SG Michael Redd (NBA All Star, Olympic gold medalist)

[Buckskin86]

Veteran Michael Redd working to get more comfortable in Phoenix Suns system
by Paul Coro on Feb. 01, 2012, under Arizona Republic Sports

NEW ORLEANS ? Just changing NBA addresses was enough of a jolt to Michael Redd?s career.

After 11 years with Milwaukee, it turns out that joining the Suns was not the end of his new NBA reality.

Redd still is in a comeback phase, having played nearly as many games for the Suns (eight) as he did for Milwaukee last season (10) when he returned from his second knee surgery. Redd received spot or mop-up duty in the previous four games but was not part of the mix Wednesday night.

Redd, 32, was signed to bolster the Suns? shooting and scoring abilities but has not shot well and has been targeted defensively.

?I?m getting more comfortable the more I?m out there,? Redd said. ?I?ve just got to play to get that comfort and rhythm. Whatever Coach (Alvin Gentry) decides to do as far as playing time, I?m rolling with it.?

?We have a great relationship. We communicate. Whenever I?m out there, he tries to run plays for me to get me open and get shots. I told him I?ll be ready whenever he calls on me.?

Redd was encouraged after hitting a layup and a 3-pointer at the end of Dallas? blowout Monday night. In part, Redd has to adjust to being a spot-up shooter in the Suns? offense.

?I wasn?t that in my career in Milwaukee,? Redd said. ?I got to handle the ball more and create more. I?ll continue to adjust to it. The time will come when I can do more of that, so I?m staying patient.?

?I?m feeling better. I?m moving good. It?s just a matter of playing more. My time will come. I?m staying patient and positive, and I?ll continue to encourage the guys out there. They?ve all been supportive of me.?

With Josh Childress getting time at backup small forward, off-guard time is split among Jared Dudley, Shannon Brown and Redd.

?I can see him improving every day because of the work he?s put in,? Gentry said. ?I?ve got to get him on the floor to see what he has.

?I think he?ll get there. I just don?t know what that timetable is.?

http://tucsoncitizen.com/sports-new...-get-more-comfortable-in-phoenix-suns-system/

 

[Buckskin86]

Redd, starting in place of injured guard Jared Dudley (bruised thigh), led the Suns with 17 points, but that all came before the Suns rallied to the lead in the fourth.

Redd missed his first four shots and then made six of his final eight to score 17 in 24 minutes. He sank four of seven 3s.

?To come back, through the tears, through the hurt, through the hours of rehab, training to come back and accomplish this, is maybe the proudest moment of my career,? Redd said.

http://tucsoncitizen.com/sports-news/2012/02/04/michael-redd-suns-pull-away-from-bobcats-for-win/

 

[Buckskin86]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKDH0wwu2kQ"]Michael Redd postgame 020412 - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Buckskin86]

Phoenix Suns' Michael Redd visits memory lane in Milwaukee
by Paul Coro - Feb. 7, 2012
The Arizona Republic | azcentral.com

MILWAUKEE - Michael Redd walked through his own Bizarro World on Tuesday.

Redd, an 11-year resident of Milwaukee, checked into a downtown hotel for the first time, staying in a place he knew only for lunches with Bucks owner Sen. Herb Kohl.

Redd, the one-time face of the franchise, took a bus to the Bradley Center rather than driving there and encountered a slew of familiar faces whose greetings made him feel special to be back. So at ease, Redd then turned from the security entrance to head for the locker room.

"Mike, your locker room is the other way," Bucks equipment manager Mike Sergo said, directing Redd away from the home-team locker room and toward the visitors'.

Redd found his way from there, going to the visitors' locker room in Milwaukee for the first time since he popped in to see a visiting player once or twice. Once the game started, Redd had more to handle -- a video tribute during a timeout, an ovation upon check-in and, of course, the game.

Redd could not have experienced a much better return. He missed his first shot but made his next six shots. It also took the Suns' lead from 32-25 to 46-32 over a span of 4:38. Redd scored 12 points in his 10-minute first-half stint to give three consecutive double-digit scoring games for the first time since January 2009.

