Work ethic pays off for 'Big Jake'
By Ronald Tillery
Contact
November 19, 2003
http://www.gomemphis.com/mca/grizzlies/article/0,1426,MCA_475_2438862,00.html
Jake Tsakalidis's humble basketball beginnings originated about a three-hour drive north of Moscow.
He actually didn't play for the longest time.
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There was hockey. He ran around on soccer fields. And for eight years Tsakalidis was an Olympic-caliber swimmer.
It wasn't until Tsakalidis grew seven inches at age 15 that he even picked up a basketball and committed to the sport. Even then, it took a cross-country skier to teach the now 7-2, 290-pound center how to be what the Grizzlies so desperately needed in the paint.
Whenever Tsakalidis's father, Nikolai, wasn't on the slopes he labored in a Russian factory.
Tsakalidis remembered the work as tough, dirty and heavy on the muscles.
"He always had arm problems and problems with his legs," Tsakalidis said. "He worked hard. I just have in my mind that I'm going to keep working every day to get better and better."
That philosophy and on-court diligence is why Tsakalidis will make his fourth consecutive start at center tonight when the Griz host the Detroit Pistons.
Tsakalidis found himself again at basketball's ground zero following an October trade that shipped him and Bo Outlaw from Phoenix to Memphis. However, 'Big Jake' is now making a big difference.
His size, strength and comprehension of coach Hubie Brown's system have been major factors with the Grizzlies manufacturing their best start in franchise history.
Since Tsakalidis supplanted Stromile Swift as the man in the middle, the Griz have won three straight games - a run that began with Tsakalidis essentially neutralizing Shaquille O'Neal in a Nov. 10 win against the Los Angeles Lakers.
"He's not just a big guy, he's a physical man," Brown said. "And he has better athleticism than you first think. Now the familiarity with what we're doing helps. You can see he's playing with tons of more confidence. He makes the job easier in the paint because he takes so many guys out when the shot goes up. He may not get the rebound, but he takes guys out of there. We haven't had that."
Tsakalidis had played a total of six minutes in the team's first six games for a variety of reasons. He came to Memphis out of shape because an ankle injury from last summer's European Championships hindered his conditioning.
Tsakalidis, 24, also needed time to fit into Brown's structure.
"Here, we know where we have to be," Tsakalidis said. "Sometimes in Phoenix we just ran and waited on Stephon (Marbury) or Shawn (Marion) to see what would happen. Here it's consistent."
Stability is what Tsakalidis has brought to the front line so far. The Griz still have been outrebounded in every game Tsakalidis has played. The noticeable difference is how much space Tsakalidis requires in the paint, and what the added bulk has meant to front line production.
The Griz can now play an inside-out offensive game because Tsakalidis is an adept post scorer. Plus, the interior defense has improved, and Pau Gasol went from feeble rebounding to averaging more than 11 boards playing next to Tsakalidis.
"He's just so big and strong, and you always notice that," Gasol said. "When guys go in the paint they notice it. People aren't getting offensive rebounds on us as easily. He's able to move them out and intimidate because of his strength."
No one knows Tsakalidis's impact better than Lorenzen Wright. As his backup, Wright wrestles with Tsakalidis every day in practice.
"He's definitely getting into the flow," Wright said. "He likes to bang and get in there and mix it up."
Tsakalidis often draws on his father's advice for inner strength.
At 15, Tsakalidis made the decision to leave Russia and play professional basketball in Greece. His dad had no basketball knowledge to impart. Instead, father lectured son about important life skills for two months that summer.
The result? Big Jake is definitely Nikolai Tsakalidis's son. He turned four years in Greece into first-round NBA draft position three years ago.
"The upside is his great work ethic," Brown said. "All you have to do is go to him and talk about a weakness, and he works hard to accomplish what the coaches want."
Tsakalidis knows no other way.
"I just want to help this franchise win games," he said. "I see how my parents lived so I know you have to work hard to make something."
