Six years ago, the Chicago Bulls traded Jimmy Butler, ending an era of Bulls basketball. In return, they received Kris Dunn, a soon-to-be sophomore guard, the seventh pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, which turned into Lauri Markkanen, and Zach LaVine. While Dunn and Markkanen didn’t end up working out long-term, LaVine did.
Nowadays, LaVine is the best player in Chicago, and last summer, the Bulls inked him to a shiny new extension worth $215 million over five years. LaVine has blossomed throughout his tenure in Chicago, making two All-Star teams and helping them snap a four-year playoff drought. But early in his life, LaVine was just another kid trying to find a place to hoop.
In an interview with Complex, LaVine spoke about his childhood when he would go from place to place trying to find a course to practice on. He was a multi-sport athlete but fell in love with the game of basketball.
“I played everywhere, from local parks and rec centers to high school tournaments,” LaVine said. “On weekends my mom, dad, and sister would drive around looking for different parks that had different nets and rim heights.”
He said that all young athletes should play team sports.
“Whenever you’re a young athlete, it’s good to learn how to compete in a team sport; It teaches leadership, toughness, and sportsmanship,” LaVine said.
Clearly, LaVine’s childhood tactics worked out for the best, as he grew up to be one of the best basketball players in the world, and the Bulls are grateful for that.
