Knicks Training Camp At West Point

By Cristian Santana

WEST POINT, N.Y. — The New York Knicks entered training camp last week under a new regime.

After an atrocious 37-45 season, the team is looking to improve its game with a star-studded staff and a youthful roster.

Lead by NBA Hall of Famer Phil Jackson and Derek Fisher, the Knickerbockers arrived in West Point with a new president, a new coach, and a new mindset.

Players began practice at Christl Arena on September 30th. Although much of the media was focused on the “Triangle” offense, defense appeared to be the emphasis during the first few days of practice.

Team additions include rookie small forward and Bronx native Cleanthony Early and point guard Jose Calderon. Coach Derek Fisher discussed the team’s apparently offensively dedicated roster. “Basketball is a game that has to be played on both ends,” he said. “You don’t get to substitute guys that can play offense and then guys that can just play defense. There is a balance to it, but we have 15 guys that are capable of getting it done on both ends.”

The players seem to share his confidence. “Everyone is really, really good and really fast,” said Cleanthony Early. On being drafted by the New York Knicks, Early said, “It feels good. It is very interesting that I got to be back here.”

He said he looked forward to training with the championship-winning staff, adding that he had learned lessons from them, even before he joined the team.

All-Star small forward Carmelo Anthony, returning for his fourth full season as a Knick, said West Point training camp was very intense. “It’s a lot of a mental conditioning as well as physical conditioning,” he said. “We’ve getting after it defensively, just going through the basics of what we’re going to need from a defensive standpoint.”

Asked about possible changes in shot selection, he said, “I can’t tell you where anything is going to be coming from. What I can tell you is that things are going to be a lot different in a good way, with me just picking spots on the basketball court, kind of no one knowing where am I going to be.”

Spending quality time with each other and with the cadets at West Point, the players appeared to be humbled and determined to turn things around this season.

Perhaps the Knicks mindset was best summarized by Carmelo Anthony, “At the end of the day for me I want to win, that’s all I want to do I want to is win. And whatever comes with that, it comes with it.”