really well. But there is a lot of work to be done, especially with this young team, so we are just going to take it a day at a time and go forward.
GoPack.com: The two things most people talk about are that this is your first head coaching job and that you have the No. 1 pick in the draft. Do you feel ready for all this?
Del Negro: I am not sure you are ever really prepared, no matter how much experience you have, with having the No. 1 pick in the draft. But every day you feel a little bit better about it. I have a lot of work ahead of me, in putting my staff together. Obviously, the draft is right around the corner. It is a never-ending process. I feel great with the people here. We have a tremendous facility and fan-base here. I couldn’t be happier.
GoPack.com: It’s pretty amazing that you and Nate McMillan were part of the same recruiting class at NC State and you are now both head coaches in the NBA. Have you guys talked much about that since you were hired?
Del Negro: Nate has been a great supporter of mine and has been helpful in so many ways. I talked to him [Wednesday] for a long time. We played together in college and against each other in the pros for a long time. He has been in the coaching profession for a while and he has been very, very helpful in my preparation for interviews and bouncing things off of him.
GoPack.com: You are the fourth former NC State player to become a head coach in the NBA, joining Nate, Sidney and Bones McKinney. That’s a fairly impressive number for such a limited number of jobs.
Del Negro: I’ve talked to
GoPack.com: Obviously, you came here to play for Jim Valvano and helped him win the school’s most recent ACC Championship. You have to think he is looking down and smiling about all this.
Del Negro: I am sure he is, especially seeing what Nate and Sidney and I are all doing now. When I think about that, I just wish he was still here to bounce things off of and to be a confidante for me. He had so much experience and knowledge and was such a smart guy. Times like this in your life you want to surround yourself with the most successful and knowledgeable people you could find and he would definitely be one of those guys.
You may contact Tim Peeler at tim_peeler@ncsu.edu.
