University of North Carolina Athletics
Car-O-Lines: It's A Different Game For Seven-Footers
February 8, 2001 | Men's Basketball
Feb. 8, 2001
By Rick Brewer
It's amazing the difference just an inch can make in sports.
That could be the difference between a Gold Medal at the Olympics and not even placing.
It could separate a groundball base-hit from a ball that's gloved and turned into a double play.
It could be the difference between a diving touchdown catch and a slightly overthrown pass.
An inch also can change one's perspective.
For example, the difference between a 6-ll basketball player and a seven-footer is enormous to most people. If a player is seven-feet tall, he's usually expected to dominate a game. Take away an inch in height and that wouldn't be the case.
There's a mystique to many fans about seven-foot players. The fact there aren't that many of them is a factor in that. They're seen as the giants of the game and anything less than a sensational performance everytime they walk on the court is seen by some as making them failures.
Such is the life of Brendan Haywood. To many the 7-0, 270-pound senior from Greensboro, N.C. can never do enough. It doesn't matter if North Carolina wins. If Haywood doesn't score 20 points and get a dozen rebounds, he had a bad night.
"It's unfair," says Carolina Coach Matt Doherty. "Brendan is one of the keys to any success we have. But, it seems like he can never do enough to satisfy some people.
"However, I've been pleased with the year he has had. His presence on the court makes our other players so much better."
Most nights, it's very difficult to get him the basketball on offense. Opponents constantly sag their defenses around him when he sets up in the low post. However, that helps free jump shooters like Joseph Forte and Jason Capel. They've been accurate with middle-range and three-point shots.
But, opposing teams would still rather give them those than let Haywood get the ball around the basket. That generally means a dunk, a short jumper or a layup.
So Haywood has had a number of games in which he's only had four or five field goal attempts. Despite the defenses, Doherty wants his team to make a more concerted effort to get the ball inside.
"We've got to find a way to pound it inside to Brendan more than we have," the Tar Heel coach said recently. "When you have a player of his size and ability, you need to make the best use of him possible.
"I know it must get frustrating for him at times when people ask why he didn't score more than he did. But, he's got to get the ball in order to do that. We need to keep making our outside shots so opposing teams will give Brendan a little more room to operate."
On the defensive end, Haywood has been a star all year. He has passed Sam Perkins this season to become Carolina's career shot-blocker. But, there's more to defense than just blocking shots.
"Brendan has probably won our defensive player of the game award more than anyone else all year," said Doherty. "He moves his feet well, has good anticipation and can force players to alter their shots, even if he doesn't block them."
Haywood also isn't afraid to get down on the floor after a loose ball. That hustle and determination make his teammates appreciate him even more.
"Brendan takes a lot of flak from fans," says Capel. "He's an easy target because of his size. If he makes one mistake, fans get all over him.
"But, I've seen him work to improve so much in the three years I've been here. Believe me, he's capable of dominating a game with his size and strength. But, that's tough to do when you constantly have two or even three defenders around you."
Earlier this year, Haywood recorded the first triple-double in Carolina history when he scored 18 points, grabbed 14 rebounds and blocked a school-record 10 shots in a 67-45 win over Miami. Of course, some people immediately wondered why he didn't put up numbers like that every game.
When you're 7-0 tall, it's almost a no-win situation. He sometimes gets called for violations or fouls that others seem to get away with constantly. It isn't that officials are after him, he's just so easy to see. And every seven-footer since Wilt Chamberlain has gone into games knowing he's going to be pounded on by defenders, but will sometimes be whistled for a foul himself by simply brushing up against an opponent.
Still, Haywood has taken everything in stride.
"I understand how some people feel when they see someone of my size," he says. "Everyone is going to criticized by somebody, so I don't let the fans bother me. They think I should score everytime we have the ball on offense. But, it's a team game. Even if the low post was more open, we need to get everyone involved offensively."
He did that at Georgia Tech without scoring a point. However, he did a fine job passing the ball out of the post to open teammates.
"I'm playing a lot more at ease," he says. "That's not because of anything to do with myself, but because we're playing better as a team. If I don't score a point and we win, I don't care. I know I will still have done my part."
Ronald Curry says having Haywood on the floor helps everyone defensively.
"We have confidence that if we get beat there's still someone out there who can keep our man from scoring," says Curry. "Brendan is a great guy to have under the basket in those situations."
And it's just not his 7-0 frame that's intimidating.
"He has excellent timing," said Florida State center Nigel Dixon, after a Carolina win in Tallahassee. "Plus, he has long arms. If you're going to shoot it, you're better off taking it right at him because of those arms."
Haywood has also made a couple of the biggest plays of the Carolina season. In the conference opener against Wake Forest, he grabbed a loose ball in the lane and hit a layup with 3.3 seconds to play for a 70-69 victory. At N.C. State he sank two clutch free throws with 1:17 to go and the Tar Heels holding just a 53-52 lead. The Wolfpack never scored again and Carolina went on to a 60-52 win.
Then at Duke, Haywood converted two free throws with 3.5 seconds to go. That snapped an 83-83 tie and gave the Tar Heels a pulsating 85-83 victory.
"I know I've got areas where I have to improve," says Haywood. "Every player does. But, I`m going to work to be the best player I can be. As long as Coach Doherty and my teammates are satisfied with that, I'll be happy.
"I know the feeling fans have about someone who is as big as me. But, I like my size. I just want to use it to the best advantage possible."
In his senior season, Haywood is making great progress in that area.
