tlongII
08-10-2008, 11:49 AM
http://www.oregonlive.com/olympics/index.ssf/2008/08/canzano_finding_faith_in_ferna.html
BEIJING -- For his next trick, Rudy Fernandez will turn Gatorade into wine. And after that, he'll part the Red Sea. Then, no doubt, some lady in Gresham will call the local television news to report that the Spaniard's blessed likeness showed up in a grilled cheese sandwich.
What I'm trying to tell you is that the Blazers have something special in Fernandez.
Eric Gay/Associated Press
Spain's Rudy Fernandez (right) tries to score around Greece defender Ioannis Bourousis during the first quarter of their men's preliminary basketball game Sunday at the Beijing Olympics.If you're like me all you knew of Fernandez before Sunday was hype, legend, rumor and some grainy youtube.com footage. Maybe, too, you knew he's 6-foot-5, 185 pounds and 23 years old. And that the Trail Blazers traded for him in the 2007 NBA draft, and that he'll play in Portland next season.
Now, though, we have proof of something more promising.
On Sunday, Fernandez scored 16 points and led Spain to an 81-66 whipping of a strong Greece team. He showed special offensive creativity, and exceptional shooting range, and good leadership, and if the guy ever learns to play defense, what the Blazers will have is the perfect complement to All-Star Brandon Roy.
Before the game started, Fernandez called for the basketball and assembled his teammates in the layup line. Then, he dribbled under the basket, darted through the key, elevated and slammed the ball through the hoop with a reverse, two-handed dunk that caused thousands of Chinese witnesses inside the Beijing Olympic Basketball Gymnasium to shriek with delight.
We suspected Fernandez was no foot-shuffling rube. After all, every time they hold a European tournament lately he seems to walk off with the most valuable player hardware. But before Sunday, we had to be careful.
Hey, we got all jazzed up over Sebastian Telfair once and look how that turned out.
So yeah, it was a relief to see Fernandez consistently beat his defender off the dribble with a great first step. And it was delightful to learn that he's a far, far, far more explosive leaper than you expect him to be. And it was wonderful to see how active he is during games, and how diverse and delightful his offensive game is, and to see how hard he plays, and how sharp his basketball instincts are.
Again, if Fernandez can learn to play defense -- look out.
He can get to the basket. He can shoot. On one possession, Fernandez exploded past his man, drove toward the basket, jumped, and in the same motion switched the ball from his right hand to his left for a layup.
More remarkable was that he did all of the above after encountering a second defender helping on the play. Fernandez dipped his right shoulder into the helping Greek, used his own body as a shield and drew a foul while getting off a clean shot.
Teammate Pau Gasol, watching on the bench, stamped his feet in excitement.
Much of the media who showed up early to watch Spain-Greece did so because these two teams were supposed to be medal contenders. Or because Spain, the 2006 World Champion, is possibly the only team in China that can beat Team USA. And a lot came hours before Team USA tipped off against China because 17-year-old Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio has already been called a lock for a lottery pick when he comes of age, and they wanted to see for themselves.
But what they saw was Fernandez on a pretty good night.
At the end of the game, in the hallway outside Spain's locker room, the NBA writer for a national publication nudged me as Fernandez went past and said, "Well, you gonna anoint him already?"
Of course, someone get me some perfumed oil, or milk, or water, or maybe a vat of melted butter because I'm certain that Fernandez and the NBA game were made for each other.
Consider him anointed.
He doesn't need to gain much more weight, as some think. He doesn't need to get a lot stronger, as some claim. He's quick, and wiry, and playing with the kind of rare flair that makes him a walking mismatch in a league that is all about creating them.
Now the one big hang-up: Defense.
Greece was in this game early because it exploited Fernandez on defense. It beat him off the dribble because he gambles when he shouldn't. It caught him out of position on team defense because he drifts. There's nothing about weight or strength here, just discipline. And mental acuity. And a willingness to be coached.
If you were counting (and I was) you could make an argument that 10 of Greece's first 13 points were scored by players guarded by Fernandez. And Portland coach Nate McMillan isn't going to stand for a trend like that.
Rudy, you listening?
Hope so. Because Fernandez has an opportunity to give the Blazers a different gear. And if Greg Oden develops healthy, and Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge grow, look out. We're talking Big Four, not three, and after seeing Fernandez up close, I'm a believer.
