Jul. 24--TAYLORSVILLE -- Even before the question was asked, New Jersey Nets rookie Brook Lopez knew what was coming. After Lopez's poor performance at the Rocky Mountain Revue on Tuesday night, a TV reporter from his hometown of Fresno, Calif., was about to unleash a series of words the player has heard too many times since he decided he was ready for the NBA.
"How do you describe being away from the guy you spent all your life with?"
"Obviously," Lopez said, "it's a change."
You can't talk about Brook Lopez without talking about his twin brother, Robin. The separation is a new thing for the Lopez brothers, who played on the same basketball team ever since they were first-graders in Long Beach, Calif.
The change is inevitable for the identical twins, for whom Robin's floppy hair is the only distinction. Their transition to the pros is similar to another former Stanford duo's. Jazz veteran Jarron Collins and twin brother, Jason, spent most of their lives playing basketball together before reaching the NBA and were parted.
But something unique is happening: It seems like Brook has more than physically separated himself from his brother, though not by his choice. In this year's NBA Draft, following their sophomore seasons at Stanford, Brook was selected 10th overall and Robin was drafted five selections later by the Phoenix Suns.
That would suggest Brook is the better player.
But don't mention that to the boys' mother. Deborah Ledford believes they've always been equally good -- from their days on one of the country's best AAU teams (the Elite Basketball Organization), to their leading San Joaquin Memorial High to dominance in Fresno, to two stellar seasons at Stanford together.
But right now, it's not really a separation.
"Things are good. Haven't talked to my brother in a while. I seen him last week in Vegas," said Brook, who's the highest draft choice and only lottery pick this season at the Revue. "I watched him play in the summer league there.
"It's just a lot of adjustments and stuff like that."
Brook felt that shift Tuesday night, when his Nets played against the Jazz. The 7-foot, 260-pound center produced only four points with five turnovers on 2-for-11 shooting, though he grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked two shots in an 87-79 loss. The day before in his first Revue game, he had 16 points, six rebounds and three blocks against Golden State.
powervomit 
