原文出自 nola.com http://www.nola.com/hornets/t-p/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/1097821724180630.xml Andersen is again the center of attention From hairstyle to dress to antics, new Hornet is personality-plus Friday, October 15, 2004 By William Kalec Staff writer Come on, Chris Andersen. Such in-your-face flamboyance has to be an act, right? Take the hairstyle that changes more than most restaurant menus. In June, when the Hornets formally introduced their free-agent acquisition at a press conference, it was smooth and flowing, making him look like Jon Bon Jovi with a vertical. Now that the season is here and functionality conflicts with fashion, it's perfectly distressed, scattered but cemented in place with some sort of hair product (Elmer's glue, he joked last season.) There's the tattoos, the tendency to wear sunglasses indoors, the gift of bunny ears to his teammates before the Hornets' team photo shoot. He once showed up for a TV interview in jeans, a T-shirt and a mink coat. This is supposed to be the quiet, small-town kid from Iola, Texas, a community so minuscule its entire population would fit in Section 123 of New Orleans Arena. But the flamboyance has to be genuine, because the public would see through a mirage, and everywhere basketball has taken Andersen -- from China, to Denver, to here -- he's quickly become a cult icon. If Andersen's statistical output comes close to matching his popularity, he should be well worth the Hornets' two-year, $2.3 million investment. "If you meet him and you don't like him, there's something wrong with you. It's not him," Hornets coach Byron Scott said. "(He is) very energetic and has the same high energy on the court. He's a very likable guy, and he fits in extremely well with the guys we have here." Andersen's youth and athleticism should help him succeed in Scott's up-tempo philosophy. Last season, his third in the league, Anderson ranked 19th in the NBA with 114 blocks despite playing fewer than 15 minutes per game. On Wednesday night, in the Hornets exhibition opener, Andersen showcased his defensive expertise with three blocks that helped make up for his 0-for-6 shooting performance. "In my mind, I can only get better. Every year that passes, I get better. And every month that goes by, it just keeps going up hill," said Andersen, who is slated to back up center Jamaal Magloire. "I'm not going to just sit back and let this ride out. I'm going to stay on the court and do what I've got to do to keep this odyssey going." It really began after his first and only year at Blinn Junior College in Texas. During his brief stay, Andersen had respectable but not astounding statistics, but decided to turn professional partially because of family financial concerns. "I had a bunch of influences that year," Andersen said. "They were telling me I was going to make a lot of money -- stretching my head a little too much. I just took the option." China replaced Tennessee as the most exotic location Andersen ever visited when Jiangsu Nagang, a franchise in the Chinese Basketball League, discovered the 6-foot-10 project and signed him for one season. Averaging a double-double in points and rebounds while adjusting to a foreign way of life reassured Andersen that reaching the NBA was still feasible. "Even the Chinese said I was going to be in the league in two years," Andersen said. Right on schedule, the Nuggets signed Andersen -- who previously patched together an income by playing in smaller U.S. leagues -- a month into the 2001-2002 season. This past February, Andersen introduced himself nationally during the All-Star slam-dunk contest -- not with his aerial acrobatics but his appearance. Television cameras captured courtside staple Jack Nicholson acknowledging Andersen's unique sense of style. "He liked the hair. I told him to put me in the next Batman," Andersen said. "Jack's a good guy. It's always nice to get a compliment from Jack. I'm sure he's said stuff to me before, but it never was anything nice." Anderson also said the Hornets' pursuit of him in the offseason provided a sense of stability and, with it, additional confidence. "It shows me that I'm capable of being in this league and I belong here," Andersen said. "I've got to stay on the grind just to shine." . . . . . . . William Kalec can be reached at [email protected] or (504) 826-3413. --

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