By
Chris Martin
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Jefferson, Pastner learn by living together
Richard Jefferson had a lot of fun off the court last year.
Living with his best friend and teammate, Luke Walton, the sophomore forward lived the ultimate college experience at Jefferson Commons Apartments - parties, pretty girls and plenty of excitement.
"Socially, it is probably best that I live with Luke and hang out with him," Jefferson says. "Luke is still my best friend at the school, I wish I could live with him, and I miss hanging out with him a lot but I know what's best for me, basketball-wise."
A new year has provided a lot of change for the 6-foot-7-inch forward, though.
Gone are the parties and the craziness, in are the game tapes, basketball books and a new roommate - graduate assistant coach Josh Pastner.
Jefferson and Pastner are by no means living a posh life, though - food is scarce and their PlayStation is without games.
"We don't cook, we have about six boxes of cereal, four gallons of milk in our house and that is about it," Jefferson says. "My brother took my PlayStation games. I have my PlayStation, but I don't have my games."
Even without all the luxuries of entertainment, Pastner and Jefferson have still enjoyed their time together although Jefferson often finds himself home alone.
"Josh isn't there that much - he's always at McKale (Center), he's doing a lot of that," Jefferson says. "Me, personally, the more time I have on my own, by myself, I read more basketball books.
"The more time I have by myself, the more time I can focus on the little things that I need to do - more homework, unfortunately."
Though Pastner might spend most of his hours at McKale Center breaking down film and working with players, he enjoys sharing an apartment with Jefferson.
"It's been a blast and I have been very fortunate to live with him," Pastner says. "He is great to be around with and he has been focused. Him and I, we don't really go out, and we're not much of partiers or anything and I am trying to get him to be just like me - a totally basketball guy, which he has been great at."
In order for Jefferson's goal of wearing a NBA uniform to be realized, the junior decided a change of scenery was necessary to make the final transition from good college basketball player to great basketball player.
"It is definitely just a change of atmosphere for me," Jefferson says. "Where we live at is quiet, it is very secluded, and just gives me a chance to just get mentally ready before games and gives me a chance to just focus."
Helping Arizona basketball players reach their NBA dreams is nothing new for Pastner.
Pastner and Mike Bibby, former UA Pacific 10 Conference Player of the Year, lived together during Bibby's final year at Arizona.
Pastner so influenced Bibby during the 1997-98 season that the former All-American asked Pastner to move to Vancouver, Canada with him to be his personal coach after Bibby was selected No. 2 by the Grizzlies in the 1998 NBA draft.
"On my recruiting visit, Mike Bibby told me, 'Richard, if you want to get where you want to get, live with Josh. He's going to help you, he's going to keep you on task. He's not going to be like a mother telling you what to do, but he'll definitely keep you in line and let you know what you need to be doing," Jefferson says.
Pastner's effect on Jefferson won't be seen on the court until the Wildcats open their season Nov. 20 at the Maui Invitational in Maui, Hawaii. But Pastner's guidance extends off the court, too, as Pastner makes sure Jefferson stays on task academically, athletically and socially.
"I want to help him, he's got to keep becoming a great shooter," Pastner says. "He's got all the athletic ability, he's got all the physical tools, he's got to keep working on the skill part of ball handling, shooting the three to keep elevating his game.
"I want to make sure off the court, he is doing the right thing, that he is getting to his appointments, whatever he needs to get done and that he is mentally tough."
It's not that Jefferson hasn't been focused about basketball in the past - as his skills keeps improving, the opportunity of playing in the NBA becomes more and more of a reality.
After missing 13 games last season - the majority of which came during the Pac-10 season - due to a stress fracture in his right foot (fifth metatarsal), Jefferson's focus is on proving that he is one of the nation's premier swing players.
He is one of 30 players nominated as the preseason Naismith College Basketball Player of the Year List and a member of the top 50 preseason John R. Wooden Award.
"The biggest thing (about Jefferson living with Pastner) is it is an outward indication of his seriousness for this season," UA associate head coach Jim Rosborough says. "He's all business. It really shows a maturity now that Richard recognizes the seriousness of this year and hopefully next year."
In the 2000-01 season, gaining awards and putting up big stats won't be as important to Jefferson as winning.
"For me, personally, as long as the team succeeds, that is what is the most important thing to me," Jefferson says. "If we go undefeated this year and I average eight points a game, I'll be the happiest player in college basketball.
"I'll do whatever it takes, there will be certain games where I might be called upon to go for 20 or 25, there might be games where I only need to score 10 points, whatever I can do to help the team succeed is what I am going to do."
Jefferson's team-first mentality is exactly what Pastner has been trying to show his roommate - it is a lesson not only for Jefferson, but for all of the UA men's basketball team.
"First and foremost, for Richard to reach his dream, for people to reach individual goals, they have to have team success," Pastner says. "For anyone on our team to reach individual goals, it is important that our team wins, it is important that everyone gels together and works together as a team."
Team success appears to be apparent as the Wildcats return all five starters from last season's Pac-10 championship team. Pastner is the lone member not returning as a player.
Arizona will likely open the season ranked as either the No. 1 or No. 2 team in the country, making them a targeted team.
"Obviously, any time you enter a season, especially with this type of team, your ultimate goal is to win the national championship and the Pac-10 championship," Pastner says. "The thing you do as a coach and from a coaching staff's perspective is you just want the kids to get better every day and come out and work as hard as they can, everything else is going to take care of itself."
A good season out of Jefferson could lead to an early exit from Arizona, making him only the third player to leave the program early for the NBA. Brian Williams (who now goes by Bison Dele) and Bibby were the other two.
There was even speculation at the end of last season that Jefferson would go pro, prompting the junior to release a statement saying that he was going to return to Arizona this season.
"I think every year that I play basketball could be my last," Jefferson says. "I don't know if the NBA is going to be this year. If you asked me last year at this time, I would be hoping that my sophomore year would be my last."
With Pastner's guidance and teaching and a productive season, this could be Jefferson's last wearing the No. 44 Arizona jersey.
