Tyler Hansbrough News: Pro Sports Daily

O'Brien not counting on Hansbrough this season

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February 28

Indianapolis Star

"Indiana Pacers coach Jim O'Brien said he doesn't think rookie Tyler Hansbrough will return to the lineup this season. O'Brien, speaking on his weekly radio show on WFNI-1070 AM, said there's probably not enough time remaining in the season for Hansbrough to get back. "I'm not sure we're going to have Tyler back this year," O'Brien said. "His difficulties might last throughout this year. If he got better in three weeks, he would have to recondition and I don't know if it would be in his best interest to make a showing." Hansbrough has missed 23 of the past 27 games because of an inner ear infection. He suffered constant dizziness in the four games he played. Hansbrough has not been allowed ..."

Hansbrough gets number retired tonight at UNC

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February 10

Indianapolis Star

"Indiana Pacers rookie Tyler Hansbrough won't be sitting on a beach sipping on a fruity umbrella drink during the All-Star break. Tonight, Hansbrough will be in Chapel Hill, N.C., getting his No. 50 jersey retired at the University of North Carolina. And it just happens to be on the night the Tar Heels play Duke, their biggest rival. "There's always something about a Duke-Carolina game that brings everybody out," Hansbrough said. "I didn't plan on it like that, but that's how the scheduling worked out. I had some free time. The Duke-Carolina game isn't anything we put emphasis on." Hansbrough, who becomes the eighth Carolina player to have his jersey retired, is joining the likes of Michael ..."

Rookie Hansbrough's health problem worsens

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February 6

Indianapolis Star

"Indiana Pacers rookie forward Tyler Hansbrough has gone from doing some on-court work to not being able to do anything at all. Pacers coach Jim O'Brien said he's not sure if the first-round pick will be ready to return to the lineup from his inner ear infection by the time they return from the All-Star break. "I do not know if we will have Tyler," O'Brien said. "He's not working out at all. If he's able to come back and start working out, that's going to be important, because the fact that he's been told that he is not really allowed to move around, even one on none, is a real setback from the conditioning standpoint.""

Hansbrough's problem

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January 31

Indianapolis Star

"Forward Tyler Hansbrough's practice days usually consist of some strength and agility drills with the team's strength and conditioning staff. Then, after his teammates have left, the Indiana Pacers' first-round pick will take the court for some individual work with an assistant coach. That's not what the Pacers envisioned when they selected Hansbrough with the No. 13 pick in last summer's draft. Not with 35 games remaining in the season. They expected Hansbrough to be a high-energy player off the bench for them. So much for wishful thinking. Hansbrough's latest setback -- an inner ear infection -- has left the former University of North Carolina All-American sidelined for 14 of the past 18 ..."

Ear infection sidelines Hansbrough

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January 19

Indianapolis Star

"The Indiana Pacers will continue their season-long trend of being shorthanded against the Miami Heat tonight because rookie forward Tyler Hansbrough is not with the team due to complications with his inner ear infection. Hansbrough recently missed seven straight games because of his ear infection."

Hansbrough still feeling effects of inner ear infection

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January 13

Indianapolis Star

"Tyler Hansbrough said he felt a little dizzy after missing seven games due to an inner ear infection, but the Indiana Pacers rookie power forward doesn't expect it to keep him out of the lineup moving forward. Hansbrough played 12 minutes in Monday's 105-101 victory over Toronto, his first action since Dec. 27. He's expected to be ready tonight against Amare Stoudemire and the Phoenix Suns. "It's just gradually there," Hansbrough said of the dizziness. "It's not there all the time. It comes and goes." Hansbrough scored four points but missed 5-of-7 free throws. He said the impact of the injury on his shooting "is kind of overhyped." "I feel a lot better," he said. "I'm just trying to get ..."

Hansbrough elbowing into role in NBA

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December 23

Boston Globe

"Did the TD Garden gathering last night fully appreciate the magnitude of what they witnessed as the Celtics took on the Indiana Pacers? I wonder. But among the participants was that rarest of all NBA species - a full-blown, four-year college star, and not just any star but the player logically anointed College Player of the Decade by the Sporting News."

