WASHINGTON — It initially felt like a slap in the face to the entire Bulls organization.
Days later, that sting on the cheek hasn’t exactly subsided.
There the Bulls were last week, preparing to play host to the upcoming NBA All-Star Weekend, waiting to see which of their own would have a chance to shine in the three-day event.
No Coby White in the Rising Stars Game.
Second-year center Wendell Carter Jr. getting the Rising Stars invite, but unable to participate because of a sprained right ankle.
And the real punch to the gut? The NBA coaches not voting Zach LaVine into the All-Star Game as a reserve, despite some pretty eye-opening numbers. Maybe not Bradley Beal eye-opening — the Washington guard was also snubbed — but good enough where in the past the hometown kid may have been given the pass.
With LaVine turning down the Dunk Contest, that leaves the host city one chance to see one of their own, and that’s LaVine in the 3-Point Contest.
That’s it.
Multiple sources have told the Sun-Times that the entire organization is less than thrilled with how this all played out, and LaVine didn’t hide his frustration with it, either.
“Yeah, it’s upsetting, but you know … we see the way it’s gotta be,’’ LaVine said. “We gotta be in the [playoff] hunt. We’re in the hunt a little bit but we’re not solidified. We had some ups and downs, had some injuries. But like I told you guys in the beginning, we win, we all succeed. So we’ll get there, I’ll get there, and I don’t have a doubt in my mind about that.’’
The sixth-year guard seems to be on a mission to do just that — “get there.’’
Forget the career-best 25 points per game and 4.8 rebounds per game, to go along with 4.1 assists he’s handing out on a nightly basis. The ability LaVine is embracing is availability.
After tearing his anterior cruciate ligament midway through the 2016-17 season, and only playing 24 games his first year as a Bull back in the 2017-18 campaign, LaVine wants to show he can not only be a face of an organization, but an iron man.
That was tested leading into the Sunday loss in Philadelphia, with LaVine nursing a neck injury and listed as questionable leading up to the tip-off.
With “load management’’ the it thing, and players around the league tapping out of games for hangnails, LaVine is trying to prove he can be a bit old school and play all 82. He accomplished it once, back in the 2015-16 season with the Timberwolves, and takes pride in that.
“I don’t like missing games,’’ LaVine said. “I mean since I hurt myself and I had to miss all those games [with the knee], you know, it takes a toll on you. I love basketball, and I’m going to go out there and play if I can.’’
A mentality coach Jim Boylen is not only embracing, but propping up for the rest of his often-injured locker room to see.
“It says to his growth, his wanting to be a primary guy and performing like a primary guy even when you don’t feel well,’’ Boylen said. “That’s what big-time guys do. If you would have saw the way he looked [Saturday] and the way he was moving to how he fought through [to play Sunday], it was a great thing for us and a great thing for him.
“It says to his maturity and his development. Proud of him. His habits are really good right now, really good.’’
