There always appears to be something special about a professional athlete returning to his or her old stomping grounds. But in the case of Suns center Tyson Chandler, Monday’s contest at Dallas will come with slightly different emotions than most would anticipate from somebody in his position. Chandler possesses no ill will towards his former franchise. In fact, the big man returned to Dallas on Monday appreciative for his time with a team he helped lead to an NBA Championship.
“A lot of people might approach this situation with animosity or hard feelings, but with me that’s just not the case,” Chandler told Suns.com. “I go back and see the players, the staff, and management and it’s nothing but love. For me, when I go back to Dallas I look up at that banner and just feel a sense of appreciation.”
That banner came courtesy of the NBA Championship captured back in 2011, when Chandler helped the Mavericks to a six-game series upset over LeBron James and the Miami Heat. The center was a key contributor for Dallas throughout that postseason and NBA Finals run, particularly during a huge Game 4 win over Miami when he snagged a game-high 16 rebounds.
Instead of focusing on this being a return to Dallas on Monday, the big man appeared to be more concentrated on his return to the hardwood in general. When checking into Sunday’s first quarter against the Timberwolves, it marked Chandler’s first playing time since Nov. 27. Having been previously sidelined with a hamstring injury, Chandler scored three points and grabbed four rebounds while helping the Suns to a 108-101 victory.
As far as returning to an NBA arena one once called home, Suns Head Coach Jeff Hornacek found himself in similar situations while playing for both the Philadelphia 76ers and Utah Jazz. However, the former Suns sharpshooter said his focus when approaching this scenario was more on how it effected the win-loss column for the team he was currently suiting up for.
“Every guy is different in terms of how they handle the situation,” Hornacek said. “I think for a guy like Tyson, it’s more about getting a win in his return. For me, I always wanted to play well when returning to a former city, but I wasn’t going to be any more happy having a good game in a loss than I would having a bad game in a win.”
After having played with additional ballclubs throughout the course of his career including the Bulls, Hornets and Knicks, the idea of returning to a former building is not a new concept for Chandler. But unlike most players who may approach such contests with a bit of a chip on their shoulder, Chandler appears to apply a much more positive outlook on these types of ballgames.
“For me, it’s always about learning and getting better,” Chandler said. “You take something away from those experiences, those cities and the guys you played with, and you just figure out how you can keep improving.”
