Oberto officially a wizard!!!!! Washington DC ec·stat·ic!

[washingtonwizard]

"Fab was at the top of that list," Saunders said, rattling off several of Oberto's positive attributes, such as his high basketball IQ and willingness to make sacrifices for the good of the team. Saunders then mentioned that Oberto is involved with a winery in Argentina "and that was the turning point. That put me over the top."

Oberto is coming off a season in which he averaged 2.6 points and 2.6 rebounds. His season began ominously, when he missed the first two games because of an arrhythmia called atrial fibrillation. He routinely missed a game or two throughout the season as doctors monitored him, and claimed that medication he took to treat his condition made him "dizzy when I was playing."

:downspin::downspin::downspin:

http://media3.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/photo/2009/08/12/PH2009081203048.jpg

made every local news channel

[Mr. Body]

Good luck, Fabs.

[Summers]

I loved Oberto and will miss him. I hope he does well in DC.

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

Now instead of Arenas just constantly jacking up questionable shots, he can constantly jack up questionable shots while overlooking Oberto getting free on a backdoor cut and standing wide open under the rim.

[z0sa]

Oberto played great - in 07. Great guy with a great personality and a high bball IQ, but I'm glad he found a new home to stay in.

[Tom The Spurs Dude]

He will be balling it up with Gilbert Arenas now, not Tim Duncan but a pretty good player. I think the Wizards will make the playoffs this year for sure if they can stay healthy?

[CGD]

I have more incentive now to go to Wiz games!

[Trainwreck2100]

because he brings that championship experience?

[jag]

For the Wiz, he will consistently be the smartest player on the court.

[NFGIII]

Oberto was a good role player, especialy in '07, but the Spurs needed to get younger and his time was up. I hope he does well in DC. He is the consumate team player.

[Manufan909]

Why the fuck is this such big news. I live in DC and it wont even matter. Oberto wont get much PT behind Haywood and Mcgee

Because he was a solid Spur and a great person. You wake up on the wrong side of the bed, or did you just feel like trolling when you posted this?

[tp2021]

I wish Fab all the best of luck.

[completely deck]

Good luck Fabs, you were a great guy here in SA

[weebo]

yay

[pawe]

Hope his heart, skipping a beat, holds up for those agent zero 3 pt heaves 5ft beyond the arc.

[Libri]

For the Wiz, he will consistently be the smartest player on the court.

Yes he will. http://planetsmilies.net/happy-smiley-797.gif (http://planetsmilies.net)

[dc_spursfan]

Surprise they had a long segment talking Fab on DC sports radio. Fab does fit nicely with the Wiz and hope he does well. Arenas can drive the paint now and have a big to pass the ball with reliable hands.(Arenas do pass the ball sometimes)

[lefty]

Gurnfeld: " Oberto was our top priority "

Sad :lmao

[hater]

Why the fuck is this such big news. I live in DC and it wont even matter. Oberto wont get much PT behind Haywood and Mcgee



made every local news channel


because he brings that championship experience?


For the Wiz, he will consistently be the smartest player on the court.


Because he was a solid Spur and a great person. You wake up on the wrong side of the bed, or did you just feel like trolling when you posted this?

[Taco]

Good luck Fab !!!!

[spursfaninla]

Fabbs was a good team-mate, helped one year, and I have nothing bad to say about the guy.

The Spurs would be a different team if they had gotten he-whom-we-shall-not-name instead of this cheaper, but jollier giant, but that was not his fault.

I just hope his health problems are taken care of...you don't want to keep having to stop and re-start your heart like that (I would think)...

[duncan228]

I just hope his health problems are taken care of...you don't want to keep having to stop and re-start your heart like that (I would think)...

He seems to be okay.


Oberto, who is 34, had surgery this year aimed at correcting an irregular heartbeat.