You may now rub melted butter all over this column and make it official.
BEIJING -- For his next trick, Rudy Fernandez will turn Gatorade into wine. And after that, he'll part the Red Sea. Then, no doubt, some lady in Gresham will call the local television news to report that the Spaniard's blessed likeness showed up in a grilled cheese sandwich.
What I'm trying to tell you is that the Blazers have something special in Fernandez.
Eric Gay/Associated Press
Spain's Rudy Fernandez (right) tries to score around Greece defender Ioannis Bourousis during the first quarter of their men's preliminary basketball game Sunday at the Beijing Olympics.If you're like me all you knew of Fernandez before Sunday was hype, legend, rumor and some grainy youtube.com footage. Maybe, too, you knew he's 6-foot-5, 185 pounds and 23 years old. And that the Trail Blazers traded for him in the 2007 NBA draft, and that he'll play in Portland next season.
Now, though, we have proof of something more promising.
On Sunday, Fernandez scored 16 points and led Spain to an 81-66 whipping of a strong Greece team. He showed special offensive creativity, and exceptional shooting range, and good leadership, and if the guy ever learns to play defense, what the Blazers will have is the perfect complement to All-Star Brandon Roy.
Before the game started, Fernandez called for the basketball and assembled his teammates in the layup line. Then, he dribbled under the basket, darted through the key, elevated and slammed the ball through the hoop with a reverse, two-handed dunk that caused thousands of Chinese witnesses inside the Beijing Olympic Basketball Gymnasium to shriek with delight.
We suspected Fernandez was no foot-shuffling rube. After all, every time they hold a European tournament lately he seems to walk off with the most valuable player hardware. But before Sunday, we had to be careful.
Hey, we got all jazzed up over Sebastian Telfair once and look how that turned out.
So yeah, it was a relief to see Fernandez consistently beat his defender off the dribble with a great first step. And it was delightful to learn that he's a far, far, far more explosive leaper than you expect him to be. And it was wonderful to see how active he is during games, and how diverse and delightful his offensive game is, and to see how hard he plays, and how sharp his basketball instincts are.
Again, if Fernandez can learn to play defense -- look out.
He can get to the basket. He can shoot. On one possession, Fernandez exploded past his man, drove toward the basket, jumped, and in the same motion switched the ball from his right hand to his left for a layup.
More remarkable was that he did all of the above after encountering a second defender helping on the play. Fernandez dipped his right shoulder into the helping Greek, used his own body as a shield and drew a foul while getting off a clean shot.
Teammate Pau Gasol, watching on the bench, stamped his feet in excitement.
Much of the media who showed up early to watch Spain-Greece did so because these two teams were supposed to be medal contenders. Or because Spain, the 2006 World Champion, is possibly the only team in China that can beat Team USA. And a lot came hours before Team USA tipped off against China because 17-year-old Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio has already been called a lock for a lottery pick when he comes of age, and they wanted to see for themselves.
But what they saw was Fernandez on a pretty good night.
At the end of the game, in the hallway outside Spain's locker room, the NBA writer for a national publication nudged me as Fernandez went past and said, "Well, you gonna anoint him already?"
Of course, someone get me some perfumed oil, or milk, or water, or maybe a vat of melted butter because I'm certain that Fernandez and the NBA game were made for each other.
Consider him anointed.
He doesn't need to gain much more weight, as some think. He doesn't need to get a lot stronger, as some claim. He's quick, and wiry, and playing with the kind of rare flair that makes him a walking mismatch in a league that is all about creating them.
Now the one big hang-up: Defense.
Greece was in this game early because it exploited Fernandez on defense. It beat him off the dribble because he gambles when he shouldn't. It caught him out of position on team defense because he drifts. There's nothing about weight or strength here, just discipline. And mental acuity. And a willingness to be coached.
If you were counting (and I was) you could make an argument that 10 of Greece's first 13 points were scored by players guarded by Fernandez. And Portland coach Nate McMillan isn't going to stand for a trend like that.
Rudy, you listening?
Hope so. Because Fernandez has an opportunity to give the Blazers a different gear. And if Greg Oden develops healthy, and Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge grow, look out. We're talking Big Four, not three, and after seeing Fernandez up close, I'm a believer.
You may now rub melted butter all over this column and make it official.