He has returned to the scene of the shine.

	Last year Mullin was a Pacer and went to the Finals, but now he's more into teaching.

Four all-star appearances and another selection lost to injury, playing with the original Dream Team (in addition to the Olympic appearance that came during college), sneaking past defenders like a changeup to get to the basket, Run TMC, splashing the nets from the perimeter, the latter if only because someone had to hold off mad bomber Manute Bol for 3-point supremacy on the team.

Chris Mullin is back in Oakland. That this has been one of the bright spots for the Golden State Warriors says a lot about how their season is going, but even more about him.

More than what the Warriors were yesterday, he is what they should be tomorrow.

More than a mentor for young players on how to come off a screen, he is a tutor on how a professional should come off at all times.

More than a public relations move for a franchise in need, he is the proper response to the other demand of the masses. The handful of Warriors who played some Bay Area pickup games with Mullin in September and, so impressed, went to GM Garry St. Jean and urged him to sign the free agent. Saint, a friend and long-time admirer, an assistant coach during Mullie I, didn't need a petition drive to convince him.

Rarely has a team done so right in looking to the future by looking to the past. Mullin can teach the young Warriors about dedication, because few epitomized it to the degree he did in the days of his legendary workout schedules, all the way to where he now acknowledges having overdone it because of the wear and tear on his body. Beyond that, he already has a standing offer to join the front office upon retirement to work with player development and evaluation.

"It can be talking on the court," St. Jean said. "It can be on the bus. His favorite place, of course, is on the court. But there is the instant respect."

It sure sounded right to have Mullin, who worked with Austin Croshere, Jonathan Bender and Al Harrington as a Pacer, doing it on an official basis.

It looks even better right now. Mullin back with the Warriors, with the same familiar uniform No. 17 to honor boyhood hero John Havlicek, a home all of three blocks away from where the family lived the last time, same crew cut, same level of popularity few in the Bay Area can eclipse.

"Like a Rice, a Montana, a McGwire," St. Jean said. "That's the relationship between the athlete and fans that is so special."

This one is different. People there saw alcohol take him down early in the career, then planted behind as the recovery became a long-term success, one day at a time. He was an inspiration. Meanwhile, he was also a star.

The split came Aug. 12, 1997, when he was traded to Indiana so the Warriors could advance the youth movement and acquire Erick Dampier. By the time Mullin returned Sept. 28, 2000, with the one-year free-agent deal, he found the roster had been completely purged. No one had survived. Ownership had changed. The image had changed, from the high-scoring fun bunch with Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond and Mullin, and Nellie throwing out crazy matchups in the playoffs as if it was some sort of summer league test run, to the Dark Ages. Latrell Sprewell-P.J. Carlesimo, Chris Webber-Don Nelson, consecutive seasons at a combined 49-115 (.299).

"I'm in the period of my life where it's a transition period and I'm trying to do that as gracefully as possible and enjoy it while I'm doing it," Mullin said. "A lot of that is easier said than done. I know when friends of mine -- basketball players, other athletes -- get to that point and you always feel like, 'That's perfect. That's the greatest thing in the world.' But on the other hand, it is coming to an end."

The career is.

He considered retirement last summer, after three seasons with the Pacers, decided he had another run left, and now will go through the process again in a few more months. He said he has not made up his mind, but the finish line is in sight one way or another. What a fitting end it would be to leave the way he came in, as a Warrior.

"The thing that pushed me [to come back] was knowing the area and seeing this young group of guys," Mullin said. "I had gone through that with Indiana a little bit -- wasn't playing much, but somehow made that transition and made it worthwhile by working with them and going hard in practice and just staying ready. I kind of saw a similar situation here, even more so because the guys we had [in Indiana] didn't have to play in game time and there weren't as many. Here, these guys were pretty much all young and they were all going to play, so they were going to be relied on.

"Being with Indiana, you get used to winning and dealing with a whole different type of player. We had some great pros on that team, and you kind of get used to that and you forget until you leave what you had. But that's part of everything when you step into a new situation. Like I said, I came here to play and help these young guys, but a lot of them are not even here. Uncontrollable. You leave it alone."

Chris Porter has been out because of injury. Larry Hughes was out and just returned. Chris Mills is out. And that's just among the small forwards and shooting guards. Proving he could still fit right in, Mullin battled injury himself.

Someone forgot to tell him there wouldn't be any healthy bodies to mentor, but that only slightly reduces the impact. Even players in casts can learn from his practice routine. One way or another, the Warriors will be better for having him around. Just like before.

Scott Howard-Cooper covers the NBA for the Sacramento Bee and is a new regular contributor to ESPN.com.