Przybilla interested in coming 'home'

Joel Przybilla started his NBA career in Milwaukee and wouldn't mind ending it there as well.

Przybilla, who played his first three-plus seasons with the Bucks, finished last season with the Charlotte Bobcats. Now an unrestricted free agent, Przybilla can sign with the team of his choice.

Przybilla said the Bucks, who could certainly use another veteran center to complement Andrew Bogut, rank highly on his wish list.

"Milwaukee will be one of my top teams, definitely,'' Przybilla said in a telephone interview. "For me, Milwaukee is home. For me, the biggest thing in my life is my family and I think this where we'll probably spend the rest of our lives.''

While Przybilla is receptive to signing with the Bucks, the extent of the Bucks' interest in the 7-foot-1 center isn't known.

Because of the lockout, NBA teams are prohibited from making any direct or indirect contact with players.

Przybilla, who has established himself as one of the NBA's premier defensive centers - he is an outstanding shot-blocker and help defender - realizes NBA teams are probably concerned about his health.

Przybilla has twice undergone surgery for a ruptured patella tendon and had some minor, clean-up surgery in April.

Przybilla's knee issues limited him to only 36 games last season with Charlotte and Portland. But the 31-year-old Przybilla said his knee is substantially better now.

"Last season it was probably about 50 percent,'' Przybilla said. "I never said anything about that or complained about it. I just went out and played.

"I would say it's 90 percent now. If I didn't think my knee was fine, I wouldn't give this another chance.''

Przybilla was so disenchanted about the chronic soreness in his knee and how it adversely affected his play last season that he contemplated retiring.

"Oh, yeah, there were times when I thought I was going to do that,'' said Przybilla, who was selected by Houston as the ninth overall pick the 2000 NBA draft before being dealt to the Bucks for their first-round pick (Jason Collier) and future first-round pick. "I wasn't playing much and, when I was playing, I wasn't playing well.

"It was really frustrating going out there and not being able to play to my capabilities.''