duncan228
01-21-2009, 11:50 PM
Mason building for the future (http://www.statesman.com/news/content/sports/stories/other/01/22/0122bohls.html)
Spurs newcomer brings skills, maturity.
Kirk Bohls
SAN ANTONIO — Roger Mason Jr. carefully set his alarm the night before and re-checked it to make sure he didn't oversleep.
History doesn't provide second chances.
The newest San Antonio Spur wasn't about to forego witnessing the historic event that was Tuesday 's presidential inauguration.
But just to make sure, he Tivoed the ceremonies.
"I'll probably watch it a few times," Mason said solemnly after the Spurs' 99-81 romp over the Pacers on Tuesday night. "It means a lot to me, being from D.C. and growing up in a political town. Being an African American, it shows how open-minded we are and how far we've come as a country. That's what I got from Barack Obama."
He paused, then corrected himself, "President Barack Obama."
The words especially resonate with this articulate, globally aware 28-year-old guard for the Spurs who helped organize a fund-raiser for Obama and doesn't discount a political career of his own at some point. While Mason waxed eloquently about the inspiration behind Obama's election, rookie teammate George Hill carried on about the "nice Cadillac limousines" in the president's entourage.
For now, Mason may be the biggest free-agent bonanza in the league, especially if the Spurs win a fifth NBA title this June. San Antonio got so much more than a confident, three-point shooter with decent point guard abilities when it plucked him off the Washington Wizards roster last July after he'd ably filled in for the injured Gilbert Arenas.
Mason has hit three game-winning shots, one to beat the Lakers, another to sink the Suns on Christmas Day. He's even taken the precocious Hill under his wing.
Gregg Popovich readily concedes that Mason has exceeded the club's expectations even though he's with his fourth NBA team in five seasons. The offensively challenged Spurs have known Mason could shoot since he converted 44 percent of his three-point tries during his sophomore season at Virginia. Now he averages more than 12 points a game as a starter in what amounts to a three-guard setup with Tony Parker and Michael Finley. And Mason owns the league's third-best shooting percentage behind the arc at a 46.4 clip.
"That's the main reason we signed him," Pop said. "He comes in letting it fly."
Mason did the same in college, although he was known more as a slasher than a shooter. His limited portfolio at Virginia included a single post-season game in the NCAA tournament his sophomore year. He scored 30 points against 12th-seeded Gonzaga in a losing cause. "But," Mason pointed out, "I can say I averaged 30 points a game in the NCAA tournament."
San Antonio had no reservations about adding a reliable 6-foot-5-inch ball-handler who's an adept rebounder and versatile enough that he guarded everyone from Indiana's 6-3 Jarrett Jack to 6-10 Mike Dunleavy on Tuesday. Pop also has reveled in the savvy veteran's abilities to spell Parker at point guard.
"He picked up the system more quickly than I thought he would," Pop said. "His abilities to play backup point are better than I thought. He's just a really mature kid who's very intelligent. He's been a quick study."
The Spurs had long coveted this career 37 percent long-distance gunner and nearly grabbed him a year ago before he re-upped with his hometown Wizards. Last offseason, Popovich and Spurs general manager R.C. Buford targeted Corey Maggette, but when Golden State saw Baron Davis bolt to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers, it broke the bank to get Maggette .
That never fazed Mason, who took a trip to Miami on the first day of free agency and almost signed with the Heat until the Spurs' offer.
"Corey was 1A, and I was 1B," Mason said. "My ego's not involved. Corey's a great player."
However, the Spurs have gotten more out of their investment in Mason — two years totaling $7.3 million — than the Warriors have from Maggette, who's been sidelined by a hamstring injury.
Mason grew up virtually in the shadow of Capitol Hill, the oldest of four children of a father by the same name, an opthamologist who died of liver disease when Roger was 11. He's so proud to carry the family name that when he was first introduced as Roger Mason as a freshman at Virginia, he promptly corrected them and told school officials he's Roger Mason Jr.
"I didn't want him forgotten," he said.
On Tuesday, Mason's mother and other family members took in the inaugural parade down Pennsylvania Avenue and texted him throughout. He yearned to be there, having organized a fund-raiser for Obama with Wizards center Etan Thomas and Redskins lineman Chris Samuels, but unlike a growing number in this country, he has a job.
Mason learned at an early age the burdens of responsibility. Just a fourth-grader, he helped his mother — a nurse who now audits Medicare claims — raise his three younger siblings while maturing into the role model he continues to be.
Consequently, Mason remained close to home and played his college ball at Virginia, where he's less than a year's credits shy of completing his architecture degree in urban planning. He's a part-owner of Mason Construction, which builds residential and commercial projects, and is intensely interested in the downtown revitalization of Washington, D.C.
Nor does he rule out a political career.
"It's not something I'd be closed-minded to," he said. "I don't know what God has in store for me. Politics is definitely something I'd be interested in."
Mason, who met Obama briefly at his fund-raiser, would like to renew the president's acquaintance in the near future.
"I want to see Barack Obama in October of 2009," he said.
Preferably at a ceremony in the Rose Garden.
Spurs newcomer brings skills, maturity.
Kirk Bohls
SAN ANTONIO — Roger Mason Jr. carefully set his alarm the night before and re-checked it to make sure he didn't oversleep.
History doesn't provide second chances.
The newest San Antonio Spur wasn't about to forego witnessing the historic event that was Tuesday 's presidential inauguration.
But just to make sure, he Tivoed the ceremonies.
"I'll probably watch it a few times," Mason said solemnly after the Spurs' 99-81 romp over the Pacers on Tuesday night. "It means a lot to me, being from D.C. and growing up in a political town. Being an African American, it shows how open-minded we are and how far we've come as a country. That's what I got from Barack Obama."
He paused, then corrected himself, "President Barack Obama."
The words especially resonate with this articulate, globally aware 28-year-old guard for the Spurs who helped organize a fund-raiser for Obama and doesn't discount a political career of his own at some point. While Mason waxed eloquently about the inspiration behind Obama's election, rookie teammate George Hill carried on about the "nice Cadillac limousines" in the president's entourage.
For now, Mason may be the biggest free-agent bonanza in the league, especially if the Spurs win a fifth NBA title this June. San Antonio got so much more than a confident, three-point shooter with decent point guard abilities when it plucked him off the Washington Wizards roster last July after he'd ably filled in for the injured Gilbert Arenas.
Mason has hit three game-winning shots, one to beat the Lakers, another to sink the Suns on Christmas Day. He's even taken the precocious Hill under his wing.
Gregg Popovich readily concedes that Mason has exceeded the club's expectations even though he's with his fourth NBA team in five seasons. The offensively challenged Spurs have known Mason could shoot since he converted 44 percent of his three-point tries during his sophomore season at Virginia. Now he averages more than 12 points a game as a starter in what amounts to a three-guard setup with Tony Parker and Michael Finley. And Mason owns the league's third-best shooting percentage behind the arc at a 46.4 clip.
"That's the main reason we signed him," Pop said. "He comes in letting it fly."
Mason did the same in college, although he was known more as a slasher than a shooter. His limited portfolio at Virginia included a single post-season game in the NCAA tournament his sophomore year. He scored 30 points against 12th-seeded Gonzaga in a losing cause. "But," Mason pointed out, "I can say I averaged 30 points a game in the NCAA tournament."
San Antonio had no reservations about adding a reliable 6-foot-5-inch ball-handler who's an adept rebounder and versatile enough that he guarded everyone from Indiana's 6-3 Jarrett Jack to 6-10 Mike Dunleavy on Tuesday. Pop also has reveled in the savvy veteran's abilities to spell Parker at point guard.
"He picked up the system more quickly than I thought he would," Pop said. "His abilities to play backup point are better than I thought. He's just a really mature kid who's very intelligent. He's been a quick study."
The Spurs had long coveted this career 37 percent long-distance gunner and nearly grabbed him a year ago before he re-upped with his hometown Wizards. Last offseason, Popovich and Spurs general manager R.C. Buford targeted Corey Maggette, but when Golden State saw Baron Davis bolt to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers, it broke the bank to get Maggette .
That never fazed Mason, who took a trip to Miami on the first day of free agency and almost signed with the Heat until the Spurs' offer.
"Corey was 1A, and I was 1B," Mason said. "My ego's not involved. Corey's a great player."
However, the Spurs have gotten more out of their investment in Mason — two years totaling $7.3 million — than the Warriors have from Maggette, who's been sidelined by a hamstring injury.
Mason grew up virtually in the shadow of Capitol Hill, the oldest of four children of a father by the same name, an opthamologist who died of liver disease when Roger was 11. He's so proud to carry the family name that when he was first introduced as Roger Mason as a freshman at Virginia, he promptly corrected them and told school officials he's Roger Mason Jr.
"I didn't want him forgotten," he said.
On Tuesday, Mason's mother and other family members took in the inaugural parade down Pennsylvania Avenue and texted him throughout. He yearned to be there, having organized a fund-raiser for Obama with Wizards center Etan Thomas and Redskins lineman Chris Samuels, but unlike a growing number in this country, he has a job.
Mason learned at an early age the burdens of responsibility. Just a fourth-grader, he helped his mother — a nurse who now audits Medicare claims — raise his three younger siblings while maturing into the role model he continues to be.
Consequently, Mason remained close to home and played his college ball at Virginia, where he's less than a year's credits shy of completing his architecture degree in urban planning. He's a part-owner of Mason Construction, which builds residential and commercial projects, and is intensely interested in the downtown revitalization of Washington, D.C.
Nor does he rule out a political career.
"It's not something I'd be closed-minded to," he said. "I don't know what God has in store for me. Politics is definitely something I'd be interested in."
Mason, who met Obama briefly at his fund-raiser, would like to renew the president's acquaintance in the near future.
"I want to see Barack Obama in October of 2009," he said.
Preferably at a ceremony in the Rose Garden.