http://www.nba.com/bulls/news/curry_interview_040901.html
Curry says he currently weighs in at 285 pounds. "My goal is to come in to training camp under the weight that [the Bulls] want me at so I have some extra room to put on additional muscle."
Despite rumors and accusations circulating this summer that he’s overweight, unmotivated or uninspired, rest assured, Bulls fans, Eddy Curry says he’s none of the above. In fact, the 21-year old center, coming off a year in which he averaged 14.7 ppg and 6.2 rpg, says he is working harder than ever and hopes to quiet all his critics in his fourth season.
Bulls.com:
Here’s your chance to put an end to the rumors that you’re overweight. What are you weighing in at these days?
Eddy Curry:
“I’m right around 285, the target weight that the Bulls want me at. I feel that by October, I will definitely be under that. Right now my goal is to come in to training camp under the weight that they want me at so I have some extra room to put on additional muscle. I obviously want to feel good about my weight and feel good about myself once the season starts.”
Bulls.com:
What kind of shape would you say you are in now as opposed to this time a year ago?
Curry:
“It’s not even close, a complete turnaround. I feel that up until this summer, I kind of looked at training camp as the time to get into shape. I had to learn that I needed to be in shape before it started and now that I am, I plan on using training camp as a tool to help myself and help the team get closer together as opposed to everyone struggling to get in shape. You risk injury when you come in out of shape and that’s just what I was doing in previous seasons.”
Bulls.com:
Where are your workouts this summer taking place?
Curry:
“Right now I’m 100 percent at Hoops [the Gym in Chicago]. Up until a few months ago I was trying to mix workouts at the Berto Center with workouts at Hoops, doing two days a week at each, but it was kind of a strain. I talked to Paxson and told him I wanted to stay at Hoops and just focus on what I had to do to get my weight where it needed to be and to get conditioned.”
Bulls.com:
Why Hoops over Berto? Is it your connection with trainer Tim Grover or the pick-up games?
Curry:
“It’s a combination of all those things. Going into the draft before my rookie season, I went to Tim Grover all the time and he really did a lot for me as far as getting in shape and getting ready for the NBA. So I decided to go with him again and treat this summer like I’m heading into my rookie season all over again. I’m just trying to get in the best shape that I can and push myself. I’m playing with some great guys in the pick-up games down there. Actually Ben Gordon has been there the last couple of weeks so I’ve been playing with him, trying to get a head start on feeling him out as a player. I’m having a lot of fun right now, but at the same time I’m losing weight and getting into shape.”
Bulls.com:
Speaking of Ben, what’s your impression of him along with the Bulls’ other rookies, Luol Deng and Chris Duhon?
Curry:
“They’re really good and I think they’ll be valuable to us this year. Along with Ben, I’ve had the chance to play with Chris and he’s looked great. I haven’t had the chance to see Luol much, though; he’s stuck in London for now [with visa problems]. I did get a chance to see him play in summer league, though, and he definitely put up some good numbers. You can see he’s got the ability to be a good player in the league. It’s been fun getting to know all of them.”
Bulls.com:
What have you seen from Ben Gordon during workouts at Hoops? Do you feel like you have an idea of what kind of player he could be?
Curry:
“He’s shocked me. Ben Gordon is amazingly explosive. I’ve seen him throw down some dunks that really shocked me. I wasn’t even sure he could touch the rim, he’s sort of short [laughing]… but he can get up there with the best of them. His vision on the court is as good as anyone’s. A lot of things you saw from Jamal [Crawford], like the flashiness, you’ll see from Ben, too. He’s going to be a great player.”
Bulls.com:
Was it tough to see Jamal make the move to New York this summer?
Curry:
“It was really tough to see Jamal leave. Jamal was my best friend, still is, and probably always will be. We both realized that this is a business first. Especially with us not having the season we should have had last year, we knew there would be some big changes. We were both prepared for anything.”
