Chandler coming through loud and clear
The Rockets’ lead against the Shanghai Sharks swelled to 56 as another 3-pointer fell and the Sharks called another timeout to at least postpone the inevitable. This was not considered a great triumph for the Rockets, least of all for Tyson Chandler, who was then two days shy of his 37th birthday and had been given the night off.
Yet, as the young Rockets reserves who were still in the game headed back to the bench, Chandler was happily bouncing past midcourt toward them, loudly celebrating the accomplishment.
It had been that way through every practice, even every offseason workout. By now, heading into his 19th NBA season, it has become routine.
Chandler, however, had long since learned to be heard.
Nearly a decade before Chandler became the Rockets’ beenthere, done-that center, his voice booming throughout his initial weeks with the Rockets from Houston to Honolulu to Tokyo, he was in the back of a USA Basketball bus trying to learn how.
He had by then accomplished enough to have played nine NBA seasons and to have earned a spot on that World Championships team, but he was headed to Dallas for the next season and knew there was a chance for much more.
“It came from 2010,” Chandler said. “I got traded to Dallas. I was on Team USA with all these young dudes. Eric Gordon was in there. He was very young. Russell Westbrook was very young. And I was talking to the veterans on that team. It was me, Lamar Odom, Chauncey Billups. And both of those guys were champions. We would sit on the back of the bus, and I would just pick their brain.
“‘What does it take to be a champion? What did you guys do? What’s the difference?’ It was just the glue, the communication. After picking those guys’ brains, I went back. I went to Dallas that year. I was like, ‘I’m going to open up. I’m going to be vocal, be as vocal as I possibly can to make other guys around me comfortable.’ It worked then. After that, I never stopped.”
Chandler’s influence since has become well known throughout the NBA, a large part of why the rebuilding Suns had valued having a player likely to be out of the league by the time their young talent fully develops. The Rockets signed Chandler to back up Clint Capela, but have been nearly as effusive about him as Chandler has been about everything else.
“When we were in Vegas, even when he wasn’t playing, when he was on the side, he was talking, he was helping the team,” Rockets guard James Harden said. “Like, “Pick and roll coming. Weak-side help. Talk!” Pointing different guys out, helping them for what they need to do in order for them to be successful. His voice is automatically
going to help the team. And then obviously his play on the court is going to help us as well.
“Clint having somebody that’s been through it, that has a championship that kind of plays similar to how Clint plays, is going to be great for Clint and great for our entire team.”
Chandler feels the same, wearing his appreciation for his long career on his chest. Sharing that enthusiasm might have been a decision he made nearly 10 years ago, but he said it has grown through a career has taken him from playing in the NBA as a teenager drafted out of high school with the second pick of the 2001 draft to going from the struggling Suns and Lakers last season to the Rockets this season.
“I couldn’t imagine it, to be honest,” Chandler said of his longevity. “That’s why I’m wearing (number) 19 this year. I came in at 19. This is my 19th season. I wear it on my chest because I just feel blessed and fortunate to be here. I couldn’t imagine that kid would have told you, ‘Yeah, I’ll be around 19 years later.’ If I could make it 10 years, that was my goal. To do it almost twice over again, I can’t help but be thankful.
“Being dedicated to my craft, being professional. I had great vets, (Charles) Oakley, Jalen Rose, Antonio Davis, kept preaching in my head, Scottie Pippen, Jason Kidd, it’s important for you to understand, this is your profession. Treat it that way. Come to work every single day. If you treat your life that way, the better you will be. It stuck in my head.”
The Rockets expect Chandler to contribute in ways that go beyond his voice and influence, especially providing rim running and protection off the bench. He averaged 3.1 points on 61.6 percent shooting and 5.6 rebounds in 15.9 minutes last season. In two preseason games, Chandler has averaged 4.5 points and three rebounds in 12.1 minutes per game.
“His size and his athletic ability, it’s still there,” said Ryan Anderson, who played with Chandler last season in Phoenix. “He has a great knack of offensive rebounding. Everybody is excited about getting those tap-backs off the rim from him. He’s a smart player. He’s going to be a great addition for us.
“Man, Tyson’s the best, He adds so much to this team, probably so much more than you’ll see. Off the court, too. He’s such a great leader, a great guy, a great veteran.”
Rockets forward P.J. Tucker, who also played with Chandler in Phoenix, said he pushed for two years for the Rockets to get him. But as pleased as former teammates are to be his teammates again, Chandler’s happiness typically comes through loud and clear.
“It’s honestly a blessing to be here, to be playing the game that I love, to be able to have gone through a couple generations of basketball and be here when basketball is … the best product it’s been probably since the ’90s. To be in a situation like this, with a team that can contend for a championship … this late in my career, I just feel blessed to be here.
“Everyone wants to accomplish the goal, which is a championship. The same reason why I was picking champions’ minds — it’s a culture. You only know it if you get there.”