By Tim Povtak
Don't worry, Be happy
His mother died of cancer when he was 9 years old, leaving him with a broken heart and a gaping hole in his life, but with an unusually mature, well-thought-out philosophy that he carries every day. It's why Mickael Pietrus always sounds so cheery.
There can be dramatic highs and lows for an NBA player, but it's rare to find Pietrus in anything but an upbeat mood, leaving others to worry why shots don't fall, fouls are called and games don't always turn out as planned.
"You may be here today, but you could be gone tomorrow," he said after a recent practice at the RDV Sportsplex. "I learned that early. So you better enjoy life while you can, enjoy every day. I miss my mother. I still think about her a lot. But she gives me the energy and the outlook to make every day a good day."
Pietrus, 26, joined the Orlando Magic this summer after five years with the Golden State Warriors, joining Jameer Nelson in the starting backcourt, hoping his strengths on and off the court can add to a team itching to be a serious championship contender.
"This is very different from where I was. I like it a lot better," he said. "I could be happy ending my career here. One of the first things I asked when I was looking for a new team, was 'would there be good teammates?' Would it be a positive atmosphere? I love the family atmosphere here. I missed that the last five years with the Warriors."
Pietrus did not have a great start with the Magic this fall, yet it didn't change his tune. Throughout the first month of the season, he shot well, but he was slow to grasp all of the defensive concepts preached by Coach Stan Van Gundy.
The Magic wanted him as a lock-down defender against high-scoring guards and small forwards, but he often found himself in early foul trouble, taking him out of games and forcing Van Gundy to change his player rotation.
"I can always do better, but if we're winning games, I'll be happy," Pietrus said. "I'm learning every day. I've got a good coach who wants my best. I'm lucky. And I'm the first foreign-born player to lead the NBA in stitches received."
Pietrus, one of five NBA players from France, laughs at his own comments, smiling often at any suggestion that his start has been slow. He has the stitches to show that it was not for lack of effort. Twice in the first two weeks of the regular season, he sustained cuts on his face while hustling after loose balls. He needed two stitches above his right eye the first time, and then six stitches on his forehead when he collided a few days later with Washington's Caron Butler. Those incidents came not long after his nose was broken during the exhibition portion of the schedule.
"He fouls a lot. And he bleeds a lot," assessed Magic General Manager Otis Smith. "We need to hire a cut man. How's that for a start? Actually, he's still learning our defensive system. His learning curve is big. He's coming from a free-wheeling system, and we're asking him to do a lot more now. He'll get better as we go."
Smith was at Golden State when the Warriors drafted Pietrus. He loved the athleticism then, and he loves it even more now. When it came to the free-agent market last summer, Smith targeted Pietrus from the start. He had much the same feeling when he went after Hedo Turkoglu in free agency four years before.
When adding new players to his roster, Smith always talks about how it affects chemistry, which is always a delicate balance in the NBA. The positive attitude that Pietrus brings to the locker room was key in Smith's thinking.
"He [Pietrus] fits in well here. If Otis wanted him, I knew he would," said Nelson. "I already know he's a great shooter, but the fit is important, too. He's just like us, enjoying this family atmosphere. We all like to have fun, but when it's time to get serious, we get serious."
Although he often laughs and jokes, and enjoys mugging for the cameras, Pietrus has no problem getting serious. It was imperative in his early years, first when his father left home, and later when his mother died, leaving him and his six siblings to live with his grandmother.
He left their home in the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe at age 15, moving to France to live with an older brother. By 17, he was playing professional basketball in Europe. At 21, he was drafted by the Golden State Warriors, who made him the No. 11 pick in the 2003 NBA Draft.
"I came to the United States by myself. I was so happy to be drafted by the Warriors, but I didn't even know where Golden State was. I thought I was going to Chicago," he said. "I missed my first flight to San Francisco."
His five years with the Warriors were marked by opportunity and disappointment. He progressed slowly as a player, adapted to the language and the customs better than he did to the Warriors' unorthodox style of play.
He played his best during the 2006-07 season when he started 38 games and averaged 11.1 points and 4.5 rebounds, but his playing time was cut significantly last season as trade rumors swirled and free agency approached.
He knew he was moving when last season ended. It didn't take him long to accept the Magic's contract offer for four years. He and Smith knew each other well.
"I didn't need a big city. I'm not a big party guy," he said. "I liked coming here, where there is Disney World, Sea World, things like that. This is where I'm comfortable."
Pietrus bought a home in the Lake Mary area, not far from where Van Gundy lives. It's not unusual to see him at a nearby grocery store, stocking his kitchen, where he spends time cooking for himself and for friends. His grandmother taught him to cook, and she taught him many of the values he still has today.
"This is still kind of a dream for me," he said. "I'd like to win a championship here soon. ... for my mom. You better enjoy life now. You may be here tomorrow. You may not be."
