Hinrich & Bulls Cool Off Heat

by Bradley Cox

Legend has it that Kirk Hinrich is good at every athletic feat he tackles. He was the star quarterback in high school as well as a dominant baseball player who not only performed an ace pitcher, but could swing for the fences as well. Basketball however, was his destiny. Kirk was named the Co-Iowas Basketball Player of the Year his senior year in high school (sharing the honors with Nick Collison). While playing college basketball at Kansas, Hinrich helped the Jayhawks reach the Final Four in 2002 and the championship game in 2003. Now, in his third year with the Chicago Bulls, the point guard has helped his team thrash the 2006 defending champions, the Miami Heat, in the first round of the current NBA playoffs.

NCS: What advice would you give to young athletes?

KH: “Make sure to look at the positives after every game and practice. It’s easy to focus on the negatives – and it’s important, but it's equally important to look at the positives, especially after a loss. Secondly, set your goals high. Your goals work as your motivation.”


NCS: How imporant is practice?

KH: “Preparation is important and will pay off in games. It’s important to practice the fundamentals because it will gel your game.”

Hinrich and Ben Wallace will be featured in the next issue of North County Sports Magazine.


NCS PHOTO: Kirk Hinrich celebrates another Bulls win.