Oct. 10--As he made the rounds before the 2006 NBA Draft, Jazz center Kyrylo Fesenko worked out for the Detroit Pistons the same day they hosted Shaquille O'Neal and the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals.
Not only did he stay for the game, but Fesenko also hung around long enough afterward to get a picture taken with O'Neal, a photo that's still saved in an e-mail file somewhere.
"I was really proud of myself that I get it finally," Fesenko said.
There were more memories to be made in Thursday night's 96-89 preseason loss to Phoenix at EnergySolutions Arena. More than just a photo, this time Fesenko matched up against his childhood idol for a 10-minute stretch of the second quarter.
"It was really hard," Fesenko said. "I realize that I am not big, I am not strong. I am small girl compared to Shaq. So I have a lot of work to do -- I have a lot of work to do -- and I need to start right now if I want to make the team, at least this year."
O'Neal didn't say anything to him Thursday, but the 7-foot-1, 300-pound Fesenko said, "One time after I push him in the back, he look at me and this look I will see probably in my nightmares."
A second-round draft pick in 2007, Fesenko played in only nine games as a rookie, but one of them was against O'Neal in Miami. They were on the court together for just 55 seconds, but it was time enough for O'Neal to dunk on the young Ukrainian.
Fast-forward to Thursday and Fesenko's eyes couldn't have been wider as O'Neal checked in with 10:05 left in the first half. The Suns worked the ball inside to O'Neal eight times against Fesenko, though he turned that into only three points.
Fesenko was active, reaching around to poke the ball free from O'Neal, batting away a pass and intercepting an inbounds lob. O'Neal's one basket came as he fumbled the ball, Fesenko went after it and O'Neal banked in a shot.
"This is the only way to stop him," Fesenko said, "because after he turn around and face the basket, there is like no way to stop him."
"That's a tough assignment," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan added. "At least he tried to compete against him. That was the nice thing to see. That's a little bit more than what we got out of some of the other people."
Another shot spun off the rim for O'Neal, who was called for two offensive fouls and missed three of four free throws. Fesenko's best scoring chance came as he got the ball in the post and took two dribbles only to be stripped by Boris Diaw. O'Neal finished with five points in 21 minutes while Fesenko was scoreless with three fouls and two turnovers in 12.
Juggins 