Memo to Eastern Conference centers: You now face Shaq four times a season. “I look at it as a challenge," says Curry.
Bulls.com:
Another offseason move brings Shaq to the Eastern Conference. How do you feel about matching up with him four times a season?
Curry:
“I look at it as a challenge. It’s something that is definitely in the back of my mind every time I’m lifting weights. I know that soon I’m going to be out there battling him. Shaq going to Miami is also a challenge for him, though, as well as for the entire Heat team. They were tough to deal with before he got there and they’ll definitely be tough now.”
Bulls.com:
Are there certain aspects of your game that you’ve focused on this summer?
Curry:
“I’ve felt that if I lost some weight and got into better shape, that everything else would start to take care of itself. I’m continuing to work on what I do well, but I’m also working on things I don’t do well. Everything is coming along well right now. Like I said, getting into shape was my number one priority. I think I’ll improve on other aspects because of that, from rebounding to having more energy on the court and being a better defender.”
Bulls.com:
Have you been in touch with Tyson Chandler on the progress he’s making?
Curry:
“I talked to him yesterday. Tyson sounds like he’s right where he needs to be. I haven’t had the opportunity to play with him yet this summer, but I think they’re going to start playing pick-up games at the Berto soon so I’ll definitely try to go up there for that. It will give us all a better idea of what we have in store.”
Bulls.com:
Did you follow Team USA in the Olympics?
Curry:
“I watched most of the games… I don’t even know what to say about it. I look at it two ways: I am of course upset that we didn’t do as well as we could have, but at the same time my hat goes off to the guys who made the decision to go over there and play. The guys we really needed over there didn’t want to go. You have to think maybe it could have turned out differently if the best guys would have gone. A little bit of me thinks they took the talent over there a little lightly; before you knew it they were getting beat.”
Bulls.com:
If you ever have the opportunity to play in the Olympics, would you take it?
Curry:
“Definitely, in a heartbeat. I would have loved to have been over there. But things happen for a reason and I’m sure that the next time the Olympics come, a lot of our best will be there, no matter what.”
Bulls.com:
It’s been reported that Michael Jordan has been playing at Hoops over the last few weeks. What can you tell us about that?
Curry:
“I don’t know…I’d love for Mike to come back. If he were to come back to the Bulls, that’d be great. I’d love to play with Mike just one time. But he’s getting old and for right now, I think he’s just doing it for fun and a little bit of competition. I don’t think he wants a part of the NBA game, though. I think he wants to just relax and enjoy his life.”
Bulls.com:
Does he still have it on the court?
Curry:
“Sometimes [smiling]… not often, but sometimes. He’s just a lot of fun to play with. He’s such a great motivator. From the day he first came in there, he has been able to bring the best out of everybody. There have been a lot of guys who, previous to him being there, didn’t do much. But then he came and it was like they were a totally different player.”
Bulls.com:
Do you have a relationship with him where you can talk and he gives you advice?
Curry:
“Yeah, I talk to Mike about a lot of stuff. We go back and forth about a lot of things. He’s talked to me about his expectations for me this year. It’s been a lot of fun and this whole summer has been a learning experience for me in a lot of ways. Some people may see it as negative because of the way things started off, but I wouldn’t change it. I like that things were the way they were and that I was able to use the negative publicity as a motivational factor. It’s all the more reason for me to be in the best shape possible and get where I need to be.”
Bulls.com:
That being said, what exactly is your mindset as training camp approaches?
Curry:
“I plan on going into camp in the best shape possible. I’m going to keep pushing myself hard this last month and hopefully everything else will take care of itself. I know Coach Skiles is definitely going to be pulling out all the stops in camp, so I hope everybody is ready.”
- Adam Fluck, Bulls.com
ur thoughts?
(Y) Good news for Bulls fans, but also good news for me as he is in one of my online league teams, and i plan to hold onto him for a few years. 
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