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Heat's Riley Has Put Disappointment Behind Him
Heat Coach Pat Riley said the players on last season's squad "came back with an indifference like no indifference I ever had on a team as a coach."
(By J. Pat Carter -- Associated Press)
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This year's team, Riley said, got to town earlier and showed up fitter. Many players, including O'Neal, worked out voluntarily at American Airlines Arena for about a month before camp opened. Riley said O'Neal "killed" his conditioning test, doing more than was required. Nearly everyone, he said, performed impressively. Even so, Riley said, he was withholding the team's playbook for the first week of practice, determined that his players would spend the early days doing little more than running and playing defense.
Riley said he would like nothing more than to see a star emerge from the nine newcomers to the training camp roster, who include first-round draft pick Daequan Cook, swing man Jeremy Richardson, former Hampton star Devin Green, rookie forward Marcus Slaughter and diminutive Virginia Tech guard Brian Chase, who already has drawn raves from O'Neal for his hustle. Many wonder if fourth-year guard Dorell Wright will, finally, make a major impact.
"This year, we're coming in with other guys who are hungry. It's a different mentality," Wade said.
The usual issues of age and injuries remain, however. Jason Williams, who claims to be over the nicks and scratches that cost him 19 games last season, will be 32 in November. Walker is 31. O'Neal, who started just 39 games last season, will turn 36. Even Riley acknowledged the Heat would have to be realistic about the expectations it places on a man who once seemed able to carry any team at any time.
O'Neal, however, talked tough this week. A boxing fan, he got interested in ultimate fighting -- which involves wrestling, boxing and kicking -- and became a magnet for challengers. O'Neal claimed he defeated them all, compiling a 77-0 record during bouts in Orlando and setting the stage, he quipped, for a handful of lawsuits.
Turning serious, O'Neal declined to discuss the divorce but vowed he would not use it as an excuse for poor play.
"It's something I obviously have to deal with and I'm going to deal with it in the best way possible," he said. "I've been programmed to deal with any situation."