Hansbrough's fans give arena hometown flavor

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December 19

Indianapolis Star

"The FedEx Forum felt a little like Poplar Bluff South on Friday night. Approximately 1,500 people from the hometown of Indiana Pacers rookie Tyler Hansbrough were on hand to cheer the favorite son of the small Missouri town. Memphis is the closest NBA city to Poplar Bluff at a 21/2-hour drive. Pockets of fans wearing Hansbrough's No. 50 jersey -- the Pacers, North Carolina and Poplar Bluff versions -- were throughout the arena for the Pacers game against the Grizzlies."

Pacers: 2nd unit offers jolt

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December 15

Indianapolis Star

"Indiana Pacers coach Jim O'Brien usually hops up from his coaching position -- kneeling with one knee on a towel -- midway through the first quarter of games. He walks toward the bench and instructs either Mike Dunleavy, Earl Watson or Jeff Foster to check in. Those three players, along with rookie Tyler Hansbrough and Luther Head, make up the Pacers' second unit. It's that unit that has given the team a jolt in each of the past three games. "Usually the bench on some teams just steadies the pace or gives a decline in production. Ours takes it to another level," starter Dahntay Jones said. "It's a well-balanced bench. We've got Mike, Earl Watson and big Tyler. They change the tempo of the ..."

Wizards sink in a blink

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December 13

Washington Examiner

"The deciding play will be debated until the end of eternity. The missed free throws won't. Both were responsible for leaving the Wizards furious, utterly miserable, and one loss deeper into a rollercoaster season that continues to suffer more downs than ups. Washington head coach Flip Saunders didn't try to hide his frustration over the foul call that gave Indiana its improbable 114-113 win over the Wizards. With five tenths of second remaining, Pacers guard Earl Watson inbounded the ball to Mike Dunleavy, who caught it above his head and sandwiched between DeShawn Stevenson and Brendan Haywood, leading to an immediate whistle by refereee Ed Malloy. After the officials reviewed the play, ..."

Arenas again falters late as Wizards fall

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December 13

Washington Times

"Gilbert Arenas sat on the bench following a timeout with his team down by a point and one-tenth of a second left on the clock, locked in a trance and not really hearing anything. For the second straight game, Arenas had blown it. The guard - heralded because of his late-game heroics for the better part of three seasons - had gone to the line with the chance to rescue his team. All he had to do was make two foul shots to give the Wizards a three-point lead over the Indiana Pacers with six seconds left. But after performing his famous ritual of whipping the ball around his waist three times before bouncing it, Arenas clanked the first, and then the second. When the second shot bounced off ..."

Key players get increased minutes

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December 12

Indianapolis Star

"Indiana Pacers swingman Mike Dunleavy and forward Tyler Hansbrough took another step toward being able to play their normal minutes Friday when they each had their playing time restriction increased to 24 minutes. Dunleavy and Hansbrough had been limited to around 20 minutes a game as they worked their way back from knee and shin problems, respectively The increase in minutes for Dunleavy will allow coach Jim O'Brien to use him for longer stretches and to have him available at the end of close games. O'Brien ran into a problem using Dunleavy last week at Sacramento and earlier this week against Portland when he took him out during a close part of the game in the fourth quarter. The Pacers ..."

Hansbrough faces growing pains adjusting to NBA

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December 6

Indianapolis Star

columnist Mike Wells

"Tyler Hansbrough had been in the game for about four minutes when coach Jim O'Brien, clearly frustrated, turned and yelled to Troy Murphy. "Go get Tyler out of there," O'Brien said during the second quarter of Friday's loss to the Utah Jazz. Hansbrough, the Indiana Pacers' rookie first-round pick, did a poor job boxing out, which in turn led to a Paul Millsap offensive rebound and a spot on the bench for Hansbrough. It hasn't taken Hansbrough long to realize he's no longer the decorated All-American out of the University of North Carolina. He's just another rookie trying to find his way in the NBA. Hansbrough is going up against players in the post who are stronger than him, quicker than ..."

