Ready for action
When Rodney Stuckey came to Cheney in the fall of 2004 as the 4A Player of the Year out of Kentwood, Eastern Washington basketball coaches proclaimed his arrival as the best Eagles player ever.
For two glorious – if unsatisfying – seasons his presence was breathtaking, with Stuckey making improbable, “did-you-see-that?” plays on a regular basis.
But was the charismatic, powerful, 6-foot-4 guard with the infectious smile the best?
As he shattered all kinds of scoring records and drew unprecedented attention to EWU, the team itself – the true measure of success – was frustratingly mediocre.
The questions didn’t end when Stuckey declared for early entry into the NBA Draft. If he couldn’t elevate his team, was he the best-ever, or merely the best at the present time? Could he be a first-round draft pick without a championship banner at Reese Court?
The Detroit Pistons answered that question when they made Stuckey the 15th overall pick in the June draft. He was only the second Eagle drafted and the second Big Sky Conference player taken in the first round.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a Stuckey story without some frustration.
The player who averaged 24.2 points in a 15-15 season and 24.6 in a 15-14 followup has had his professional career put on hold after a promising start.
Stuckey, who scored in double figures in seven of eight preseason games, broke his left hand Oct. 24 and was out until last Friday, when he saw action in his first regular-season game for Detroit.
“I’m good,” Stuckey said before returning to action. “I’m not frustrated at all. I’m good, I’m happy. I’m not going to let this little injury get me down. It’s not fun, not being out there with my teammates. At the same time, I’m not going to go out there early and shatter it again. I’ll be out the whole season.”
He made an instant impact by making the summer league all-star team playing against other rookies, a few young veterans and free agents.
“Summer league was fun,” Stuckey said. “For me, the hard part was adjusting to the 24-second shot clock and all the new rules they have. Also, the pace of the game is faster. Other than that, playing with the guys, everything was the same, just basketball.”
He found a condo in Auburn Hills, the Detroit suburb where the Pistons play, and found life was a lot like Cheney. Almost too much like Cheney.
“It’s not home but overall it’s a good place,” he said. “Where I stay it’s really quiet. I like that, relaxing. It’s like where I stayed in Cheney, quiet, no detractions.
“And there’s snow, like in Cheney. I hate snow. I’d rather have rain any day than snow. I’m not a big snow guy.”
Stuckey’s time is spent trying to stay fit, watching and learning, although there is a lot of downtime.
“My teammates are fun to hang out with,” he said. “The coaching staff is really helpful. I ask everyone questions; they’re always helping me out. I’m just happy to be in the situation I’m in. I’m learning from the best. When I get out there, I want to help my team.”
Stuckey, possibly in the near future, is going to back up point guard Chauncey Billups. Stuckey will be a change of pace for the Pistons compared to the All-Star and former NBA Finals MVP.
“Chauncey and I have different types of game,” Stuckey said. “When he’s in the game, he’s setting the play up, kind of walking the ball. When I get in, it’s going to be more of a fast-paced game; they want me to push it up. When I’m watching him, I’m watching him call plays, the way he sets people up.”
Stuckey stays connected because he travels with the Central Division leaders.
“Travel is fun; it’s really different from college, I’ll tell you that,” he said. “You play a game and you get right back on a plane and go to the next place. You get in at 2 in the morning, you have back-to-back games and you have to get up for meetings and shoot-around. You’re tired, but overall it’s good, seeing all the different cities and arenas.
“And you get a lot more money when you travel. Per diem is good.”
If there has been a plus side to the injury, it’s in the bank. The Pistons’ only trip to Seattle came early, when there was no reason to score a lot of tickets for family and friends.
“Saved me a lot of money,” he said, laughing. “It was good when we went home. I just hung out with my daughter for a little bit. Chill at mom’s house, chill with family, that was it. I wasn’t there for a long time. I just tried to see the fam.
“Hopefully we’ll be back there next year so I can spend a lot of money on tickets.”