If he was tired from visiting with old friends and taking calls all day, it did not show in his play.

"From where I came from the last couple years to get to that point to play at this level again is a miracle," Redd said.

"The NBA is tough so to come back into form, all the hard work and tears paid off."

cont...

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/art...redd-memory-lane-milwaukee.html#ixzz1lnWOs8oM

 

[Buckskin86]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6PHBhhse5Y"]Phoenix Suns - Michael Redd 2-7-12 - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Buckskin86]

Michael Redd: Redd scores season-high 20 in start at SG
Michael Redd - G/F - PHO - Feb. 15

Michael Redd started at shooting guard for a resting Grant Hill on Tuesday and hit 7-of-15 shots and three 3-pointers for a season-high 20 points and six rebounds in 28 minutes.
The minutes were also a season high and Redd is playing better than we thought he would, scoring in double digits in five of his last seven games.

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/pl...gnews.asp?sport=NBA&id=720&line=171774&spln=1

 

[Buckskin86]

Phoenix Suns give and go: Michael Redd
by Paul Coro - Feb. 18, 2012
The Arizona Republic

Question: How did you develop such a strong Christian faith?

Answer: That came from my dad being a pastor. My dad raised me and my sister in the church. Really, I had no choice as a kid. My parents did a wonderful job taking us to Sunday school and keeping us in church and in a Christian home. As you grow up, it sticks with you and you develop your own personal walk.

Q: Do you have a favorite Bible verse?

A: Romans 8:18, especially the last couple years. The present sufferings can't be compared to the glory that shall be revealed. The hurts, the pains can't be compared to what's going to happen behind that basically. For me, it'd be now after the knee surgery. I really began to meditate on that scripture. I relied heavily on my faith, especially what I went through the last couple years. It's been a lot of hard work. My faith in God has definitely propelled me to this position. Without faith in Him, I don't know where I would be.

Q: What did it mean to you to be able to buy a church for your father?

A: We donated proceeds to help build the church. It wasn't all me but a large percentage came from us. We just wanted to help to see that neighborhood get better but also for Mom and Dad. I wanted to see that neighborhood changed and people's lives changed. There's no greater joy than to see people's lives changed. They're doing a great job in that neighborhood now, clothing people and feeding people and impacting people's lives through Christ.

Q: Are you moved by the way Jeremy Lin has professed his faith amid his sudden stardom?

A: This is a statement, with Tim Tebow and Jeremy Lin, of men who love God. They're raising Him up to give Him all the glory for what they're doing and accomplishing. I think Tebow's success was not a coincidence. I think Lin's success is not a coincidence. I'm just grateful to be lumped in that group of comebacks.

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/sun...-suns-give-go-michael-redd.html#ixzz1mpws5FHb

 

[Buckskin86]

Vintage Redd Sparks Suns
Michael Redd's season-best 25 points helped guide the Suns passed the Rockets Sunday night.
By Aaron Seidlitz, Suns.com
Posted: March 18, 2012

Michael Redd feels something special starting to form in Phoenix with this year?s version of the Suns.

After Sunday night?s 99-86 victory over the Houston Rockets, Redd could?ve spent some time talking about his own performance. After all, he had just set a season high with 25 points on 10-of-13 shooting, and he had sunk 3-of-5 from behind the arc.

Instead, the shooting guard immediately spoke about the chemistry that has formed within this team.

?It?s phenomenal. Everybody genuinely likes each other, and, in fact, we got together last night at my house,? Redd said. ?We had a team gathering, and it?s just been fun.?

Redd thought that nights like the last one ? when the team came to his house, joked around and ate barbeque ? reminded him about how good of a time everyone has been having this season.

It doesn?t hurt that the Suns are now 9-2 since the All-Star break, have won four in a row and, with this defeat of the Rockets, have pulled within a half game of that very team for last playoff spot in the Western Conference. Phoenix is also one game over .500, at 23-22.

The comfort level the Suns have with each other off the court appears to be influencing the way it?s performing on it.

The team?s depth was apparent once again on Sunday, as Channing Frye backed up Redd offensively with 19 points on 8-of-14 shooting. Center Marin Gortat picked up his 25th double-double of the season with 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Steve Nash ran an efficient offense with 11 assists and only one turnover.

?We?re just having fun. We?re laughing during pregame, we?re loose and I think it?s translating on the court,? Redd said.

cont...

http://www.nba.com/suns/newsroom_rockets_180312.html

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zqfu8K24IK0"]Michael Redd 25pts vs Rockets (2012.03.18) - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzrn4ti0gio"]Suns 99 Rockets 86 -- Michael Redd Post - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Buckskin86]

Fueled by doubters, former OSU star Michael Redd makes his way back to the NBA
Published: Saturday, March 24, 2012
By Mary Schmitt Boyer, The Plain Dealer

Ross D. Franklin, Associated Press
"There was something in me that said, 'You can't end your career like this,'" Michael Redd said of recovering from a second ACL tear. "That motivated me to get back into rehab and go at it one more time."

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Michael Redd knows you didn't expect him to be here -- and he'd like to thank you.

Those who doubted the Columbus native and former Ohio State star could return to the league with the Phoenix Suns -- after missing the better part of two seasons with back-to-back ACL tears in his left knee -- helped fuel his desire to get back.

"It doesn't take a whole lot to motivate me, but the fact that some may have believed that my career was over..." Redd said, leaving the sentence unfinished.

"I was hearing, not in a bad way, that 'He should go ahead and retire. He's had a great career.' I said, 'You know what? I'm not going to settle for that.' There's more left in the tank. There was nothing that motivated me more than going through this twice."

Redd, 32, was assured by his doctors that he could play again. But after all the injuries he'd been through -- the last season he played as many as 72 games was in 2007-08 -- didn't he think his career was over?

"As crazy as it sounds, no," he said as the Suns prepared to visit the Cavaliers on Sunday. "After the second time, I was devastated. But there was something in me that said, 'You can't end your career like this.' That motivated me to get back into rehab and go at it one more time. I could not see my career ending in that fashion. So I was inspired to keep going on.

"My faith in God was the key. I'm a man of faith. I think my faith in Him and trust in Him, no matter how it looked, really helped propel me to where I am right now. I'm really grateful."

cont...

http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2012/03/fueled_by_doubters_former_osu.html

 

[Buckskin86]

Marla Ridenour: Redd can't hide his love for Buckeyes

By MARLA RIDENOUR ? Akron Beacon Journal

Posted: Mar 25, 2012

CLEVELAND - The last time Ohio State played in the NCAA championship game, Michael Redd was hosting a charity event in Milwaukee.

Redd may have missed that special night, a loss to the Florida Gators in 2007. But should the Buckeyes reach the finals on April 2 in the New Orleans Superdome, the OSU product vowed he would be there.

"I know we won't play, nobody usually plays on national championship night," Phoenix Suns guard Redd said Sunday before taking on the Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena. "I want to be there to support 'em."

Redd texted Ohio State Director of Athletics Gene Smith after the second-seeded Buckeyes escaped with a 77-70 victory over top-seeded Syracuse Saturday night in the East Regional final in Boston to advance to the Final Four.

While at Columbus, sophomore Redd and Scoonie Penn led OSU to the Final Four in 1999, an appearance later vacated because of NCAA violations.

A first-round draft pick of Milwaukee in 2000 who was a member of the gold-medal U.S. Olympic basketball team in 2008, Redd remains a huge supporter of his college program. So when the Suns had an off day Saturday, the 32-year-old NBA veteran went home to Columbus to watch the game with his wife, Achea, and son, Michael II. He had nothing but praise for coach Thad Matta's team.

"The last two games (Jared Sullinger) has played great. I knew it was a matter of time," Redd said. "He had a huge second half yesterday.

