Rudy's Rousing Arrival

[tlongII]

http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2008/09/rudys_rousing_arrival.html

http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2008/09/large_sp.Rudy.8337.jpg

Trail Blazers fans gave newcomer Rudy Fernandez a rousing welcome to Portland on Monday when more than 100 people armed with signs, banners and chants showed up at Portland International Airport to greet the Spanish star.

Amid chants of "Rudy! Rudy! Rudy!", Fernandez walked through a gauntlet of fans clad in Blazers attire, stopping to sign autographs, take pictures, and slap high fives. He signed one banner from a teenager that read "Rudy - I skipped school to be here".

Fernandez, who arrived on the flight from Amsterdam with his mother, appeared stunned at the reception.

"Rudy walked through that and he was like 'Oh my gosh!' ... He knows that in English,'' Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard said.

Fernandez, a first-round pick two years ago, arrived for the first time in Portland, where he is expected to be a key component on the up-and-coming Blazers. A 6-foot-6 shooting guard, Fernandez starred for the Spanish Olympic team and was widely regarded as the top European player last year while playing in Spain.

Pritchard was moved by the display of support by Blazers fans, which seemed to mirror the enthusiasm he had after acquiring Fernandez more than a year ago in a trade with Phoenix on draft night.

"This town is energized - it is so energized,'' Pritchard said. "You see the enthusiasm by everybody and it makes you tingle a little bit. I have never seen anything like this ... I mean, I don't know how many people were here - what was it 150, 250? - but it wasn't so much the quantity, it was the quality.''

http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2008/09/sp.Rudy.8317.jpg

Fernandez gave a brief interview, but to be honest, I couldn't hear much of what he said because the fans were so loud. This is the only snippet I could gather from my tape recorder:

"I want to play in the NBA, and the opportunity to play in Portland - a young team with very good players ... maybe I help the team to the playoffs,'' Fernandez said.

The day was especially emotional for Pritchard, who over the past five years has scouted, traded and waited for Fernandez to step foot in Portland.

"It's been a long ride, and it's been a journey,'' Pritchard said. "I feel like I'm on this ride with this team, and I think there is something special coming, and Rudy is going to be a big part of it. For me, I'm getting excited saying Portland is his home. And it couldn't be better that the town came out to welcome him. I can't imagine what it's going to be like down the line.''

We will have more on Rudy and his arrival after his 2:30 p.m. press conference at the Rose Garden.

[lefty]

If Oden is healthy, Blazers will be scary....

[tlongII]

Check this out. And check out what we're chanting. :lol

http://videos.oregonlive.com/oregonlive/2008/09/portland_welcomes_rudy_fernand.html

[lefty]

Blazer fans are starving:lol All that excitement should be gone a month into the season:king

Not if they are healthy.

I know it's a big "if", but if.....

watch out

[sook]

eh, no doubt you guys will be scary in 2 yrs, but comeon , you don't win championships with such a young team

[tlongII]

I don't even care that much if we don't win the championship this season. As long as we knock off the Lakers...

[Ginobilly]

I saw this guy play in the Olympic games and he reminds me of a young Manu Ginobili but with a better shot and more athletic. Hopefully his aggressive play is contagious to the rest of the blazers.

[ducks]

If Oden is healthy, Blazers will be scary....

why no one else on their team will be then

[Allanon]

The best thjing about Rudy is his contract, he's a win-win contract as he only gets paid $1 million. He's a steal and if he plays anything like the Olympics, the Blazers are going to wish they had locked him up longer than 2 years.

[timvp]

The best thjing about Rudy is his contract, he's a win-win contract as he only gets paid $1 million. He's a steal and if he plays anything like the Olympics, the Blazers are going to wish they had locked him up longer than 2 years.

He was a first round pick.

[angelbelow]

looking forward to seeing him play.

[Allanon]

He was a first round pick.

Ah, you're right about that. I forgot about the rookie scale and hurts teams with star Euro picks as they can get more money overseas. I can see how Rudy didn't want to lock himself in for more than 2 years at that rate.

[timvp]

Ah, you're right about that. I forgot about the rookie scale and hurts teams with star Euro picks as they can get more money overseas. I can see how Rudy didn't want to lock himself in for more than 2 years at that rate.

It's actually the standard four year contract with the third and fourth years being a team option.

[Allanon]

It's actually the standard four year contract with the third and fourth years being a team option.

Ah shit, right again I suppose. I thought the last 2 years were player option but I don't remember. This could turn out to be a great value for the Blazers.

It worked out great for the Blazers but screws some teams like the Spurs who couldn't pay Splitter cuz he was a first rounder. I wonder if this was also why the Blazers couldn't pick up Koponen (who I think would have been a great NBA guard).

I wonder if they're going to change this rookie scale as it doesn't work well with the Euro clubs now willing to pay big bucks.

[ShoogarBear]

Nice trade, Phoenix.

[m33p0]

i don't think it would be too much to say that Portland is excited.

[timvp]

The only time I see Spurs fans that excited is when they are getting their free coffee at Valero during the playoffs.

[JamStone]

Rudy appears to be a pretty exciting, young player. Hopefully, he can get solid minutes. The Blazer back court is kind of full. Minutes will be hard to come by. I like Rudy's game from what I've seen. I know there have been Ginobili comparisons, and I think he has the potential to be better than Manu. I know it's way too early and that's blasphemy on a Spurs board, but I sincerely see it. And, Manu is one of my favorite players. I'm not trying to say anything negative about him. That's how good I think Rudy can be.

