John Smallwood: Villanova's Reynolds has perfect timing
SCOTTIE REYNOLDS knows who his birth mother is. He knows her name. He knows where she lives. He knows some things about her life.
SCOTTIE REYNOLDS knows who his birth mother is.
He knows her name. He knows where she lives. He knows some things about her life.
He could contact her, and some day he will.
"I've found out things about her, who she is," said Reynolds, Villanova's
junior point guard. "I haven't had any contact with her face-to-face or personally, but that's something that will come in the future.
"It will take some time. There is so much going on in my life right now. One day it will happen. It's just a matter of when the time is right for us."
Reynolds isn't bitter or angry with the woman who put him up for adoption. He doesn't wonder what his life could have been like.
He says his adoptive parents, Pam and Rick Reynolds, have been a blessing. He is their son and has never felt like anything less.
The Reynoldses supported their son's decision to seek his birth records once he turned 19 and the state of Alabama allowed him access to them.
"Anything that has to do with my birth mother, my parents back me up 100 percent," said Reynolds, who was born in Huntsville, Ala., but raised in
Illinois and Virginia. "They are great. They are my real parents, and I love them to death."
But it is only natural that
Reynolds would want to at least seek out the information about his birth. Even if he never intends to use it, at least it is his.
"I give a lot of praise to my birth mother because she put me in a good position with my adoptive family," said Reynolds, 21. "I feel fortunate to be in the position I am right now.
"[My birth mother] made a tough decision, but it was an
unselfish one and one that was in my best interest.
"There will be a time when we can sit down and talk about it, talk about the things that have gone on in my life and how much I appreciate what she did for me."
When, or if, Reynolds decide to contact his birth mother, he will have a tremendous story to tell, one that continues at the Wachovia Center tonight when Villanova plays American University in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Two seasons ago, when Reynolds burst onto the college scene and was named Big East Rookie of the Year, not too many people envisioned him staying on the Main Line long enough to lead the Wildcats to three straight NCAA Tournaments.
But during a time when elite young players are looking to make the leap to the NBA as quickly as possible, Reynolds
understood that his game still needed polishing and that being ready for the NBA was just as important as getting there.
"I just felt I had a lot of things to get better at," said Reynolds, who started 32 of 33 games, averaged 14.4 points and had 133 assists as a freshman. "My freshman year all I did was just score the basketball.
"At the next level, as a point guard, that's not what you are going to be able to do night in and night out. You have to do other things to help your team win, and that's why I'm still here.
"Being a Villanova guard is what I wanted to be, and my freshman year I definitely was not."
The concept of being a "Villanova guard" is easy.
"It's someone who can control a game and he doesn't have to do it by scoring," Reynolds said.
The process of becoming one is not something that generally happens overnight or in one
season.
Of the recent 'Nova guards who have had extended careers in the NBA, Kerry Kittles, Alvin Williams, Randy Foye and Kyle Lowry, Lowry, who left after his sophomore season, is the only one who didn't play 4 years in college.
"It takes a little time," said
Villanova assistant coach Doug West, who played in the NBA for 12 seasons. "A Villanova guard basically is a player who does all of the little things on the floor. If he gets switched on to a big [guy] on defense, he's
expected to out-tough that big. If there is a rebound to be had, he's expected to go get that
rebound - loose balls, diving
on the floor.
"He's expected to run this team and be an all-around player. Villanova guards are tough players that don't back down from situations. You can't learn that in 1 year."
Although senior forward Dante Cunningham led Villanova in scoring at 16.0 points a game, Reynolds, who averaged 15.5 points, had the highest
average (16.7 ppg) in the 26 games Villanova won.
Reynolds also led the 'Cats with 118 assists and 53 steals.
"In the 2 years, that I've been here his game has grown so much," West said. "It's not just about scoring. It's about being a team player, a leader and being a winner. A lot of guys can score points and their team
loses. Scottie goes out and does the things needed for our team to win."
All things in time. *
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