Same Old Jordan Works Out in Wilmington

For the next two hours and 15 minutes Friday night, reporters sat back in a Trask Coliseum corridor adjacent to the court, sealed from the floor by a set of doors. Coach Doug Collins' voice carried through, along with the squeaks of sneakers, the bouncing ball and the occasional whistle.

"All right, folks," said a Washington Wizards employee as the doors finally opened and about 30 members of the press flooded through on the fourth day of training camp.

He's back -- again.

Jordan led his White team, including Richard Hamilton, Courtney Alexander, Christian Laettner and Popeye Jones, to a 43-39 victory in a one-half scrimmage.

For the final 16 minutes of practice, the 38-year-old Jordan seemed to be back to his old self.

"He looks very good out there to me," said rookie center Brendan Haywood. "He still has that great fadeaway jump shot, that deadly medium-range game. He's just tenacious on the court at all times."

Jordan's jaw certainly was tenacious. Same old Jordan. "Turn around and see the ball," he coached after calling a play while dribbling up the court.

In a timeout, Jordan talked more than the White team's coach, who began to draw something up on the clipboard before Jordan took control of the huddle from his chair on the bench.

Back on the floor, he talked to the intrasquad scrimmage's referees.

"You missed one down here," said Jordan, pointing to the offensive end after creating a turnover with the help of a favorable call -- also a Jordan staple.

Jordan's game, however, looked a little different in the tail end of a slow-paced contest run on tired legs. The Wizards started two-a-days Tuesday but took Friday and Sunday mornings off because of sluggish play.

Jordan ran the offense, but the offense wasn't run around him. He hit a reverse layup and a 20-footer from the left wing and missed two long jumpers. A misguided pass to Laettner was intercepted and resulted in two points for the Blue team. "My fault," Jordan said.

His role has changed the most. Jordan always was the leader, but now he plays point guard for a team Collins plans to run a lot to take advantage of his players' youth and speed. Earlier reports indicated Jordan would play more small forward than guard.

"They got out and ran," said Collins of the White squad. "Rip is so fast in the open court, and Courtney. Michael threw ahead, and they just attacked.

"One of the things I said when I had them together I said, `You know, whoever's got it, push it. The other two guys run.' If they're all about equal size, they're interchangeable, and so we can switch anything out on the perimeter."

Jordan, who looked slimmer in person than on television, said he doesn't mind taking a back seat to younger teammates, some of whom probably grew up with Jordan posters on their walls. He'd relish a leadership role that didn't include as much scoring.

"Don't be surprised; (Hamilton and Alexander) may be primary options," said Jordan, standing against the bleachers, behind a square barrier of chairs with ice on his knees and his huge hands on his hips. "You never know. I think they've shown that they can score, both of them. On some nights, obviously we may have to ride them. Believe me, I don't have a problem stepping to the side and letting the young guys carry us.

"As long as we're successful, you won't hear a gripe from me. I'm not that star-crazed that I've got to go out there and try to take shots from the young kids. I think I can sit back there and be somewhat of an insurance policy to some degree."

The Sports Editor can be reached at sports@unc.edu.