By James "Tank" Lee
Normally, we write an article about the previous summer champions of summer league here. For this year, we decided to do something different. We interviewed the winning captain Parker Lhuda Yi (who is now serving as part of the staff) concerning his experience last summer.

T: Naw, just call me Tank. By the way, congratulations on winning last year's summer league tournament.
L: Why thank you very much.

T: Describe the different people who were on your team.(just talk about everyone on your team, their roles, etc.)
L: Let me first say what a privilege it is to be a part of this league. It's nowhere near "The Show," not even the "D" league for that matter, but it is ours and so I encourage all involved to take ownership in this summer league and have a blessing time! I was actually very surprised at the summer league draft last year, because I was the biggest player on my team. Now I know that may not be as big of a shock to some of you out there, but knowing how the dynamics of summer league have changed over the years, I have to admit that I was a bit concerned. My first pick was a no-brainer, as Mikey Choi has proven himself as one of the premiere guards ever to play summer league ball with his outside shot and ability to drive, finish or dish out assists. Now that I had my point, I had to pursue a rebounding machine and a defensive whiz, all rolled into one; that specimen ended up being "Flounder," a smart player who pulled out key rebounds and defensive stops throughout the summer. The goal of the rest of the draft was to choose men who were experienced in basketball, as much as I could tell, and at the same time, pick guys who would be sold on the team concept. Our shooting guard, Aaron Benson, though unknown in the beginning, made a name for himself as he finished the summer as a clutch shooter and smart defensive player. I also could not have asked for better role players in Dan Hwang, Patrick Kim, Lawrence Chen and Pastor Eddie Koh, who were always willing to do the little but important things like screening out and setting picks to free up Mikey and Aaron. Obviously, winning made our chemistry better, but it nevertheless fueled us throughout the playoffs.

T: Okay...that response was little longer than I had expected. Any ways, moving on...Which game(or moment) was the most memorable for your team last summer?
L: There were a couple of memorable instances for me. After our first playoff game, we knew we had a task ahead of us in Dave Kang's team, which featured Brian Epps and Tony Lawlor. We played them tough in pool play and lost, even though we did not have Mikey or Aaron. That was the same game in which Brian became the first player to dunk in summer league, even though it should have been a technical. :) Although we were without our stars, the rest of us came togther that night and gave all we had. It did not produce the results we had hoped for, but we still tried and I knew that once we were at full strength, we would cause alot of trouble for most teams. The other memorable game featured my stomach...okay, my gut. A player of mine did not have a dark colored shirt and we could not sub him out to find one, because we only had five and the game had to go on. So I gave him my shirt and played the rest of the game, trying hard not to laugh at myself. We lost that game, but I hoped that my team saw the GREAT sacrifice in my slight embarrassment.

T: Any tips on what it takes to win the summer league?
L: I think the outside game is important to win summer league. Last summer was my first time being successful, so I can only go from that experience. Our outside shooting saved us throughout the tournament as most of our games turned into a race to 25. I think that big men have a harder time because once they get the ball in the paint, they get surrounded and there are many hacks waiting for them. Of course that's an officiating issue, but the reality is that the refs cannot catch everything, whereas an outside shooter usually has one defender on him and has the spacing to either hit/miss his shot, or receive a foul call. Having a smart point guard who will find open jump shooters or take it himself with success will improve your chances in having a successful summer league. A final note would be to take free throws seriously!!! If Shaq can improve to 70 some percent in the playoffs, despite his crossing the line every time, surely our participants can do the same. Games will go to a tie-breaker, so beware! On a side note, summer league is more than just basketball...it is about fellowship with brothers too. Even if a team comes out winless, the experience can still be considered a success if friendships are developed this summer. So whether you are a baller or not, come out to play and find success both on and off the court!

T: Did you get to do anything with your team outside of basketball?
L: I met with each of my players throughout the summer, taking out the ones I did not know as well first. Sure, we were a basketball team, but I wanted to get to know my team outside of the game. Even though we all did not become best friends, we all have a special bond with one another, as the 2001 summer league Champs!

T: So how come you really retired from the summer league? I mean, if I won it, I would be back defending my title. What are the chances you'll play again?
L: I think it's a miracle that I am even considered a veteran, given the fact that I only play a couple times a year! I don't consider me not playing this summer as a form of retirement, but as I mentioned in the beginning, summer league goes beyond the game itself. Alot goes into the preparations and faciliation of the league, so I felt that the best thing for me to do to participate in summer league this year would be in an administraitve role. As a former Executive Secretary, I am confident in my abilities to serve in this manner. I am not sure if I will be around next summer, but I do hope to defend my championship in the near future. We're still champs until someone beats us :)!

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