Brook impressed with Nets' early turnout
Brooklyn Nets basketball player Brook Lopez walks onto the floor of the Barclay's Center, Brooklyn's newest arena and the team's new home, after a ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday, Sept. 21, 2012 in New York. The ceremony marked the official unveiling of the arena, the first building that is part of the Atlantic Yards development in Brooklyn. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews) Credit: AP Photo Bebeto Matthews
Training camp can’t get here fast enough for the Nets.
In fact, they’re so eager to get things cranked up that most of the players have already showed up at the team’s New Jersey training facility. Some began arriving earlier this month and just about everyone has participated in the action, which includes pick-up games and conditioning.
Andray Blatche and Josh Childress are expected to join the fun next week, leading into the start of camp. Oct. 2
“We’ve had days where we have 14, 15 guys playing and we have to rotate teams every game,” center Brook Lopez said Friday at the Barclays Center's ribbon cutting ceremony. “So it definitely keeps it very competitive. There’s always fresh legs on the floor. I think it’s been great for getting back into shape very quickly.”
Lopez said he can sense just how much his teammates want to get this thing going.
“I think the energy really is palpable,” he said. “Everyone is very excited. We are all in on this. We all want to be ready opening night and I think we’re set to go.”
Of course, knowing his team is getting all that extra work in is perfectly fine with Billy King.
“They are excited,” the GM said. “They know that we have a chance to do something special. I think all of them have a chip on their shoulder somewhat. At different points of time, I think they all have been knocked for one thing or another.”
But no one can knock the Nets’ home digs anymore, not with a sparking, $1 billion arena to call their very own deep in the heart of downtown Brooklyn, something Lopez believes serves as a motivating factor for them.
“Yeah, it really is,” he said. “It brings a lot of energy, I think everyone is just excited to be in this position. We really want to open up with a bang.”
