JULY 2012 THE HEMI Q&A Tyson Chandler Over his 11-year career, this former farm boy has proven to be one of the toughest players in the NBA, earning himself a spot on Team USA’s roster. As he gears up for London, we talk with him about how he’ll fi t into this year’s squad, how he keeps the fi re burning and perhaps the only thing he doesn’t seem humble about: his fashion sense. BY SAM POLCER ILLUSTRATION BY SHOTOPOP

84 84 JUNE 2012 • HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM

p084-087_148HEM0712_Q&A.indd 84 06/06/2012 09:20 HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM • JUNE 2012 85

p084-087_148HEM0712_Q&A.indd 85 06/06/2012 09:20 THE HEMI Q&A: TYSON CHANDLER

WHEN YOU CONSIDER the guys who’ve gone HIGH STYLE whom colossal blunders (Amar’e Tyson Chandler straight from high school to the NBA, big with! from left! wife Stoudemire lacerating his hand expectations are o! en accompanied by big Kimberly" Coach K punching a fire extinguisher egos, both on and off the court (see Kobe, in 2010" New York case, for instance) overshadowed Knicks teammates LeBron). Not so for Tyson Chandler, a team and occasional fl ashes of hope (Linsan- player who treats every game like a last stand, Amar#e Stoudemire ity)—made the playoff s. Through and whose star has risen steadily ever since his it all, Chandler was there, the last childhood on the family farm just south of Fresno, Calif., where, thing any opposing team wanted to when he wasn’t milking cows, feeding pigs or working in the fi elds, see anywhere near the basket. For the nearly 6-foot-tall 9-year-old was practicing on a rim that his his eff orts he was named the NBA’s grandfather had fi xed to a tree. Defensive Player of the Year. A! er moving to Compton and leading his high school team to Lately, in addition to posting a state championship, the now 7-foot-1 was the No. 2 NBA the fourth highest fi eld-goal per- dra! pick in 2001, and played for fi ve years with the , centage in NBA history, he’s been spending much of his time injured or in foul trouble. But during getting noticed for his off-court his stints with the Hornets and the Charlo" e Bobcats, pursuits, namely art and fashion, Chandler’s game matured, and a! er being traded to the Dallas attending events like the famed Mavericks in 2010, the tenacious big man stunned everybody by Costume Institute Gala Benefit helping the aging team win its fi rst championship. in New York. We called him just as The took notice and signed Chandler to a he was preparing to step into the reported $58 million four-year contract. By all accounts, it was international spotlight as a center money well spent. Thanks to Chandler’s relentless defensive skills on USA ’s all-star roster and knack for adapting to the players around him, the Knicks—for at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

86 JULY 2012 • HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM

R1_p084-087_148HEM0712_Q&A.indd 86 11/06/2012 09:10 TYSON CHANDLER! BY THE NUMBERS !" Age

## Seasons in the NBA

$#%,#&',(%' 2012 salary

(." Rebounds per game (career average)

).( Points per game (career average)

!% Most rebounds in a game (vs. Memphis in 2007)

!' HEMISPHERES: The Knicks probably CHANDLER: To play with guys like that Most points in a game wouldn!t have made it into the playo" s is a great honor. The best part of the (vs. Portland in 2002) without you—so# as a New Yorker# I!ll Olympics is not only playing inn it, butbut start with a belated welcome to our also being able to practice withh some fair city. I already like what you!ve done of the best players in the world.d. with the place. HEMISPHERES: That said# there!s beenbeen CHANDLER: [Laughs.] Thank you, quite a lot of upheaval in the roster.ster. I appreciate that. Which must be something you!rree used to# after playing for four HEMISPHERES: One of the reasons teams and now the Knicks# an you signed with the Knicks was to play organization addicted to sta$ ngg alongside folks like Carmelo Anthony and lineup changes. Do you thinkk and Amar!e Stoudemire. In London# all these changes will a" ect you!ll be playing not only with Carmelo# how Team USA# whatever it but also with superstars like Dwyane ends up being# plays together? Wade# and LeBron James. CONTINUED ON PAGE 146 »

Who will be the best-dressed player on Team USA? “Besides myself?” the notably stylish Chandler laughs..

! + COACH) (CHANDLER PHOTO ! IBRAHIM USTA/AP (CHANDLERS) BUSACCA LARRY (PLAYERS) VIA GETTY IMAGES S. BUTLER/NBAE NATHANIEL “Maybe Dwyane Wade?”

HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM • JULY 2012 87

R1_p084-087_148HEM0712_Q&A.indd 87 11/06/2012 15:50 THE HEMI Q&A: TYSON CHANDLER

CHANDLER: Any time that you’re able to see basketball on a world stage, it sparks interest. Now we have a lot of players from across the world that make up our league, and I think that with USA Basketball and every- thing the NBA is doing globally, the game is ge" ing bigger and bigger. There are kids all around the world now, picking up a ball, that will one day be in our league.

HEMISPHERES: But on the fl ip side! it

» CONTINUED FROM PAGE 87 makes the competition stronger.

