Playing in the National Basketball Association is a dream come true for most college basketball players, but harsh reality can set in quickly for some rookies.

Marcus Fizer, former ISU Cyclone and all-American, hopes to turn his fortunes around after a slow start to his rookie season.

The fourth pick in the draft is adjusting to losing with the Chicago Bulls after an amazing final season at Iowa State that saw the team go 32-5 and finish one game shy of the Final Four. The Bulls are 2-16 through Thursday.

“It’s hard. Losing is hard for anybody,” Fizer said.

He went on to explain that it was something that he had to deal with early in his career at Iowa State.

“[Losing] was a part of my career my freshman year in college. As Coach [Larry] Eustachy came and things began to turn around, we won 15 games and we lost 15 games my sophomore year. My junior year, as you know, we had a tremendous season and I got accustomed to winning.”

Much like the team’s record, Fizer’s stats are far from a mirror-image of how he played for the Cyclones.

At Iowa State, Fizer had a career shooting percentage of 51. In 16 games playing as a Bull, Fizer is shooting 35 percent from the floor.

Fizer has a good teacher, however, in Elton Brand. Brand was the co-rookie of the year last season and is trying to teach Fizer what a good shot is and what it isn’t.

“Elton said that was his biggest struggle last year, trying to find a good shot,” Fizer said. “[Brand] played all 82 games last season and he’s got it down to a T what’s a good shot and what’s not. He’s showing me more now, what is a good shot and what’s not, and when is the best time to take it.”

Fizer’s scoring average has also taken a dip. Last season in Ames, Fizer dropped in 22.8 points per game and his career average as a Cyclone was 18.9, which was fifth on the all-time ISU charts.

In Chicago, Fizer has yet to find his scoring groove averaging 7.2 points per contest.

But fellow forward Brand sees great potential in Fizer.

“Marcus is a solid player. He plays inside and outside,” said Brand. “He hasn’t got the minutes, if he steps it up with my injury, I think he’ll get the minutes. He’s shown that he can score and play D in this league.”

Brand injured his knee and will be back in the Bulls’ line-up soon, but for the time being Fizer will be the Bulls’ starting power forward.

Brand looks forward to getting back in action. He feels that with Fizer and himself on the court, the two can pose problems for opposing defenses.

“I think we offer some mis-matches,” Brand explained. “If a big guy is on him, he’ll go around `em. If a big guy is on me I’ll go around him. If a little guy is on him, he’ll take him to the post and vice-versa.”

NBA all-star Kevin Garnett also sees a bright future for Fizer.

“He’s a very mobile guy for being big,” Garnett said. “I don’t think a lot of people know how mobile he is. I haven’t hung around him much, but for the most part him and Elton Brand make a nice duo.”

Fizer has struggled with a sore shoulder and bone chips in his ankles. Despite the injuries and the problems, Fizer has no regrets about his decision to leave Iowa State after his junior year.

“It’s something I needed to do,” Fizer said, “family wise and personally wise. The guys that are playing at Iowa State now, I wish them the best. I can only hope with me gone they can play harder and have the opportunity to get to this level.”

He is taking a fearless attitude toward guarding the superstars at his position, saying he would “guard Shaq” if that is what the team needed him to do to win.

“I fear no man but God,” Fizer explained.

For Cyclone fans following Fizer in the pros, the frame is still the same, but the look is different.

Fizer dons a headband [black, white or red, depending on the color of the Bulls jersey] and he pulls his socks up over his massive calves nearly to his shorts.

He insists it’s not for a fashion statement, just something he couldn’t do at Iowa State.

“We always had a thing at Iowa State,” Fizer explained, “Coach Eustachy believed if the whole team wasn’t gonna do it, then nobody was gonna do it.”

Fizer pointed out that all the socks at Iowa State could be pulled up, but what makes for high socks for a guard isn’t the same for the 6-9, 260-pounder.

“We actually had high socks at Iowa State,” Fizer said, “but they were high enough to come up on everybody else, but weren’t high enough to come up on me.”

Fashion isn’t what Fizer is worried about in his rookie year. He wants to be part of a core that can make the Bulls a better team.

With seven rookies and a handful of one and two-year players, the Bulls’ future looks promising.

“This is the future of the Chicago Bulls,” Fizer said. “Our average age is 23, and in a year or two when other [teams] are running out of gas we are gonna have our chemistry down. It’ll be time for people to stop saying `the Bulls this, the Bulls that.'”

Garnett referred to chemistry being an important part of a successful team.

“There aren’t bad players, there are bad teams,” Garnett said. He explained that when teams don’t have much time together, they are going to struggle.

Despite the struggle, Fizer’s season began bright. In his first regular season game, Fizer gave fans a glimpse of the future.

With time running down in the second quarter, Fizer dribbled the ball to mid-court. With a swarm of Sacramento Kings around him, Fizer elevated above them and hoisted a half-court shot that found nothing but the bottom of the net.

Fizer finished the game with his season-high 16 points.

“I just got focused on the rim and released it,” Fizer said. “When I released it, I knew it was going in.”

Fizer may be struggling in his first year, but combine his attitude, power and skills and throw in the comparisons of Karl Malone and Charles Barkley he has drawn and the Bulls have the recipe for a superstar.

After all, everyone said it was a mistake to draft Brand with the first pick. Fizer is next in line to prove the critics wrong.

“My minutes are starting to increase because I’m getting better and better and I know what I have to do now.”