Nash goes to training camp with pro players
By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer
Incoming UH freshman Bobby Nash trained with NBA players at the Nick Bollettieri IMG Academies last week at Sarasota, Fla.
"It was intimidating at first; I was kind of in awe," said Nash, an Iolani School graduate. "But it only made me better."
Iolani grad Bobby Nash will join Rainbows in the fall.
Nash participated in the same training program as former UH point guard Anthony Carter — now with the San Antonio Spurs — Tayshaun Prince of the Detroit Pistons, and Mamadou N'diaye of the Toronto Raptors.
The week-long program included individual and group workouts with coaches, weightlifting with a personal trainer, and five-on-five scrimmages.
Nash paid close to $700 to participate in the program.
"It was definitely worth it," he said. "I was playing with AC Carter and Tayshaun Prince. Even though I got my butt kicked the first day, I came back and was holding my own the next couple of days. I want to go back again (next summer)."
Perhaps next year, the staff at the academy will recognize Nash. On the first day of the program last week, he was put in a group with 10- to 12-year-olds.
"I was thinking 'what did I get myself into?' " he said. "One of the workers finally came up to me and said, 'uh, I think you're in the wrong group.' Then they showed me where the pros were. I went from being the oldest to being the youngest."
The Bollettieri Academies is most noted for its tennis program, but Nash said there are also facilities for baseball, football, golf and soccer.
"It's amazing," Nash said. "You walk past the tennis courts and there are 300 little kids playing there. It was just a great overall experience for me."