"The two lefties, Lenzelle Smith (Jr.) and Deshaun Thomas . . . it was almost pick your poison yesterday. Either you're going to shut down the inside, which is hard to do, or the 3s will fly. Thad has done a great job with that team this year."

Redd believes the Buckeyes have the "total package" with a great point guard and big man.

"Aaron Craft is unbelievable. Better kid than player. He's the engine that drives that machine," Redd said of the sophomore point guard from Findlay.

As for those who worry about sophomore Sullinger being a success in the NBA because he's considered a tweener, Redd said: "He's going to be terrific. Sometimes you think too much about certain players and overanalyze. The guy's a great basketball player.

"I spent a lot of time with him this summer at the gym, seeing him every day in practice before the lockout ended. He can do it all. Great hands, great feel for the game, his basketball IQ is unbelievable. He should be a lottery pick."

Read more here: http://www.centredaily.com/2012/03/25/3139942/marla-ridenour-redd-cant-hide.html#storylink=cpy

 

[Buckskin86]

Suns? Michael Redd proves doubters wrong against Utah Jazz
By Tony Jones
| The Salt Lake Tribune


Michael Redd sat slumped in a chair, icing both knees, looking more like a man in pain than one who minutes before had played one of the best games of his rejuvenated basketball career.

It?s hard to come back from a torn ACL. Redd made it back from two. He missed over 100 games through two seasons. He dealt with the whispers that his standout career was over. Regaining the form he had with the Milwaukee Bucks seemed out of the question. Coming back, period, was doubtful.

But there he was on Wednesday night, after Phoenix drove a wedge through Utah?s playoff hopes with a 107-105 win at EnergySolutions Arena. Redd scored a team-high 19 points, dropping in 3-point bombs like he used to.

"He was great tonight," Alvin Gentry said. "He just did a great job for us."

When told of those remarks, Redd looked at his knee, with the bulging ice pack, gave it a rub and smiled.

"I heard what everyone said," Redd remarked. "It was impossible not to. But I wanted to come back, and I did it for me. I thought I had more left in the tank, more to give. Everyone said that I had a good career, and that I should just retire. But I wasn?t ready to retire. I wanted to come back and play basketball."

Redd once was one of the best shooters and scorers in the NBA, an contender for the All-Star Game with the Milwaukee Bucks. With his lethal left-handed jumper, and his ability to put the ball on the floor, Redd was good enough that at the height of his career, he became an Olympian.

Then, he tore his knee twice in a year. He left Milwaukee as the fourth-leading scorer in franchise history, owning a 20.3 points per game average through the 2010 season.

Facing a crossroads, Redd sat down with his family, and decided that he wanted to return. So he worked to strengthen his knee. Seeing how successful Phoenix was in rejuvenating oft-injured veterans Grant Hill and Shaquille O?Neal, he worked out a deal with the Suns.

He?s been healthy all season.

cont....

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/jazz/53859031-87/redd-basketball-career-wanted.html.csp

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYqjOZJLpuA"]Suns top Kings - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TsbHpgY0G8"]Arena Link: Michael Redd - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Buckskin86]

A rejuvenated Redd is coming up big for Suns
By Eric Saar/Arizona Sports
Published: April 06, 2012

It appears yet another star has been reborn in the desert.

Michael Redd, who missed giant chunks of the last few seasons due to knee issues, has come alive of late for the Suns in a pair of big road wins.

"You can see that now he's kind of rounded into form," Suns coach Alvin Gentry said of Redd on the Burns and Gambo Show. "Although he might not be the player that he was four, five years ago, he's still a pretty effective player."

Redd scored 16 points against Sacramento Tuesday and posted 19 Wednesday against the Jazz, totals that are more than twice his season average. Redd has been efficient, shooting 7-14 from the field against the Kings in only 16 minutes, and 8-17 against the Jazz in just 22 minutes.

Even though Redd has a reputation as a three-point sharpshooter, only four of his 15 made shots the last two games were from beyond the arc.

