This is not the same defiant Zach LaVine that met with the media last March and threw out the “Everybody has their own opinion,” when discussing all the turmoil surrounding him and his future with the Bulls.
Not even close.
He sounds like a max player without the max attitude.
A dad without the dad bod.
And the entire organization is embracing this version of LaVine.
“Whatever his frustrations were, they were,” Bulls coach Billy Donovan said of his guard. “But he’s been able to digest that, go through that himself mentally, and get to the place he is now. I really respect everything he’s done.”
Even on Wednesday when it was posed to LaVine that he was going to be asked “A Dr. Phil question” about his new-found calmness, he joked, “Want me to sit down?”
No chair or psychiatrist couch needed.
“Nah, I do feel that way,” LaVine replied, when asked if he’s finally playing the game even keeled and with a joy that may have been missing. “I think I’m in a really good spot mentally, letting the game come to me and figuring out what the team needs from me.
“I put a lot of pressure on myself throughout my career for how much I work at this obviously in the offseason, but just let the work speak for itself and go out play, and enjoy it.”
And the road it took to get there?
“I think it’s a collective of all of it,” he said. “I think experience, ups, downs, tribulations, triumphs, all of it plays a part in it. I think one of the biggest things that contributed to that is being a father. A father of two now, a husband, you’ve got to be mentally strong and even keeled. I think that’s helped.”
The numbers say it sure has.
LaVine’s scoring (21.8 points per game) is up from last season, but he’s also again flirting with elite efficiency, shooting 51% from the field and 42.9% from three-point range.
All the while, he’s still the hottest trade rumor in the league and still gets criticism about the max contract he’s carrying (two years, $96 million owed after this season). Outside noise that seemingly now falls on deaf ears for the No. 8.
It is no secret that the Bulls are still looking to deal LaVine, but there’s no sign of the resentment he used to carry with the organization. Athletes love to say, “control what you can control,” but LaVine is living it.
“I’ve always said this about Zach that first of all, besides a player, all that, like he’s a really good person,” Donovan said. “I think that’s where you have to start with him. I’m sure there were things where certainly probably for himself, he was frustrated with. The things he talked about on media day where time away and certainly having the injury, fatherhood, gives you time to reflect.
“Whatever those reflections were … he’s in a really good headspace.”
Good news for Donovan, especially considering that he and LaVine weren’t always on the same page the past few years.
Now, whatever he’s asked of LaVine, the guard has been all in. That includes a new role of defending the opposing team’s best backcourt scorer.
“This year has opened my eyes up a little bit to where you look at guys that I watched: Kobe (Bryant), Michael (Jordan), D-Wade (Dwyane Wade), and it’s like, ‘I’ve always been in great shape, but OK, you have to be in top-tier … strong too.’ “ LaVine said of his defensive role. “Yeah, it takes a little bit away (from the offense), but mentally that’s where you have to dig deep and see how much you want it. I like taking on those challenges right now.”