McKie Still a Favorite With Philadelphia Fans

Aaron McKie, a forgotten man in the Laker rotation, was remembered warmly Friday by Philadelphia fans and, surprisingly, Philadelphia’s oft-critical media, but he didn’t get much attention from the Lakers, as has been the case.

A respected role player in his eight seasons with the 76ers, McKie returned to a standing ovation at Wachovia Center, an hour after dissecting what has happened in his quiet first season with the Lakers.

He has tried to pick up the nuances of the triangle offense and found it challenging, “like trying to learn French in a week,” he said.

Life in Los Angeles has not always been tres magnifique.

“It never even registered to me how good I had it [here] until I was out there, not being able to be around my family, friends,” McKie told a crowd of reporters mainly from Philadelphia.

McKie, 33, averaged a career-low 2.2 points last season for the 76ers and was waived as part of the amnesty provision in the new collective bargaining agreement.

Never much of a scorer -- his career-high was 12.2 points a game in 2001-02 -- he has not been compiling any numbers of note with the Lakers. He has averaged 0.4 of a point and 5.6 minutes with the Lakers and did not score in seven minutes against the 76ers.

Coach Phil Jackson, trying to put a positive spin on McKie’s lack of minutes, suggested better things to come.

“I’m trying to look at him being a long-term player, someone that we’re going to start using in the prospects of finishing games with us and be a critical-minute guy,” Jackson said. “It’s a long season. It’s a long, long year. We’re just touching the beginning of the iceberg.”

Said McKie: “I’m taking the approach that I’ve always taken, just staying prepared, just staying ready so when I do get the call, I’m ready to go out there and help my team try to win the game. It will work out.”

*

Laker forward Slava Medvedenko was put on the inactive list and is day-to-day after suffering back spasms.... Jackson, on how the job has been treating him: “It’s an enjoyable one. It’s one without a whole lot of pressure on me because the boss’ daughter told me that if things don’t work right, I can take a day off.”