Hansbrough fans come out for Pacers-Bobcats game

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November 23

Gaston Gazette

"Those familiar No. 50 Tar Heels' basketball jerseys were back out in full force at Sunday's game at Time Warner Cable Arena. Tyler Hansbrough, a first-round draft pick by the Indiana Pacers, was back in North Carolina for the first time as a professional as the Pacers took on the Charlotte Bobcats. When he entered the game off the bench with 4:38 left in the first quarter, he was greeted with the largest collective cheer of the night. There were a few boos mixed in - but not many - for one of the most decorated players in Tar Heel basketball history. "I'm glad to be back in Carolina. I caught up with a bunch of friends and had dinner with a friend last night," Hansbrough said. "It's great ..."

Hansbrough's pro transition is a solid work in progress

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November 23

Charlotte Observer

"Basketball is now a far different game for Tyler Hansbrough. Except for rare occasions like Sunday - when he was loudly cheered by many in the crowd at Time Warner Cable Arena even when he fouled somebody - Hansbrough is no longer the focal point of much of anything. He is a rookie power forward for the Indiana Pacers, who lost 104-88 to the Charlotte Bobcats on Sunday. Hansbrough still wears No.50, his number at North Carolina where he set the school's all-time scoring record and won an NCAA title his senior season. But his uniform Sunday was an unfamiliar golden hue, and Hansbrough came off the bench. Sunday marked his first time as an NBA player in Charlotte. The No.13 pick in the 2009 ..."

Teammates happy Hansbrough is playing

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November 8

Indianapolis Star

"Tyler Hansbrough's teammates couldn't wait for him to play his first game. They wanted to see Hansbrough, the Indiana Pacers' first-round pick last summer, beat up on somebody other than them in a game. Hansbrough didn't disappoint in his long-awaited season debut against the Washington Wizards on Friday night. Hansbrough, an energetic player who plays only one way -- hard -- came off the bench to score 13 points and grab five rebounds in 14 minutes. The power forward had been sidelined with a right shin problem since the end of July. "We had all been waiting to see Tyler play because we had all seen him in practice and we know how aggressive he is," forward Danny Granger said. "(The ..."

Not a bad start for Hansbrough

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November 7

Indianapolis Star

"Tyler Hansbrough definitely didn't disappoint in his first game. The rookie out of North Carolina doesn't look for style points when he plays. He just wants to get the job done. Hansbrough looked like a fullback when bullied his way to the basket for 13 points and five rebounds in 14 minutes. Coach Jim O'Brien said before the game that Hansbrough wouldn't play more than 16 minutes. The stat that stood out was the 10 free throw attempts. Hansbrough's either going to get called for an offensive foul or he's going to get fouled when he goes up for a shot in the paint. "I had a couple of jitters with it being my first time on the NBA stage," Hansbrough said. "I got to attack the rim, I was ..."

Pacers keep up defensive effort

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November 7

Indianapolis Star

"The message was written on the board when the Indiana Pacers arrived for their meeting at Conseco Fieldhouse late Friday afternoon. The message from coach Jim O'Brien said: "Just play with the defensive intensity you did the last nine minutes against New York and everything else will fall into place." Mission accomplished. The Pacers brought their defense back with them from New York and used it to beat the Washington Wizards 102-86 on the 10th anniversary of the opening of the fieldhouse. "That's huge," Pacers point guard T.J. Ford said. "It gives us a lot of confidence knowing we don't have to worry about scoring. The scoring will come; we just have to continue to play defense like we're ..."

Pacers rookie Hansbrough, recovering from injury, practices for first time this preseason

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October 23

Indianapolis Star

"No one knows when Tyler Hansbrough will play in a game, but the Indiana Pacers rookie took a small step Thursday when he practiced for the first time this preseason. Hansbrough has been out since the end of July resting a right shin injury that occurred during his senior season at North Carolina. He was limited to half-court five-on-five drills Thursday. "He did some really good things," coach Jim O'Brien said. "He's very aggressive, pretty aware of what we're trying to do. It was great to have him be in any live activity." Hansbrough said it felt good to finally practice. "I've been wanting to get out there for a while," he said. "It's totally different when you get out there and actually ..."

