During the last week of the regular season when Chicago held the previously mentioned closed practice during ‘A’ Lunch, several students walked up to the gym doors only to sigh and say, “Oh it’s just Chicago.”
To a normal High School this would seem absurd, but when, arguably four future Hall of Famers have used the gym, it is indeed, just the Chicago Bulls.
Still, Seaholm has been more than happy to accommodate the Bulls and any other team that is looking for a place to practice.
In 2004, the Los Angeles Lakers were in town for the NBA Finals. Stars like Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal graced the Seaholm grounds with their presence for the first time, but it was certainly not their last visit to the Maples’ home gym. The Lakers continue to use the Seaholm facility, starting a new trend for other NBA teams.
“An assistant trainer from the Lakers was from this area and asked about any local high schools to practice in,” said Seaholm Athletic Director Aaron Frank. “They called the main office, they transferred [him] to me and he asked if our facility was available. He now works for the Spurs, which was how they found out about our gym.”
But it has not only been teams that have utilized our facility.
When Kobe Bryant made his famous appearance for an individual shoot-around late last month, a high level Lakers official told the Highlander Bryant made this arrangement on his own, not through the team.
Though the Lakers and Spurs were more open than expected, the Chicago Bulls preferred to have a closed practice during our school hours preventing classes like Basketball Tech and Personal Fitness from carrying on with their normal day’s activities.
“They did interrupt our routine a little,” said Physical Education Teacher, Jeff Devantier. “The least they could do was let my kids check out what was going on.”
E-mails and calls to the Bulls from the Highlander seeking comment were not returned.
Having star players at Seaholm, though having minimal inconveniences, has more than its share of benefits for the school. In these hard economic times, the school has been making budget cut after budget cut but the luxury we have in hosting these teams has financially worked out for the better.
“When these teams come in we get a lot of autographed items which we can auction off at the BEF auction”, said Frank. “We also like to get our [high school] players involved and let them see what an NBA practice is like.”
Teams like Lakers and San Antonio Spurs have, by no means, disclosed their practices to the public. During a boys Varsity Basketball practice this winter, they were able to witness what a real NBA practice consisted of when they took in the Spurs preparing for their upcoming contest with the Pistons.
“It was really cool watching those guys practice”, said senior Brian Bjerke. “I see them every morning on Sportscenter and it was cool seeing them in real life.”
Though others high school students and NBA fans across the country many find it hard to believe, the NBA visitor phenomenon is beginning to be taken for granted by some of the student body, but that’s just how constant of an ordeal this is starting to become.
For Seaholm Principal Terry Piper, a former Division III basketball player, it’s just a matter of lending a helping hand.
“More than anything, I think it’s just us being a good neighbor to these teams,” Piper said. “Getting our kids involved with these guys is just a plus.”