CHANDLER: Oh, yeah, so it’s good and bad. [Laughs.] Good for the NBA, bad “It’s something that every kid dreams of, every four years in the Olympics.

but it’s one of those things that seem HEMISPHERES: Who"s the team to beat so out of reach. To be able to represent this year! besides you guys? myself, my family and my country in the CHANDLER: There are a lot of good teams. You have Spain, France, Argen- Olympics and bring back a gold medal tina, Brazil ... but the main competition would mean so much.” is probably Spain. HEMISPHERES: Your defensive skills are CHANDLER: No. The incredible coaching and spirit to whatever team you"re on. well known at this point! but in terms staff that we have, led by Coach [Mike] of o# ense! how do you fi t in with the rest Krzyzewski, always gets the guys to CHANDLER: Oh, defi nitely. Every night of the crew? come together, to play hard and play you have to go out and play with a as one. And we understand that we’re certain passion. You’re not only playing CHANDLER: I think I fi t in really well. representing something that’s much for yourself, your teammates and the The coaching staff is all about fast-paced bigger than us as individuals. I think organization, but also for the fans who pick and roll. There are a lot of talented we’re all up to the challenge. come out and watch. You should give it players who can create shots, create your all and give a great performance. plays, and the big guy has to get to the HEMISPHERES: There are some outsize rim and get up and down the court. personalities heading to London! but for HEMISPHERES: What would an Olympic all your aggressiveness on the court you"re gold mean to you? HEMISPHERES: Are there any di# erences known for being somewhat even-keeled. in the style of play between the NBA and Do you think that factored into your being CHANDLER: It’s something that every international basketball? selected for the team? kid dreams of, but it’s one of those things that seem so out of reach. To be CHANDLER: Huge diff erences. There’s CHANDLER: Yeah, I think that while a able to represent myself, my family less time—the quarters are shorter. The big part was what I could bring to the and my country in the Olympics and fl oor is much more spread out, so a lot table as far as my performance on the bring back a gold medal would mean of the big guys can step out and knock fl oor, I’m good in the locker room as so much. down jump shots on the perimeter. And well. Every discussion with Coach K has there’s no three-second rule, which helps been “I want you to come here and just HEMISPHERES: The NBA now has far more because if I don’t have to worry about be yourself.” international stars than it used to. Do you that when I’m in the paint, it makes me think the Olympic Games have played a more eff ective defensively. HEMISPHERES: You bring a lot of energy role in that? CONTINUED ON PAGE 148 »

146 JULY 2012 • HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM

R1_p084-087_148HEM0712_Q&A.indd 146 11/06/2012 09:18 THE HEMI Q&A: TYSON CHANDLER

» CONTINUED FROM PAGE 146 HEMISPHERES: Any standouts?

CHANDLER: Anna Wintour is at the “ A! er playing under Coach K, and top of my list. I’ve seen her a couple of ge" ing to understand who he actually times, and she’s always sharp as a tack. She’s the queen of fashion, so it was a is, I have all the respect in the world for big honor to meet her. She dressed my the man. I would send my son to Duke wife, who looked great that night— she was wearing a Valentino jumpsuit. if he was coaching.” Anna gave my wife her approval, so it was very nice.

HEMISPHERES: Ralph Lauren is doing Team USA!s duds again this year. Have any HEMISPHERES: This is probably Mike that I was going to be signing with the feelings about that? Krzyzewski!s last year as coach of the Knicks that summer, so when I signed, U.S. team. What has he meant to the I reached out to him, and from there CHANDLER: I love his stuff , so I’m looking world of basketball? we’ve just been hanging out and taking forward to ge" ing my suit. It’s always pictures together and kind of building so chic. CHANDLER: It’s hard to describe. What a relationship. he’s brought to not only the college HEMISPHERES: Who!ll be the best-dressed level, but also the NBA—I know he HEMISPHERES: So# you!re also into basketball player in London? hasn’t coached there, but the players photography. that he’s brought to the NBA are always CHANDLER: Besides myself? [Laughs.] fi rst-class players. He’s going to go CHANDLER: Yeah, I like to walk around I’ll have to put myself fi rst. Second best, down as one of the greatest coaches of in diff erent cities and diff erent areas maybe Dwyane Wade? When I see him all time. I’ve played under him twice and just shoot anything that catches in diff erent magazines, he’s always well already. I wasn’t a big Duke fan before my eye. I’m defi nitely looking forward to put together. meeting Coach K. It was just one of capturing the London trip. those organizations. I think that for HEMISPHERES: What kind of a reaction everybody, you either love Duke or you HEMISPHERES: And you!re into painting. are you expecting from Londoners and hate it. But a! er playing under him, and What do you like to paint? the rest of the international community ge" ing to understand who he actually is, once you arrive? I have all the respect in the world for the CHANDLER: Mainly the things I take man. I would send my son to Duke if he pictures of. A lot of times my children CHANDLER: I’m expecting a good was coaching. are my inspiration, so I o! en do paint- reaction. It’s the Olympics, so for the ings for them. fans, it’s all about seeing the greatest HEMISPHERES: You have quite a few hob- athletes in the world, and USA Basket- bies o" the court. For instance# last year an HEMISPHERES: And fashion. You and your ball is obviously a huge part of that. artist named Ari Marcopoulos put together wife went to the Costume Institute Gala a !zine about you# and the two of you Benefi t at the Metropolitan Museum of HEMISPHERES: Would it be bad luck to became friends. How!d that come about? Art in New York and were even featured speculate on how you!d celebrate winning on Vogue!s best-dressed list for the event. the gold? Any parties planned? CHANDLER: Yeah, he did a ’zine about Who did you wear? me, and I was in New York visiting at CHANDLER: You know what? I’m going to the time. This was before I came to the CHANDLER: I wore a suit made by wait and take it game by game. Knicks. Someone told me about it, so Waraire Boswell. It was incredible. I stopped at his shop and got some Just to be there with everybody that Hemispheres executive editor SAM POLCER copies. It made me wonder more about you love and admire, fashion-wise, is# in fact# the fi rst thing that any opposing who this artist was, so I told him that and to be able to meet the designers, team would like to see standing anywhere we should hook up when I came to New was incredible. And all the fashion in near the basket. York a! er the season. I didn’t realize the room ...

148 JULY 2012 • HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM

R1_p084-087_148HEM0712_Q&A.indd 148 11/06/2012 09:18