Sunday, January 23 Maturing Magloire making most of return to Kentucky By Pat Forde Special to ESPN.com

"I'm a model citizen."

-- Jamaal Magloire, Jan. 8, 2000

That Magloire. What a kidder. He's too much!

The Kentucky center portraying himself as a model citizen -- with a straight face, no less -- is a bit like a hockey goon nominating himself for the Lady Byng Trophy.

The 6-foot-11 Canadian is like the kindergartner who can't keep his hands to himself. Only with Magloire, it's his elbows. With a little more polish -- and a lot less outside shooting -- he could be the NBA's next Bill Laimbeer.

But a funny thing has happened to this goon on the way to the penalty box. He has at long last developed a game to go with his sullied name.

After 3½ years of technical fouls, intentional fouls, shoves, tackles, suspensions and plenty of 'bows, Magloire has shown he now can do more than deck an opposing mascot. (That was Miami of Ohio's RedHawk in last year's NCAA Tournament, sent flying as Magloire jogged off the court at halftime.)

He can also play basketball. Capped by his 19-point, 14-rebound effort against Mississippi on Wednesday, Magloire has been on a forceful 10-game tear.

Kentucky's career leading shot-blocker has been more interested in scoring points than flooring opponents lately. He's suddenly playing like the NBA prospect he thought he was last year.

He's averaged 15 points and 9.1 rebounds in that 10-game stretch, which has included six double-doubles. He's showcasing a smoother offensive game and smarter shot selection than at any previous time. Not coincidentally, Kentucky's record since Magloire's awakening has been 8-2 after a 4-3 start.

The Ole Miss game was a particular revelation. His foul shooting has improved so much (78.6 percent the last 10 games) that coach Tubby Smith actually sent him to the line to shoot two technical free throws early against the Rebels. Never mind that he missed both.

"I think everybody's beginning to respect me as a free throw shooter," Magloire said. "That's exciting to me, because I really work at that."

Not only did Magloire generate another productive box score against Ole Miss, he actually played the role of pacifist in a push-and-shove game featuring four technical fouls.

"My style of play hasn't changed," he said. "I've got to play hard and help this team win. I can't get mad at somebody for hitting me. It's just going to hurt the team."

Envision: Joey Kocur as Wayne Gretzky, refusing to drop the gloves, skating away from conflict.

Of course, Magloire still managed to get one of those four technicals. But his eighth career technical was for using the basket as a prop to boost himself and block a shot, not for squaring off with an opponent.

In fact, when Mississippi center Rahim Lockhart slung Magloire to the ground, he responded by walking away and letting Lockhart take the "T."

"That's a sign of maturity," said Smith, who at times has enabled Magloire's thuggery by suggesting that his center was being wronged by the refs. "Sometimes people grow up."

Sometimes they also take a dive. Freshman guard Keith Bogans said Magloire feigned his way into that technical on Lockhart.

"Jamaal's an actor," Bogans said. "That's what he's always telling us: 'You have to have an act.' "

Magloire's act was certainly wearing thin in Lexington prior to this season. He appeared to be majoring in arrested development, showing little improvement on the floor and little maturity anywhere. The only thing he led the Wildcats in was second chances, as Smith patiently stood by his problem child.

He was suspended for a game in the 1998 SEC Tournament for undisclosed disciplinary reasons. He was suspended two games to start the 1998-99 season after an offseason incident in which he was in a car with two men arrested for possession of heroin and marijuana (Magloire was not in possession of any drugs and was not charged). He was suspended another game last year, reportedly for missing curfew.

So when Magloire announced last spring that he was entering the NBA draft, reaction was mixed. With 6-10 Michael Bradley having unexpectedly transferred to Villanova, Kentucky desperately needed his size -- but did it want another year of XXL headaches to go with it?

After flopping in his predraft showings, Magloire made the wise decision to return to school. But his ungainly and ineffective play early had fans clamoring for more of freshman Marvin Stone and less Magloire.

Once again, Smith stood by his big man. And once again, the patient coach's steady hand has been rewarded. Magloire is now a legitimate pro prospect -- and, as he'll tell you with a straight face, as a model citizen.

"When Jamaal brings his best game," Bogans said, "he's one of the best big men in the country."

The good news for the 'Cats is that Jamaal Magloire is bringing his best game more often than ever.

Pat Forde of the Louisville Courier-Journal is a regular contributor to ESPN.com.