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Puff piece in the Plain Dealer but one that has some funny moments about Lorenzen Wright packing 3 bags and 14 pairs of sunglasses eek on the road for a 6-day trip. Not counting his Cavs uniform and practice gear.
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What Cavs player Lorenzen Wright packs for a West Coast trip, in three suitcases:
Five dress suits and one casual suit; seven belts; six dress shirts and six pairs of cuff links; five ties; five pairs of jeans; three long-sleeve T-shirts; four casual T-shirts; one vest; two sweat suits; nine pairs of shoes; 14 pairs of sunglasses in a case; underwear, undershirts, socks; one dop kit with toiletries. In a Louis Vuitton backpack: computer; cell phones; DVD player and movies; jewelry; iPod; headphones; Bible.
What Plain Dealer Cavs beat reporter Brian Windhorst packs for West Coast trip, in one suitcase:
Five pairs of underwear; four undershirts; four pairs socks; three long-sleeve shirts; three pairs of pants; one pair of jeans; two short-sleeve shirts; one dop kit with toiletries and medication; one swimsuit. In a Briggs & Riley backpack: computer with Internet air card and charger; cell phone and charger; iPod Touch and charger; three digital recorders and batteries; video camera and accessories; document holder and passport; Cavs media guide, CBA 101 (NBA collective-bargaining agreement pamphlet) and NBA Blue Book; local newspaper.
For NBA players, packing presents challenge
by Mary Schmitt Boyer/Plain Dealer Reporter
Monday March 09, 2009, 5:55 PM
CLEVELAND -- There are all sorts of challenges awaiting the Cavaliers on their three-game West Coast trip this week.
A cross-country flight. Three games in four nights in three cities in two time zones. One opponent (Phoenix) fighting for a playoff spot. Two (the Clippers and Sacramento) with nothing to lose. A victory against the Cavs would make their seasons. Another cross-country flight Saturday, with the New York Knicks waiting here Sunday.
In addition to all the basketball challenges, there's also one very practical challenge: How do you pack for a week on the road?
We asked two veteran travelers to share their secrets: Lorenzen Wright, one of the best-dressed players on the team, if not in the league, and Brian Windhorst, The Plain Dealer's beat writer. Keep in mind that there are a few key differences between the two, starting with lifestyle and salary. NBA players are like rock stars or movie stars, not the average Joes and Janes on business trips or vacations. A few pairs of Wright's Prada shoes probably cost as much as all the electronics in Windhorst's backpack.
Also, the NBA actually has a dress code for its players. The Professional Basketball Writers of America has no clothing guidelines for its members. If it's clean, it works -- and even that's not mandatory by the end of the week.
Finally, once Wright gets his luggage to the team plane, he likely won't touch it again until the end of the trip. Team personnel will deliver it to his hotel rooms and pick it up for the next flight as well. Windhorst will be schlepping his bags through airports all week.
That may be the biggest reason why Wright's wardrobe for the upcoming week is spread across two couches in his home in Westlake on Sunday afternoon. He admitted he usually packs at the last minute, but for this story he agreed to start ahead of time.
Each suit is on a wooden hanger, with the dress shirt underneath the jacket and a tie (or two) slipped around the neck of the hanger. With assistance from his brother, Louis, and friends Marcus Miller and Elger Fox, Wright pairs up belts and shoes with each outfit. He'll use some of the belts more than once, but each outfit gets its own pair of size 16 shoes. In fact, one suitcase is dedicated to shoes alone.
Because he never knows if he'll be playing or sitting on the bench, Wright said he likes to keep all his options open. If he is playing, he'll probably wear a vest with a dress shirt and nice jeans to the game. If he's not playing, he definitely wears a suit.
He also packs differently for a trip to the West Coast than for one to the East Coast.
"Totally different textured suits," he explained. "I take lighter ones to the West Coast. You don't want to burn up, especially once we start yelling and cheering on the bench. Plus, in L.A., I like to wear something flashier."
No doubt with matching sunglasses. He carries 14 pairs in a nice leather case.
He's also got more casual clothes for the afternoons or for the off day Wednesday.
Somehow, all his stuff manages to fit into three tightly crammed bags -- none of which contain uniforms or practice gear, which is packed by the team.
Glancing around the room, Wright admits: "This is a lot of stuff, isn't it? I never looked at it like this before."
Then he smiles.
"But you know what's funny?" he asks. "I'll wear it all, except for maybe one suit. Somehow by the time I get home, I never have anything left."
Lorenzen Wright's rules of the road
1. Find the nearest Cheesecake Factory or P.F. Chang's. You can never go wrong when you have those.Brian Windhorst's rules of the road
2. Never leave home without your phone.
3. Never be late for the bus.
1. Try to never check a bag. I will use a carry-on for this trip as I have each trip all season. Also, for some reason, most people's IQs drop by 50 points as soon as they step into an airport. Prepare for it.SOURCE
2. When dining on the road, always choose a familiar, basic meal instead of taking a risk and ending up with a meal that may have lasting negative effects.
3. Less is more. The more you pay for a hotel, the fewer amenities (continental breakfast, newspapers, etc.) are included.
What Cavs player Lorenzen Wright packs for a West Coast trip, in three suitcases:
Five dress suits and one casual suit; seven belts; six dress shirts and six pairs of cuff links; five ties; five pairs of jeans; three long-sleeve T-shirts; four casual T-shirts; one vest; two sweat suits; nine pairs of shoes; 14 pairs of sunglasses in a case; underwear, undershirts, socks; one dop kit with toiletries. In a Louis Vuitton backpack: computer; cell phones; DVD player and movies; jewelry; iPod; headphones; Bible.
What Plain Dealer Cavs beat reporter Brian Windhorst packs for West Coast trip, in one suitcase:
Five pairs of underwear; four undershirts; four pairs socks; three long-sleeve shirts; three pairs of pants; one pair of jeans; two short-sleeve shirts; one dop kit with toiletries and medication; one swimsuit. In a Briggs & Riley backpack: computer with Internet air card and charger; cell phone and charger; iPod Touch and charger; three digital recorders and batteries; video camera and accessories; document holder and passport; Cavs media guide, CBA 101 (NBA collective-bargaining agreement pamphlet) and NBA Blue Book; local newspaper.