Wednesday, October 30, 2002
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Bigby's attitude revision an asset

Rebels forward more mature, eager to play

By STEVE CARP
REVIEW-JOURNAL

This is supposed to be Lamar Bigby's night in the spotlight. But the UNLV forward hopes it's not his only chance to shine.

After finishing second to slam dunk champion Chris Richardson at last year's Fan Jam, Bigby will be the heavy favorite tonight at 7:30 when the public gets its first look at Charlie Spoonhour's new team at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Admission is free to Fan Jam, which includes the Rebels' annual Scarlet-Gray scrimmage.

"The most important thing this year is helping the team win," Bigby said. "The slam dunk thing is nice, but my goal is to be a spark for the team."

Bigby, a 6-foot-5-inch senior from Detroit, averaged only 7.1 minutes last season, when he admittedly had a lot of growing up to do. Not only was he struggling on the court, he was trying to maintain his grades and provide for his wife and child.

It was a delicate balancing act, and Bigby was teetering. But a heart-to-heart talk with Spoonhour after the season made Bigby realize that, with a few adjustments, he could keep his life in order off the court and fulfill his goals on it.

"We talked about doing the best you can and accepting what comes from that," Spoonhour said. "Lamar has figured out certain things he can do to make him a positive contributor to the team."

Bigby's attitude changed. So did his dedication to doing the dirty work to get better. He has become a leader in practices, consistently hustling.

"I've matured a whole lot," Bigby said. "I have a lot of respect and admiration for Coach Spoonhour. He taught me a lot of life skills and helped me mature as a person, and I'll always be grateful to him for that."

Bigby can make great athletic plays and shoot with range, but he didn't always know the plays or work hard on defense. And sometimes his mouth got him in trouble with teammates and coaches.

"Last year, I had a lot going on and I didn't know how to separate my personal issues from my basketball," he said. "It turned out to be a humbling experience.

"The easy thing would've been to walk away. The hard thing was to look in the mirror and say it was my fault. But I didn't want to sell myself short, and staying with it helped me become a man."

Bigby understands there are no guarantees that his attitude change will mean more playing time, but Spoonhour said he likes what he sees so far.

"He's trying; that's the main thing," Spoonhour said. "How well he does the things he needs to do will determine his role."

All Bigby wants is a chance and he's likely to get one, based on his performance in fall practice.

"(Spoonhour) told me if I did things the right way, I'd have a chance to achieve my goals, which is to help this team and eventually play overseas," Bigby said.

• UNLV NOTES -- The doors open for Fan Jam at 6:30. The Lady Rebels begin at 7:30 with a 3-point shooting contest and a scrimmage. The men will begin around 8:30. ... Kids in Halloween costumes will be given candy in the concourse.