No Target Date for Hansbrough's Return

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October 15

Indianapolis Star

"im O'Brien had a plan. Now he's going to a backup plan. The Indiana Pacers coach wanted to use a 10-man rotation to keep fresh legs on the court while playing at a fast pace. The pace won't change, but Mike Dunleavy's setback and rookie Tyler Hansbrough's ongoing shin problem likely will shrink the rotation. "We still have the ability to go 10 deep, but I don't know if we are there yet," O'Brien said. "If we were opening the season tonight, I don't know if I would go with a 10-man rotation." Dunleavy isn't expected to practice until next month. There is no timetable on Hansbrough. Danny Granger, T.J. Ford, Brandon Rush, Troy Murphy, Roy Hibbert, Solomon Jones, Earl Watson, Jeff Foster and ..."

Hansbrough to be limited early in training camp

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September 23

Indianapolis Star

"Don't expect to see rookie Tyler Hansbrough doing much when the Pacers open training camp Saturday. Hansbrough won't be ready to take part in all the drills because of his right shin injury, which happened while he was North Carolina. "I think right now, the thing that is disappointing is that Hansbrough is not going to be ready," Pacers president Larry Bird said. "He's doing things, but as far as 5-on-5 goes, I think it'll be a little bit later. I think he'll be back during training camp, but he has to take it slow for a couple of weeks.""

Hansbrough will rest lingering shin injury

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August 1

Indianapolis Star

"Tyler Hansbrough is being put on the shelf for the rest of the summer, a move the Indiana Pacers hope allows their first-round draft pick to be healthy for his rookie season. Hansbrough has a lingering right shin injury from college and needs to rest it six to eight weeks, the Pacers said Friday. The Pacers said no new injury has occurred, but they want to limit Hansbrough's activity in hopes he will be healthy for the 82-game NBA regular season. Training camp is scheduled to start in late September or early October, depending on the details of the Pacers' trip to China for preseason games. The 6-9 power forward, known for his all-out approach to games and workouts, played in 34 games as a ..."

Hansbrough out 6-8 weeks with shin injury

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July 31

Indianapolis Star

"Indiana Pacers first-round draft pick Tyler Hansbrough will be sidelined for 6-8 weeks due to a lingering shin injury from college, team officials said this morning. The 6-9, 250-pound forward won't miss anything other than offseason conditioning and some individual drills. Training camp isn't scheduled to start until late September. The Pacers said the shin injury occurred Hansbrough's senior year at North Carolina when he led the Tar Heels to the NCAA title. The Pacers said they are limiting his activity now in hopes the shin fully heals and he is healthy for the 82-game NBA regular season. Hansbrough, known for his all-out play, played in 34 games as a senior at North Carolina, 141 for ..."

Pacers, Hansbrough agree to contract

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July 8

Indianapolis Star

"The Indiana Pacers have signed first-round pick Tyler Hansbrough. Hansbrough, the 13th pick in last month's draft, was given a four-year contract with a team option on the third and fourth years. He'll make $1.5 million next season and $1.7 million during his second season."

Hansbrough's passion shines

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June 27

Indianapolis Star

"Indiana Pacers coach Jim O'Brien glanced to his right at the banner hanging in the pavilion lobby of Conseco Fieldhouse. Then he looked up at the banner to his left. "It's not ironic that I'm looking at these two banners and they both say, 'Passion,' " O'Brien said. "That's not just a marketing theme for what (team president) Larry (Bird's) trying to build here. "It is a foundation that we want to build on, and the young man sitting between Larry and I is a guy that plays with an unbelievable amount of passion." O'Brien also should have pointed out the other part of the franchise's slogan -- "Pride." Passion and pride, two words that go hand in hand with Tyler Hansbrough, the Pacers' ..."