Bulls’ Cam Bairstow Speaks on D-League Experience

The Chicago Bulls’ Cam Bairstow hasn’t had much playing time with the Chicago Bulls this season. Many Australians figured, hoped that Bairstow would see some more playing time this season following the arrival of new head coach Fred Hoiberg and his new offense.

Bairstow was drafted by the Bulls in the second round of the 2014 NBA Draft. This season, Bairstow had only appeared in two games scoring a total of only two points before being sent down to the D-League in late November for a brief five-game stint in which he averaged 14 points and 6 rebounds.

He’s been brought back from the cold now, and is back on the Bulls’ bench. Starting5online caught up with Bairstow in New York last Saturday night to ask him about his D-League experience.

Starting5: How was the D-League experience for you?

Cam Bairstow: “It was good to be able to get a bit of a run. It was pretty much go straight there, we had a couple days practice and then went on the road played about five games in eight days. It was a pretty quick experience and you know, it was just beneficial just to play. It’s a different style of game, but overall, anytime you get a chance to play and get better, that’s what it’s all about.”

S5: Did you have to adjust your play to suit the D-League in any way?

CB: “The play is a but different – it’s like Summer League, pretty guard orientated, up and down fast pace, high-scoring games. So, it’s a bit different, but same general rules [as the NBA] so at the end of the day it’s the closest you’ll get to the NBA without playing in the NBA so that’s definitely a good thing.”

S5: Was there anything in particular that you wanted to work on while down in the D-League?

CB: “Just overall all the stuff you’ve [already] been working on. Skill wise, when you can’t play you’re just working out a bunch, and you just try to implement them in game situations. See what works and what doesn’t. They run with a different offense – we had to go with the Spurs’ affiliate [Austin Spurs] so that was an adjustment but you just try to enjoy it all.”

S5: Is there anything you take from your time with the Boomers and apply it to your game in the NBA, and vice-versa?

CB: “International game is probably the second hardest level you can play in, so you get to go against the guys — going against those guys every summer has been really beneficial to me, and then the Boomers, the style of play and shot selection shows you another way of doing things. Then you decide what works for you and then you try to apply it in the NBA.”

S5: Did you expect to be playing more this season given the change of head coach?

CB: “No, I knew going in what the situation was so I’m just trying to make the most of every opportunity I get, and that’s all you can do.”

Feature image via: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports