Chicago Bulls Rookies Play Through 'Wall' To Help Team Play Through Tough Opponents
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Chicago Bulls are still working on improving, they also have some young players that they hope develop into stars, and that includes the team's two rookies.
CBS 2's Megan Mawicke talked with them about adjusting to life at the professional level.
The Bulls are battling many things, but for their two newbies, it's the rookie wall. The long NBA season, with more games than college in too few a nights, is already affecting them.
"We've already been through a whole college season, just be more prepared to play a lot more games," said Gafford
"Try not to hit that rookie wall like everyone is saying. I want to make sure my body is to where I can get over that hump if the rookie wall comes toward me," said
But an honest Coby White admitted the transition to the pros hit him early.
"I've heard about the rookie wall. I hit mine in December. That stretch was hard for me," White said. "Everyday it was my body was sore. I had no legs. It was hard, first time experiencing this. Hopefully that was my rookie wall and I don't experience anything else the rest of the season."
"We had looked at our schedule and we had played 28-29 games and Carolina had played 10. It was concerning to put if fairly he loves to play tough kid, likes to work, some is learning moment I have to work through this while manage and get rest that is part of a rookie process,"
And White had his worst shooting month in December just 9.4 points per game, but he had his best from the three-point line connecting on 40%. We'll see if he can find some balance in the new year and against the Utah Jazz Thursday night.
The Bulls are in the midst of a tough four game stretch. They lost to the Milwaukee Bucks and now play the Jazz, Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks.