Monroe: Newest Spur fitting right in

[Kori Ellis]

Newest Spur fitting right in
Web Posted: 03/19/2005 12:00 AM CST

Mike Monroe
Express-News Staff Writer

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA031905.6C.BKNspurs.glover.15091cd90.html

One day was only enough time for Dion Glover to learn a couple of pick-and-roll plays and the basics of the Spurs' motion offense, but the newest Spur made the most of his limited schooling in his Friday-night debut.

Signed to a 10-day contract on Thursday, Glover put in 12 minutes in the Spurs' 93-76 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats at the SBC Center.

He took three shots and made only one, but was very active on the boards and on defense. More importantly, his four rebounds, two assists, two steals and one blocked shot made a positive impression on the one man who matters most: coach Gregg Popovich.

"I was impressed," Popovich said. "I thought his individual defense was outstanding. He ran the floor and rebounded and he showed a real toughness and aggressiveness and an edge to him. I enjoyed watching him play."

The Spurs didn't clutter Glover's head with much of their playbook, and Popovich said the 6-foot-5 guard from Georgia Tech did a good job of letting the game come to him.

Glover was taking a nap at his Atlanta home on Wednesday afternoon when his agent awakened him with a phone call.

"I had just gotten finished with a workout, running on the treadmill, and I was real tired," Glover said, "but I knew he probably had something concrete for me. He told me it was the Spurs and all I could say was, 'Wow.'

"To think that I could possibly walk right in and have a chance to win a championship is a blessing."

Glover was a first-round draft pick of the Atlanta Hawks in 1999 and spent four seasons with them, finishing the 2003-04 season in Toronto. He played this season for Ulker Istanbul in Turkey before he was released and returned to the United States.

Popovich thinks Glover, like Stephen Jackson three years ago, is a player who has yet to realize his full potential.

"His strength and his physical style of play I think is something that impressed us," Popovich said. "Secondly, we think he's at a point in his career where he just might be ready to turn the corner and use the abilities he's been given."

Glover understands he needs to make the most of what he regards as a golden opportunity.

"I just want to show them that I want to be here and I'll do anything to help this team win," Glover said. "Whether it's rebound, play defense or anything else coach Pop asks me to do, I will do, even if it's just go to practice and work hard every day to help make my teammates better."

Popovich said he wants to find minutes for Glover. The team can sign him to another 10-day contract after his current deal, but then has to make a decision whether to keep him for the rest of the season.

"That's probably the only way to evaluate him," Popovich said. "If he doesn't get into games then it's going to be a guessing deal on whether we should keep him or not."

[MannyIsGod]

I really really like this guy so far. He says all the right things, and his effort was there tonight.

I want people on this team that want to be here, and are willing to show that on the floor.

[slayermin]

I met a Madden League from Georgia and those dudes are cool as hell.

[timvp]

Glover looked confident on the court. He was less timid than Brent Barry after about four seconds on the floor.

He's another Devin Brown type player to use against the Suns and the Sonics.

Nice find.

[Mr. Body]

Anybody know why Glover didn't play in the league last year?

[Kori Ellis]

Glover was in the NBA last year -- on the Hawks and then the Raptors. No one wanted him this summer, so he went overseas.

[timvp]

Hawks, Glover end five-year relationship
By MICHAEL LEE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Dion Glover and the Hawks mutually agreed to part ways Wednesday night, ending an almost five-year relationship. Almost six hours after practice, Glover asked for his release, and the Hawks promptly waived him.

Teams have until Friday to place a claim on Glover, whom the Hawks selected with the 20th pick of the 1999 draft. If no team claims Glover, he is free to sign with the team of his choice once he clears waivers.

Glover was unavailable for comment, and his agent, Brian Dyke, didn't returned phone calls. General manager Billy Knight, who is scouting in Europe, left a phone message saying, "He's doing what's best for him, which turns out to be what's best for us."

The Hawks' roster is down to just eight healthy players with Zeljko Rebraca out because of lower back pain. They will face the Detroit Pistons Friday in Auburn Hills, Mich.

Glover was averaging a career-high 10.1 points this season but he was having anything but a career year. He started the first 19 games of the season but later lost his starting job to rookie Boris Diaw.

He also was shooting just 39.1 percent from the floor, his worst shooting percentage since his rookie season, when he shot 38.6 percent.

Glover never was pleased with his role on the Hawks, and it became more diminished after Bob Sura arrived in the Rasheed Wallace trade with the Detroit Pistons. Glover scored four points in only 12 minutes of a triple-overtime game against the Houston Rockets, while Sura played 44 minutes. In his last game Tuesday against the Philadelphia 76ers, Glover played six minutes before leaving in the second quarter with a strained groin.

After former Wheeler High star Shareef Abdur-Rahim was dealt to Portland on Feb. 9, Glover was the last Hawks player to carry any Atlanta ties. Glover won a state title at Cedar Grove in 1997, played one season at Georgia Tech and declared for the draft a year later.

He had an up-and-down career, battling injuries his first three seasons. He had a breakout year last season, starting the final 42 games and setting career highs in points (9.7), rebounds (3.7) and assists (1.9). He signed a one-year, $1 million deal with the Hawks last summer after considering the Orlando Magic and the Denver Nuggets.


Hawks dump Glover: The Hawks continued their housecleaning Wednesday when they waived Dion Glover. Glover asked to be released after practice on Wednesday. He was upset about losing his starting job to rookie Boris Diaw after the Hawks traded away Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Theo Ratliff.

A source close to the Hawks told Insider recently that Glover, along with point guard Jason Terry, were among the most disruptive players on the team. Glover should clear waivers by Friday and be free to join a team of his choosing.

Some interesting tidbits on the newest Spur.

It'd be nice if he can find a way to be a solid 11th or 12th man for this team.

[milkyway21]

disruptive? :rolleyes

[Mr. Body]

I'd be pretty damn disruptive if I had to play for a crap organization like the Hawks.

[Ishta]

He did a good job last night. Some nice passes etc. It was nice to see someone really putting his all in the game.. HMMMM kinda reminds me of someone I used to watch...We'll see how it goes.:eyebrows

[duncan2k5]

I'd be pretty damn disruptive if I had to play for a crap organization like the Hawks.
:lol :lol :lol

[mookie2001]

"I had just gotten finished with a workout, running on the treadmill, and I was real tired," Glover said, "but I knew he probably had something concrete for me. He told me it was the Spurs and all I could say was, 'Wow.'

"To think that I could possibly walk right in and have a chance to win a championship is a blessing."




he seems like a nice guy

[Zarko]

Its encouraging that Popovich was impressed with him so early. The guy seems to be cut in the same mold as Devin Brown. I like physical defenders with size and he seems to have all the tools. He is definately an upgrade over Sato which explains why they released him and brought this guy in.

I wonder if Pop and RC have decided that they would rather have defenders with bodies like Artest instead of Bowen... It seems that we can play more aggressively with the added size and they are more abundant than human leeches like Bruce.

[Tek_XX]

Dude looked decent last night, missed some shots but you would expect that being that is was his first game with the Spurs.

[ducks]

I wonder if they brought him in thinking DEVIN BROWN might bolt

[ChumpDumper]

True, he could be short and long-term insurance....

[ZStomp]

I really really like this guy so far. He says all the right things, and his effort was there tonight.

I want people on this team that want to be here, and are willing to show that on the floor.


Who wouldn't want to be here?? On a winning team?

[exstatic]

Who wouldn't want to be here?? On a winning team?
Players who need to dominate the ball to be effective.

You'll notice that Pop goes after players who either weren't given a chance (Devin, Wilks, Rose, Jarren Jackson), or have bounced around a bit (Jax, Dion, Nazr). He wants players that are hungry to play and do team things. Players who have already established themselves in the league don't necessarily do well here: DA,Rasho,Hedo,Barry.

[Shelly]

I was impressed with his play.

[Supergirl]

Players who need to dominate the ball to be effective.

You'll notice that Pop goes after players who either weren't given a chance (Devin, Wilks, Rose, Jarren Jackson), or have bounced around a bit (Jax, Dion, Nazr). He wants players that are hungry to play and do team things. Players who have already established themselves in the league don't necessarily do well here: DA,Rasho,Hedo,Barry.

I wouldn't put Rasho in that category. First of all, he hadn't really "established himself" - he was always too much in KH's shadow to be a big time player. Same with Tim, but Tim is less imposing of a personality.

Second, Rasho has done better here than in Minnesota. His numbers are basically the same, but he plays better D. Albeit still not consistantly enough, but better. The team is a better fit.

[exstatic]

Second, Rasho has done better here than in Minnesota. His numbers are basically the same, but he plays better D.
I think Rasho is happier here than in Minnesota, but his numbers most certainly are not the same. He's a good defender, but is not even putting up "broken" David Robinson numbers.

His last year in Minny
11.7p/6.6r/1.5b

His first year in SA
8.7p/7.7r/2b
I was happy to see the increase in rebounding and blocks, and didn't really care about the dip in scoring.

This year
5.5p/6.6r/1.6b

All of his numbers are down across the board. He also shot a much higher percentage in Minnesota.

[mattyc]

Players who have already established themselves in the league don't necessarily do well here: DA,Rasho,Hedo,Barry.
I dunno if I'd place DA in with Hedo. DA played like a star here, he just made a stupid off-season decision.

[exstatic]

I dunno if I'd place DA in with Hedo. DA played like a star here, he just made a stupid off-season decision.

Actually, he struggled for at least half the season, kicked it in, but then laid an egg in the first round of the playoffs.

[Sec24Row7]

if by laid an egg you mean getting hurt by juwan howard?

then yeah.