[xtremesteven33]

The only time I see Spurs fans that excited is when they are getting their free coffee at Valero during the playoffs.


sad but true



Rudy appears to be a pretty exciting, young player. Hopefully, he can get solid minutes. The Blazer back court is kind of full. Minutes will be hard to come by. I like Rudy's game from what I've seen. I know there have been Ginobili comparisons, and I think he has the potential to be better than Manu. I know it's way too early and that's blasphemy on a Spurs board, but I sincerely see it. And, Manu is one of my favorite players. I'm not trying to say anything negative about him. That's how good I think Rudy can be.


thats a really REALLY radical statement. Manu Ginobili is a one of a kind player who on any other team would be the #1 guy. Rudy Fernandez is a great talent no doubt, but i do question his decision making and maturity.

even if he had those qualities, i dont think well ever see anyone surpass what Manu Ginobili has accomplished in his career.

[JamStone]

Individually, it won't be hard to surpass what Manu has done in his "NBA" career. It's the international and Olympic success that will be hard to surpass, and if the United States continues to get most of their best players on the Olympic teams, it might be a while before an international player leads his national team to an Olympic gold medal.

I'm talking about as an NBA player, Rudy has the tools to become a better player. We don't necessarily know about his toughness and will to win, and that's what separates a player like Manu who will do anything and everything to help his team win. It will be years and him playing in pressure playoff moments to see what kind of player he is i nthose situations. But, when it comes to individual skill and talent, Rudy has the tools to be better. He's more athletic than Manu, and at his age, he's already got a comparable if not better jump shot. And, he does play with a fierceness and swagger. No one knows for sure how he'll turn out until time reveals, but that's why it's a forecast, a prediction. I think he "could" be better than Manu.

[m33p0]

The only time I see Spurs fans that excited is when they are getting their free coffee at Valero during the playoffs.
spoiled brats!

[ShoogarBear]

even if he had those qualities, i dont think well ever see anyone surpass what Manu Ginobili has accomplished in his career.

Give me a break.

[Trainwreck2100]

The only time I see Spurs fans that excited is when they are getting their free coffee at Valero during the playoffs.


Have you been to the airport? It sucks

[Purple & Gold]

:lol :lol @ the suns. Looks like the Portland/Lakers rivalry will be reborn. This new one will be nice.

[tlongII]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/basketball/nba/09/22/blazers.fernandez.ap/index.html

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- More than 100 fans welcomed Spanish guard Rudy Fernandez to the Portland Trail Blazers upon his arrival to the city with chants of "Rudy! Rudy! Rudy!"

"It was a good surprise," Fernandez said. "When I arrived, I say, 'OK, let's go practice now. Let's go."'

The 6-foot-6 Olympian arrived at Portland International Airport on Monday and was whisked to the Rose Garden, where the Blazers held a news conference to introduce him.

"He's a team player. He's a great kid," general manager Kevin Pritchard said. "I think he'll raise the level of competition for everyone."

Fernandez played for Spain in Beijing, scoring 22 points in the gold medal game against the United States. The U.S. team won, 118-107.

Portland coach Nate McMillan was an assistant coach for the U.S. team. He and some of the other coaches went to watch Spain during the competition, with Kobe Bryant tagging along.

McMillan recounted how Bryant said to him: "He's your kid, huh? He's pretty good."

Pritchard said the team would give Fernandez time to acclimate to Portland and find a place to live. The Blazers would work on getting him a tutor to help him with his English.

The Trail Blazers open training camp Sept. 30 at the team's practice facility in Tualatin, Ore. The team opens preseason play against Sacramento on Oct. 7 at the Rose Garden Arena.

McMillan said the team would also give Fernandez time to catch up on the NBA style of play.

"But once he does, he's going to be a special player," McMillan said.

Fernandez has played the past seven seasons for DKV Joventut Badalona of the Spanish ACB League. Last season he averaged 21.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.2 steals for the team, which won both the ULEB Cup and the Copa del Rey.

Portland acquired Fernandez in a trade with Phoenix during the 2007 NBA draft.

"My dream is to play against the best players in the world and Portland gave me that opportunity," he said.

Fernandez is good friends with Blazers guard Sergio Rodriguez, who is also from Spain.

[Reggie Miller]

Even if he had those qualities, i dont think well ever see anyone surpass what Manu Ginobili has accomplished in his career.

You could argue that Toni Kukoc surpassed him long before Manu came into the NBA.

If Yugoslavia had remained one nation, they would have won at least one gold medal in Olympic basketball by now.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toni_Kuko%C4%8D

[SenorSpur]

The "rich-in-talent" only get richer.

[bdictjames]

Rudy talks just exactly like Manu. :lol

[Darthkiller]

Rudy talks just exactly like Manu. :lol

he plays like him too

[bdictjames]

he plays like him too
is Fernandez pure Spaniard? or does he have Italian blood on him too?

[ShoogarBear]

Is Fernandez Hispanic?

[lefty]

Is Fernandez even a Rudy?

[Ginobilly]

Is Fernandez Hispanic?

Yes he is. He would be classified as a White Hispanic. "Hispanic" here in the US implies to your culture and you can be of any Race. White, Black, Native American, Mixture of all 3 or a combination of any both and various degrees.

[Reggie Miller]

Is Fernandez even a Rudy?

I won't be a believer unless Fernandez later plays a hobbit in a Peter Jackson movie.

[lefty]

I won't be a believer unless Fernandez later plays a hobbit in a Peter Jackson movie.

:lol