"He's always been a great scorer," Gentry said. "People label him as a shooter, but he's just a scorer. He can put the ball down and get it to the basket and do some things.

"I thought he really stepped up."

http://arizonasports.com/41/1525232/A-rejuvenated-Redd-is-coming-up-big-for-Suns

 

[Buckskin86]

Brown, Redd seize opportunity in Suns' big win

Suns role players Michael Redd (pictured) and Shannon Brown combined to score 47 points in Saturday night's 125-105 win over the Lakers. (Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE)

Much of Redd's work was done against pretty solid defense from Lakers stopper Metta World Peace. Despite physical play and expert-level positioning, World Peace was defeated by Redd's array curl-finishing, step-back jumpers and faded-into three-pointers.

"Just trying to be aggressive, chip in and do our part," Redd said. "We don't come in with any predetermined plans; we just go in there and play."

http://www.foxsportsarizona.com/04/.../landing_suns.html?blockID=704942&feedID=3702

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HV8sBLbDbQ"]Michael Redd vs LA Lakers 17 point 3rd Quarter 7/5/12 - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueeMb7VgMCM"]Michael Redd Back To Back 3s Against LA Lakers in the 4th Quarter 7/5/12 - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Buckskin86]

Suns' Michael Redd 'turning the corner'
Redd has scored at least 15 points in four consecutive games for first time since Jan. 2009
by Paul Coro - Apr. 8, 2012
The Republic | azcentral.com

If basketball is not fun, someone is not playing it right.

Since the first of two times that Michael Redd tore his knee ligament, Redd had missed the fun in the game more than anything, but his knee was holding him back.

When he made another comeback this season with a new team for the first time in his career, his primary stated goal was to have fun in Phoenix. Not only is Redd having fun, his four-game scoring tear is making Suns basketball fun for everyone.

Redd, 32, has scored at least 15 points in four consecutive games for the first time since January 2009, which was before his first ACL tear. He has averaged 18.3 points off the bench and become the bench's go-to player. The four games came over five nights, showing that his knee is holding up just fine 40 games later.

In fact, Redd's scoring binge could be considered as good as ever. Redd has scored his 73 points in just 80 minutes, which makes for a rate of 42.7 points per 48 minutes. In his lone All-Star season of 2003-04, he averaged 28.2 points per 48 minutes as Milwaukee's go-to player.

"He's turning the corner," Suns guard Steve Nash said. "We're seeing more consistent basketball out of Mike because his body is getting better and better. I just feel excited for him. He feels better every night and he can do the things he's accustomed to doing."

Redd has averaged more points on the second night of back-to-back sets (10.6) than when he has had at least a day's rest. Redd does not have the benefit of playing with Nash more, getting most of his assists from Sebastian Telfair. However, the different style of the second unit fits Redd better. Rather than trying to turn him into a spot-up shooter for the first time in his career as the Suns tried in his early games with the team, the Suns play a different offense with the reserves that gets Redd into isolation situations for post-ups and to curl off screens.

"It's been a wonderful journey this year, working with the staff here and getting better on the court," Redd said. "The thing for me is having fun and enjoying the coaches and this organization. I just have taken advantage of the opportunity."

Redd scores unassisted 34 percent of the time and does it in a variety of ways. His points have come with 31 percent on 3-pointers, 26 percent in the paint, 23 percent on mid-range shots and 20 percent on free throws. Redd had a 17-point second quarter in Saturday night's win against the Lakers with 12 of his points coming consecutively.

"I've been accustomed to doing that the last eight, nine years of my career," Redd said. "It's always an honor to be in that zone and play like that."

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/sun...ichael-redd-turning-corner.html#ixzz1rZ99BXKL

 

[MaxBuck]

Redd scoring against Artest (fuck the "Metta" shit) takes me back to 1999. Jim O'Brien be hanged - we made the Final Four thanks to Redd, Brian Brown, Ken Johnson et al.

GO BUCKS! GO SUN! GO MIKE!!