Lofton's advice: work hard

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Chris Lofton

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Former Tennessee men’s basketball star Chris Lofton spent two hours in Rupp Arena fidgeting nervously Saturday.

“All I can say is it felt way different,’’ said Lofton, who will return to his pro team in Mersin, Turkey, after spending the past five days at his home in Kentucky. “You know how I hate losing.’’

His first question of the day to reporters from Knoxville was, “Why did they fire Phillip Fulmer?’’

His second question, after the game, was, “What’s wrong with us?’’

The Vols lost to Kentucky, 77-58, to fall to 16-10, 7-5 in the SEC.

Lofton, the SEC’s all-time leading 3-point shooter, was asked what advice he would give to this Tennessee basketball team.

“I’d just say everyone goes through tough times, and it’s just a part of life,’’ Lofton said. “I just feel like the more you practice your shooting, the more it pays off.

“My motto is, hard work pays off.’’

It’s paying off for Lofton in Turkey where he’s averaging a team-high 19.8 points per game and shooting 47 percent beyond the 3-point arc and 84.8 percent from the free-throw line.

Lofton said he’ll return to the U.S. in two months.

“We’ll see what happens then with basketball,’’ Lofton said. “I’m just taking it a year at a time, but I’ve got my team to focus on right now.’’

Lofton is coming off 47- and 25-point performances despite a dislocated left index finger that was injured so bad that the skin split open and he needed stitches, putting him out three games.

Lofton said his city’s Muslim population makes it an unusual environment.

“Every day, you hear the music, three times a day,’’ Lofton said. “I think it means it’s time for them to start praying.

“And the drivers — they drive crazy over there.’’

But Lofton said he’s happy to be doing what he loves most.

“I can’t complain. Basketball is what I do . . . and I’ve got satellite TV, and the NBA channel,’’ Lofton said. “When they (UT) play at night, I’m up the next morning watching the highlights on the Internet.’’

Lofton said he was pleased with the Vols’ “Outlive’’ campaign, which generated money and awareness for cancer screening.

“That was special,’’ Lofton said. “At first, when everyone found out I had cancer, I just wanted to put it behind me and not talk about it.

“But I’ve realized that my story can help people, and that’s more important.’’

© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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