duncan228
05-28-2009, 02:12 PM
It's Hoopsworld, but it has some background on the Spurs and the drafting of Parker and some quotes.
The Genius of Sam Presti (http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=12786)
By: Susan Bible
While fans of the Oklahoma City Thunder make silent wishes upon falling stars that somehow, someway Blake Griffin will begin his NBA career wearing a sky blue uniform with a sunset-hued logo, General Manager Sam Presti is working on his plan for draft night. He will decide what is best for the team, and he will probably be right on the money. Naïve? Nope. What mis-step has he made so far? None. The Oklahoma City Thunder organization and fans have placed their trust and confidence in this young general manager, and know that whatever he decides, it will have been an incredibly well-researched, well-thought-out, and sensible decision. It may not appear totally logical at first, but the intelligence of the move will eventually reveal itself.
Who knows if the Thunder drafting Griffin is a real possibility? The Clippers announced "He's the Guy," referring to Griffin after winning the No. 1 pick in the lottery draft, but a recent article in The Oklahoman suggests they are more focused on Rubio (and we all know Rubio's camp deems Los Angeles a more desirable destination than Memphis or Oklahoma City) and moving Baron Davis. The article also suggests that Memphis is enamored with Hasheem Thabeet. So in a perfect Thunder world, the Clippers swap their pick with OKC, Griffin never even packs his bags, and everyone's happy, right? Other scenarios involving a package deal with Jeff Green or Russell Westbrook with the Thunder's No. 3 pick aren't likely, given Presti's oft-repeated stance that these two young players, along with future All-Star Kevin Durant, are the franchise's future.
The Griffin and draft issues aside, the Thunder are in incredible salary shape right now with just $42 million on the books for next season and $29 million for the following year. Presti is thinking long-term and methodically building a playoff-bound team. If the right move doesn't present itself this year, he will wait until the impressive free agent class of 2010 is available. This gives the Thunder youngsters another year of experience under their belt – then they'll be ready for a big-name player to join them.
It's hard to fathom how Sam Presti, a man barely in his 30s and with no prior GM experience, was given so much responsibility, not to mention how he so successfully meets, even exceeds, all expectations.
Born Sam Prestigiacomo in Concord, Massachusetts, Presti grew up a huge Celtics fan. He was a Dual County League All-Star in basketball at Concord-Carlisle High School, where former coach John McNamara called him "the hardest-working kid I ever saw come through here." He graduated from Emerson College in Boston in 2000 with a bachelor's degree in communications, politics and law. Presti was the first Rhodes Scholar candidate in the school's history. Law professor Mike Brown, now retired, said Presti was the hardest-working student he had in his 38-year teaching career.
At Emerson, Presti, a 6'2" shooting guard, was a four-year basketball letterman at the Division III school and served as the team's captain in his junior and senior years. He led his team to two conference wins and was twice selected to the Great Northeast Athletic Conference all-tournament team. In his capacity as team captain, he required every teammate to sign a contract agreeing to play hard or face removal from the team. And he once famously took six charging fouls in a game. "He was the same in practice as he was in games. That's what separates him from other players I've coached," said longtime Emerson coach Hank Smith. "He had such a tremendous work ethic and sense of team. There's nothing he's not prepared for. He's a perfectionist. He'll work until it's right." The day Presti was hired by the Spurs, Smith told his wife that he would be named a GM in the NBA by age 35 (he beat that by five years).
In the summer of 2000, Presti met Spurs general manager, R.C. Buford, at a basketball camp in Aspen, Colorado. The two hit it off, and Presti accepted an internship for $250 per week. "About a week after he was with us [in San Antonio], I made that decision that he was going to be a star," Buford recalled to Percy Allen (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sports/2003740969_soni09.html) with the Seattle Times. "Just because he has a great combination of humility and intelligence and work ethic that you just knew he couldn't fail."
You're wasting my time," said Popovich (http://www.sactownroyalty.com/2007/6/8/163316/6310) to Buford and Presti. "This kid is terrible." Convinced that Parker had special skills, Presti put an eight-minute videotape together highlighting Parker's talents which swayed Popovich to give him another look, ultimately leading to the decision to draft him with their 28th pick.
Presti was promoted to assistant director of scouting in 2002, then director of player personnel, and finally, assistant general manager in 2005. He became regarded as a salary cap wizard with intuitive scouting skills, plus designed the Spurs' scouting database (which relies heavily on quantitative and analytical data to determine a player's worth), and is now used by other NBA teams as well. In an October 2006 story in the San Antonio Express-News, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich called Presti (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sports/2003737478_sonics07.html) the team's "resident genius," while general manager R.C. Buford said Presti's "combination of intelligence and creativity and work ethic are unique." In Presti's tenure in San Antonio, the Spurs won three of their four championship titles.
In June, 2007, at 30 years old, Sam Presti was hired as the general manager of the Seattle SuperSonics, making him the youngest standing general manager in the league. Owner Clay Bennett said he wanted someone "on the way up and who, in their youth, perhaps would not hesitate on certain decision-making processes, [and if] given the authority in the right context can work hard, be fearless, and move this organization. "In an interview with Sports Business Journal shortly after accepting the GM job, Presti said his vision for the team was to 1) establish an identity for the team, 2) establish the kind of players they want and, 3)establish the style of play they want. And so he set about moving pieces around (some would say he took a wrecking ball to the roster) – because clearly he decided to basically start over with a young team and build significant salary cap space for future free agent acquisitions.
To the untrained eye, Presti started doing crazy stuff, like trading All-Star Ray Allen and mega-talented Rashard Lewis. He flipped players around like they were flapjacks, but yielding first-round and second-round picks and enviable salary cap space along the way. Last August after the move to Oklahoma City, Presti shrewdly added Desmond Mason, recognizing that the young team needed a strong, vocal, defensive-minded veteran presence. The nice bonus of that move was pleasing Oklahomans by bringing a Favorite Son (former OSU and Hornets player) back home. The fans adore him. He also acquired rookie defensive specialist Kyle Weaver and veteran Joe Smith. Then, surprising everyone in December, Presti signed skilled 7' center Nenad Krstic to a reasonably salaried, three-year deal. In February, young Swiss player Thabo Sefolosha, wasting away on the Chicago Bulls roster, was acquired by Presti, and he provided immediate contribution with his offensive skills and lock-down defense. And, in what could ultimately prove to be among Presti's most genius coups to date, 6'7" guard Shaun Livingston was signed toward the end of the season to an undisclosed multi-year deal. Livingston, who suffered a near-career-ending knee injury in 2007, was picked up during his stint in Tulsa of the NBA Developmental League.
Presti also pulled off a near-impossible-to-believe trade for Tyson Chandler, without surrendering anywhere close to equal value, earlier this year. The trade was later rescinded when Chandler failed his physical exam, but the ability of Presti to land such an impressive deal was widely praised by the league.
In just two years' time, the relocated and renamed Thunder have ended up with four players in the last three drafts top five list: '07 draft pick No. 2 - Kevin Durant, '09 draft pick No. 3 - To Be Determined, '08 draft pick No. 4 - Russell Westbrook (a shocking choice to most that has paid off in spades), and '07 draft pick No. 5 - Jeff Green. Not bad having a new roster comprised of draft picks in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th positions, huh? Durant, Westbrook and Green are the faces of the franchise, the Thunder's own Big Three…Durant and Westbrook, both 20 years old and unable to even legally drink yet, and Green is the old man at age 22.
Recognizing that chemistry and respect (and wins) are critical within the unit, Presti wisely replaced head coach P.J. Carlisemo with assistant coach Scott Brooks. It paid off as this seemed to infuse the team with immediate energy and cohesiveness. The difference was reflected not only in the box score, but on the faces of the players.
Sam Presti is carefully orchestrating an overhaul of the Thunder, unafraid to pull the trigger on what fits his vision. He has clearly embraced the challenge of building this team and is already earning the respect of his peers. His skills as a talent evaluator will be put to the test again on June 25th; many eyes will be on him as draft choices unfold.
The Genius of Sam Presti (http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=12786)
By: Susan Bible
While fans of the Oklahoma City Thunder make silent wishes upon falling stars that somehow, someway Blake Griffin will begin his NBA career wearing a sky blue uniform with a sunset-hued logo, General Manager Sam Presti is working on his plan for draft night. He will decide what is best for the team, and he will probably be right on the money. Naïve? Nope. What mis-step has he made so far? None. The Oklahoma City Thunder organization and fans have placed their trust and confidence in this young general manager, and know that whatever he decides, it will have been an incredibly well-researched, well-thought-out, and sensible decision. It may not appear totally logical at first, but the intelligence of the move will eventually reveal itself.
Who knows if the Thunder drafting Griffin is a real possibility? The Clippers announced "He's the Guy," referring to Griffin after winning the No. 1 pick in the lottery draft, but a recent article in The Oklahoman suggests they are more focused on Rubio (and we all know Rubio's camp deems Los Angeles a more desirable destination than Memphis or Oklahoma City) and moving Baron Davis. The article also suggests that Memphis is enamored with Hasheem Thabeet. So in a perfect Thunder world, the Clippers swap their pick with OKC, Griffin never even packs his bags, and everyone's happy, right? Other scenarios involving a package deal with Jeff Green or Russell Westbrook with the Thunder's No. 3 pick aren't likely, given Presti's oft-repeated stance that these two young players, along with future All-Star Kevin Durant, are the franchise's future.
The Griffin and draft issues aside, the Thunder are in incredible salary shape right now with just $42 million on the books for next season and $29 million for the following year. Presti is thinking long-term and methodically building a playoff-bound team. If the right move doesn't present itself this year, he will wait until the impressive free agent class of 2010 is available. This gives the Thunder youngsters another year of experience under their belt – then they'll be ready for a big-name player to join them.
It's hard to fathom how Sam Presti, a man barely in his 30s and with no prior GM experience, was given so much responsibility, not to mention how he so successfully meets, even exceeds, all expectations.
Born Sam Prestigiacomo in Concord, Massachusetts, Presti grew up a huge Celtics fan. He was a Dual County League All-Star in basketball at Concord-Carlisle High School, where former coach John McNamara called him "the hardest-working kid I ever saw come through here." He graduated from Emerson College in Boston in 2000 with a bachelor's degree in communications, politics and law. Presti was the first Rhodes Scholar candidate in the school's history. Law professor Mike Brown, now retired, said Presti was the hardest-working student he had in his 38-year teaching career.
At Emerson, Presti, a 6'2" shooting guard, was a four-year basketball letterman at the Division III school and served as the team's captain in his junior and senior years. He led his team to two conference wins and was twice selected to the Great Northeast Athletic Conference all-tournament team. In his capacity as team captain, he required every teammate to sign a contract agreeing to play hard or face removal from the team. And he once famously took six charging fouls in a game. "He was the same in practice as he was in games. That's what separates him from other players I've coached," said longtime Emerson coach Hank Smith. "He had such a tremendous work ethic and sense of team. There's nothing he's not prepared for. He's a perfectionist. He'll work until it's right." The day Presti was hired by the Spurs, Smith told his wife that he would be named a GM in the NBA by age 35 (he beat that by five years).
In the summer of 2000, Presti met Spurs general manager, R.C. Buford, at a basketball camp in Aspen, Colorado. The two hit it off, and Presti accepted an internship for $250 per week. "About a week after he was with us [in San Antonio], I made that decision that he was going to be a star," Buford recalled to Percy Allen (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sports/2003740969_soni09.html) with the Seattle Times. "Just because he has a great combination of humility and intelligence and work ethic that you just knew he couldn't fail."
You're wasting my time," said Popovich (http://www.sactownroyalty.com/2007/6/8/163316/6310) to Buford and Presti. "This kid is terrible." Convinced that Parker had special skills, Presti put an eight-minute videotape together highlighting Parker's talents which swayed Popovich to give him another look, ultimately leading to the decision to draft him with their 28th pick.
