According to the Washington Times, if 19-year-old Kwame Brown blossoms into the superstar the Washington Wizards think he can become, forward Popeye Jones thinks he'll be able to point to the exact time when that process received a jump-start. So does coach Doug Collins. Michael Jordan? Ditto.

Following a humiliating 103-88 loss to San Antonio on Dec. 4, the team's second largest margin of defeat this season, Collins conducted one of those torturous practices that he was known for in his earlier days with Detroit as the Wizards, at the time losers of 11 of 13 games, prepared for the Houston Rockets.

"It was a real [back] busting practice," Jones recalled, "and Kwame took a beating. I went at him hard and I told him 'it's time to grow up; it's not high school anymore.' Coach got on him, too. He thought the whole world was against him that day. He got frustrated, Coach told him to go sit down. From that day I think he's really realized what this whole thing is about."

"That practice has made a huge difference. I just told him to sit out the last 20 minutes," Collins said. "He was so flustered. Michael took him back and told him to understand one thing. '[Doug] is the guy who put his tail on the line for you, and he's a guy who wants you and will teach you.' Ever since then Kwame's been different. I've seen him go from being a boy to being a man."