By Ronald Tillery
Contact
November 19, 2003
http://www.gomemphis.com/mca/grizzlies/article/0,1426,MCA_475_2438862,00.html
Jake Tsakalidis's humble basketball beginnings originated about a three-hour drive north of Moscow.
He actually didn't play for the longest time.
Advertisement
There was hockey. He ran around on soccer fields. And for eight years Tsakalidis was an Olympic-caliber swimmer.
It wasn't until Tsakalidis grew seven inches at age 15 that he even picked up a basketball and committed to the sport. Even then, it took a cross-country skier to teach the now 7-2, 290-pound center how to be what the Grizzlies so desperately needed in the paint.
Whenever Tsakalidis's father, Nikolai, wasn't on the slopes he labored in a Russian factory.
Tsakalidis remembered the work as tough, dirty and heavy on the muscles.
"He always had arm problems and problems with his legs," Tsakalidis said. "He worked hard. I just have in my mind that I'm going to keep working every day to get better and better."
That philosophy and on-court diligence is why Tsakalidis will make his fourth consecutive start at center tonight when the Griz host the Detroit Pistons.
Tsakalidis found himself again at basketball's ground zero following an October trade that shipped him and Bo Outlaw from Phoenix to Memphis. However, 'Big Jake' is now making a big difference.
His size, strength and comprehension of coach Hubie Brown's system have been major factors with the Grizzlies manufacturing their best start in franchise history.
Since Tsakalidis supplanted Stromile Swift as the man in the middle, the Griz have won three straight games - a run that began with Tsakalidis essentially neutralizing Shaquille O'Neal in a Nov. 10 win against the Los Angeles Lakers.
"He's not just a big guy, he's a physical man," Brown said. "And he has better athleticism than you first think. Now the familiarity with what we're doing helps. You can see he's playing with tons of more confidence. He makes the job easier in the paint because he takes so many guys out when the shot goes up. He may not get the rebound, but he takes guys out of there. We haven't had that."
Tsakalidis had played a total of six minutes in the team's first six games for a variety of reasons. He came to Memphis out of shape because an ankle injury from last summer's European Championships hindered his conditioning.
Tsakalidis, 24, also needed time to fit into Brown's structure.
"Here, we know where we have to be," Tsakalidis said. "Sometimes in Phoenix we just ran and waited on Stephon (Marbury) or Shawn (Marion) to see what would happen. Here it's consistent."
Stability is what Tsakalidis has brought to the front line so far. The Griz still have been outrebounded in every game Tsakalidis has played. The noticeable difference is how much space Tsakalidis requires in the paint, and what the added bulk has meant to front line production.
The Griz can now play an inside-out offensive game because Tsakalidis is an adept post scorer. Plus, the interior defense has improved, and Pau Gasol went from feeble rebounding to averaging more than 11 boards playing next to Tsakalidis.
"He's just so big and strong, and you always notice that," Gasol said. "When guys go in the paint they notice it. People aren't getting offensive rebounds on us as easily. He's able to move them out and intimidate because of his strength."
No one knows Tsakalidis's impact better than Lorenzen Wright. As his backup, Wright wrestles with Tsakalidis every day in practice.
"He's definitely getting into the flow," Wright said. "He likes to bang and get in there and mix it up."
Tsakalidis often draws on his father's advice for inner strength.
At 15, Tsakalidis made the decision to leave Russia and play professional basketball in Greece. His dad had no basketball knowledge to impart. Instead, father lectured son about important life skills for two months that summer.
The result? Big Jake is definitely Nikolai Tsakalidis's son. He turned four years in Greece into first-round NBA draft position three years ago.
"The upside is his great work ethic," Brown said. "All you have to do is go to him and talk about a weakness, and he works hard to accomplish what the coaches want."
Tsakalidis knows no other way.
"I just want to help this franchise win games," he said. "I see how my parents lived so I know you have to work hard to make something."
