Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, October 16, 1995 TAG: 9510170033
SECTION: NEWSFUN PAGE: NF1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: NANCY GLEINER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
It's also a long way from playing basketball in some of Roanoke's toughest neighborhoods to playing professionally (for money) in the NBA.
George Lynch III has come that long way - and he says he's never forgotten where he started.
Lynch went to Hurt Park Elementary School in Roanoke and then Patrick Henry High School, where he was a star player. He led his team to a state championship. In his senior year, he entered Flint Hill Prep, a more disciplined atmosphere.
Growing up, he had a lot more to deal with than just playing the sport he loves. There were drugs to stay away from and fights to keep out of.
``Most of the guys I grew up with are dead,'' he said. ``Out of my sixth-grade class, I'm the only one who went to college. That's pretty bad.''
Lynch's parents and stepparents always said that if he didn't keep up his grades, he couldn't play basketball. ``That gave me the incentive to do well in the classroom,'' he said.
He became a good rebounder because that was the only way he'd get the ball during schoolyard games against mostly bigger kids. His grades were good enough for him to be accepted to the University of North Carolina.
Just after he helped his Tarheel teammates at UNC win the NCAA basketball championship in 1993 - his greatest thrill so far - Lynch was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers. They gave him a contract for five years, paying him more than $1 million a year. Not bad for someone who was just graduating from college.
Like any new graduate, Lynch had expenses such as renting an apartment and buying furniture. The only big present he bought himself was a Jeep Grand Cherokee. He's traded that in for a Toyota Land Cruiser - but without a car phone.
``I'm really happy in L.A.,'' he said, ``but I would love to be closer to home.'' Lynch comes back to Roanoke a few times a year, including a summer visit when he runs a weeklong basketball camp. He also has appeared in charity games and made an anti-drug public service announcement shown on a local TV station.
When Lynch calls his dad, George II, who lives in Roanoke, they never talk about basketball. ``I just like to know how he's doing besides basketball,'' his dad said last week. ``I can read about him and basketball in the newspaper.''
Lynch gave his NCAA championship ring to his dad.
Lynch's dad talks about his son's ``job'' and even though it really is a job, it's one that many boys can only dream of.
``When I signed my contract for five years, I was set for the rest of my life,'' he said. He's saving a lot of money and investing it wisely, his dad said. He knows that the average NBA player only lasts a few years. That's why he says he thinks getting a good education is important.
``Don't just try to be an athlete. Try and be a student-athlete. Work hard and challenge yourself in everything,'' he said.
``There's a very slim chance of a kid making it to the professional level in basketball or any other sport,'' he said. ``If you have an education and don't make it to the pros, you have other things to fall back on.''
Lynch is about to start his third season with the Lakers. Last year, he didn't get as much playing time as he would have liked and had problems with injuries, including a broken foot which kept him out for 23 games in a row. His foot has been healing during the summer and he's training with the team in Hawaii now.
Lynch trains three to six hours a day. His workout includes running on the beach, running stairs, lifting weights and, of course, practicing with the team. He's gained about 20 pounds since playing at UNC. He needed to, to compete with the bigger NBA players.
During the off-season, he works out at the ``Dean Dome,'' UNC's basketball arena, with former teammates. The Dean Dome is named for Dean Smith, UNC's famous coach.
``I talk to Coach Smith about once a week. He pretty much still gives me advice, whether I ask him for it or not,'' Lynch chuckled.
``I know a lot of people are counting UNC out this year because they've lost some of their best players,'' Lynch said, ``but I think they'll do well.''
Lynch is one of eight Lakers who are ``protected'' this year. That means they cannot be drafted by Vancouver or Toronto, the NBA's expansion teams.
Lynch says he hopes to get in more playing time, especially as a power forward. He wouldn't say whom he most likes to play against or whom he thinks some of the best players are.
``I like to play against all the big-name players in my position. You compare yourself. You judge your talents and work on your weaknesses,'' he said.
Lynch thinks the most talented player he's seen while growing up is Michael Jordan. ``Who knows? Ten years from now, there might be someone else.''
Whom does he admire most? ``I admire any player who's not just an athlete,'' he said. ``A lot of players say they don't want to be role models. A lot of kids look up to players and the players have to accept that responsibility.
``It's a great feeling for me [to be admired],'' he continued. ``I hope kids can learn from me that life is not all basketball and all sports.
``Keep your mind set on what you're trying to accomplish. Set small goals. If you set your goals too high, you might not reach them.''
by CNB