Presti was promoted to assistant director of scouting in 2002, then director of player personnel, and finally, assistant general manager in 2005. He became regarded as a salary cap wizard with intuitive scouting skills, plus designed the Spurs' scouting database (which relies heavily on quantitative and analytical data to determine a player's worth), and is now used by other NBA teams as well. In an October 2006 story in the San Antonio Express-News, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich called Presti (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sports/2003737478_sonics07.html) the team's "resident genius," while general manager R.C. Buford said Presti's "combination of intelligence and creativity and work ethic are unique." In Presti's tenure in San Antonio, the Spurs won three of their four championship titles.
In June, 2007, at 30 years old, Sam Presti was hired as the general manager of the Seattle SuperSonics, making him the youngest standing general manager in the league. Owner Clay Bennett said he wanted someone "on the way up and who, in their youth, perhaps would not hesitate on certain decision-making processes, [and if] given the authority in the right context can work hard, be fearless, and move this organization. "In an interview with Sports Business Journal shortly after accepting the GM job, Presti said his vision for the team was to 1) establish an identity for the team, 2) establish the kind of players they want and, 3)establish the style of play they want. And so he set about moving pieces around (some would say he took a wrecking ball to the roster) – because clearly he decided to basically start over with a young team and build significant salary cap space for future free agent acquisitions.
To the untrained eye, Presti started doing crazy stuff, like trading All-Star Ray Allen and mega-talented Rashard Lewis. He flipped players around like they were flapjacks, but yielding first-round and second-round picks and enviable salary cap space along the way. Last August after the move to Oklahoma City, Presti shrewdly added Desmond Mason, recognizing that the young team needed a strong, vocal, defensive-minded veteran presence. The nice bonus of that move was pleasing Oklahomans by bringing a Favorite Son (former OSU and Hornets player) back home. The fans adore him. He also acquired rookie defensive specialist Kyle Weaver and veteran Joe Smith. Then, surprising everyone in December, Presti signed skilled 7' center Nenad Krstic to a reasonably salaried, three-year deal. In February, young Swiss player Thabo Sefolosha, wasting away on the Chicago Bulls roster, was acquired by Presti, and he provided immediate contribution with his offensive skills and lock-down defense. And, in what could ultimately prove to be among Presti's most genius coups to date, 6'7" guard Shaun Livingston was signed toward the end of the season to an undisclosed multi-year deal. Livingston, who suffered a near-career-ending knee injury in 2007, was picked up during his stint in Tulsa of the NBA Developmental League.
Presti also pulled off a near-impossible-to-believe trade for Tyson Chandler, without surrendering anywhere close to equal value, earlier this year. The trade was later rescinded when Chandler failed his physical exam, but the ability of Presti to land such an impressive deal was widely praised by the league.
In just two years' time, the relocated and renamed Thunder have ended up with four players in the last three drafts top five list: '07 draft pick No. 2 - Kevin Durant, '09 draft pick No. 3 - To Be Determined, '08 draft pick No. 4 - Russell Westbrook (a shocking choice to most that has paid off in spades), and '07 draft pick No. 5 - Jeff Green. Not bad having a new roster comprised of draft picks in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th positions, huh? Durant, Westbrook and Green are the faces of the franchise, the Thunder's own Big Three…Durant and Westbrook, both 20 years old and unable to even legally drink yet, and Green is the old man at age 22.
Recognizing that chemistry and respect (and wins) are critical within the unit, Presti wisely replaced head coach P.J. Carlisemo with assistant coach Scott Brooks. It paid off as this seemed to infuse the team with immediate energy and cohesiveness. The difference was reflected not only in the box score, but on the faces of the players.
Sam Presti is carefully orchestrating an overhaul of the Thunder, unafraid to pull the trigger on what fits his vision. He has clearly embraced the challenge of building this team and is already earning the respect of his peers. His skills as a talent evaluator will be put to the test again on June 25th; many eyes will be on him as draft choices unfold.