Yuma
Suns are my Kryptonite!
"Ceballos Begins New Career,
Joins Mercury Coaching Staff
By Josh Greene, Suns.com,
Posted: April, 27, 2004
Thanks to 11 years playing in the NBA, Cedric Ceballos has picked up more than his share of basketball knowledge. Now the former Suns forward has an official opportunity to share some of it.
The Phoenix Mercury named Ceballos a special assistant coach for the 2004 WNBA season, teaming him up with fellow assistants Brian Agler and Lisa Harrison to help Head Coach Carrie Graf with this year's squad.
“I think Cedric’s a great addition to the staff,” Graf said. “Just his NBA experience… He knows this organization. He’ll bring another perspective for us and that can only help us. He’s got an NBA eye. He’s obviously watched the league a lot and he’ll find our strengths and things he’ll want to jump in on.”
“I bring experience," added Ceballos, who averaged 11.7 points and 4.5 boards during his six seasons with the Suns. "When it comes to sports, people who have been there and done that get looked to for advice. It’s a different perspective from the way you look at things. I’m a great motivator, seeing what players are going through and giving coaches a little perspective. I chop up what the coach wants to relay to the players and what players need to relay to the coach.”
When we last left Cedric, he was toiling the aisles and main court of America West Arena as Game Night Emcee for the Suns this just completed season. The 34-year-old has since traded in his mic for a Mercury clipboard and is eager to do whatever he can to help the Mercury rack up those W's.
“It’s a lot more work,” he said about his current position. “What I did for the Suns was pure entertainment. I had a blast doing that, but this, I get to be more of a unit on a team. This is more involved with the other people you’re relying on.
“My thing is putting a player’s perspective on different things. We were talking defense the other day, knowing I was a `specialist’ on defense (laughs)... angles, opportunities to get players open. Carrie’s an intense defensive specialist while I bring a little offense to the table.”
The only thing better than finally landing a position in which to share his basketball expertise is to stay within the Suns/Mercury family. Ceballos, who has also served as a color analyst for Mercury broadcasts in recent seasons, is grateful to be involved with an organization that takes full advantage of his wide range of expertise, both on and off the court.
“I knew from day one when I first got here in 1990...,” Cedric said. “I knew one way or another I would want to stay close to this organization. They helped me grow up and they conducted themselves so well toward me I always wanted to come back.”
Wonder if Cedric is going to take a vacation in the middle of the season in Lake Havasu?
Joins Mercury Coaching Staff
By Josh Greene, Suns.com,
Posted: April, 27, 2004
Thanks to 11 years playing in the NBA, Cedric Ceballos has picked up more than his share of basketball knowledge. Now the former Suns forward has an official opportunity to share some of it.
The Phoenix Mercury named Ceballos a special assistant coach for the 2004 WNBA season, teaming him up with fellow assistants Brian Agler and Lisa Harrison to help Head Coach Carrie Graf with this year's squad.
“I think Cedric’s a great addition to the staff,” Graf said. “Just his NBA experience… He knows this organization. He’ll bring another perspective for us and that can only help us. He’s got an NBA eye. He’s obviously watched the league a lot and he’ll find our strengths and things he’ll want to jump in on.”
“I bring experience," added Ceballos, who averaged 11.7 points and 4.5 boards during his six seasons with the Suns. "When it comes to sports, people who have been there and done that get looked to for advice. It’s a different perspective from the way you look at things. I’m a great motivator, seeing what players are going through and giving coaches a little perspective. I chop up what the coach wants to relay to the players and what players need to relay to the coach.”
When we last left Cedric, he was toiling the aisles and main court of America West Arena as Game Night Emcee for the Suns this just completed season. The 34-year-old has since traded in his mic for a Mercury clipboard and is eager to do whatever he can to help the Mercury rack up those W's.
“It’s a lot more work,” he said about his current position. “What I did for the Suns was pure entertainment. I had a blast doing that, but this, I get to be more of a unit on a team. This is more involved with the other people you’re relying on.
“My thing is putting a player’s perspective on different things. We were talking defense the other day, knowing I was a `specialist’ on defense (laughs)... angles, opportunities to get players open. Carrie’s an intense defensive specialist while I bring a little offense to the table.”
The only thing better than finally landing a position in which to share his basketball expertise is to stay within the Suns/Mercury family. Ceballos, who has also served as a color analyst for Mercury broadcasts in recent seasons, is grateful to be involved with an organization that takes full advantage of his wide range of expertise, both on and off the court.
“I knew from day one when I first got here in 1990...,” Cedric said. “I knew one way or another I would want to stay close to this organization. They helped me grow up and they conducted themselves so well toward me I always wanted to come back.”
Wonder if Cedric is going to take a vacation in the middle of the season in Lake Havasu?