“He’s doing very well. He had his physicals this week; he passed everything,” Grunfeld said. “We spoke to his doctors in Texas, and they feel very good about everything.”

http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=133205

[Spursfan092120]

Congrats wiz...you've got a hell of a guy on your team. Great guy..with a lot of heart. Good luck Fab.

[lefty]

Good fuck, Lab

[bigdog]

Good luck Fab. I'm going to miss the pump-fakes when no one was near you.

[spursfaninla]

there were so many low-jumping bigmen on the spurs in the last few years that you could have said that about...why oberto? why?

[spursfaninla]

most famously, malik, Nazir, butler.

[spursfan #20]

Good luck to fab. The wizards i going to have a very improved team by getting fab mike miller randy foye arenas healthy and saunders is good coach

[spursfan #20]

no but they could be a 3 sead if cleveland turns out to be a disaster which it has a chance to be

[DAF86]

He said he picked number 21 to play because of Duncan.

[MaNu4Tres]

Since Fab is gone my question to Spurs' fans is this..

Who is going to set screens for us now?

and who will convert wide open lay ups?


We will miss Fab IMO

[tp2021]

Since Fab is gone my question to Spurs' fans is this..

Who is going to set screens for us now?

and who will convert wide open lay ups?

I love Fab, but to answer your question, hopefully everybody.

[spursfan1000]

Good luck FAB, didnt think they would do a press conference for him...

[callo1]

Fab was the ultimate role player who you didn't have to run a single play for and he could still have some limited production without getting in Timmy's way, unfortunately, as TD begans to gets bumps, bruises, and show some age, the Spurs needed a guy that had more skills ala Antonio.

[peskypesky]

Good luck, Fabricio! And thank you.

[duncan228]

Oberto signing gives Wizards unique roster (http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/aug/13/oberto-signing-sets-up-unique-wizards-roster/)
By Mike Jones
The Washington Times

Four months after the Washington Wizards began regrouping from their injury-plagued 19-63 season, team president Ernie Grunfeld introduced the final piece he expects will help them again be a contender in the Eastern Conference.

Three weeks after he verbally agreed to join the Wizards, free agent center Fabricio Oberto made it official Tuesday, signing a one-year contract worth $1.99 million. And on Wednesday he made clear his intentions to do whatever it takes to help his team return to the playoffs, where it was a fixture for four straight seasons before last year's debacle that tied the franchise's worst record.

"The priority for me is to see the team win and to help the team with that, and that's my only concern," Oberto said. "If I have to play defense and not take a shot for 10 games, I'll do it."

The 6-foot-10 Oberto played professionally for 12 years in Europe before joining the San Antonio Spurs four seasons ago as a 30-year-old rookie. Oberto helped the Spurs win the 2007 NBA title but became expendable after battling injury and averaging just 2.6 points and 2.6 rebounds in 54 games last season. The Spurs traded him in June to Milwaukee, which promptly sent him to Detroit. The Pistons released him a week later.

The Wizards were in the market for a veteran big man after they traded away centers Etan Thomas, Oleksiy Pecherov and forward Darius Songaila. At the time, the only centers on the roster were veteran Brendan Haywood and JaVale McGee.

"After the trade, everyone was saying we were a little guard heavy and thin up front," Wizards coach Flip Saunders said. "From day one, even before we did it, we knew we wanted to bring in another big guy, and [Oberto] was at the top of the list. He has a very high basketball IQ. The things we like to do both offensively and defensively, he'll be able to help us."

And it turned out Oberto was just as interested in joining the Wizards as they were in acquiring him.

"When the trade [and release] happened, the first moment I heard Washington was interested in me, I was honored for that," Oberto said. "It's a new era for me. I need every day to work hard and show what I can do and help the team."

Washington now has a 14-man roster of versatile players. Arenas, Randy Foye, Mike James and Javaris Crittenton are point guards who can play shooting guard. DeShawn Stevenson, Nick Young, Mike Miller and Caron Butler can play shooting guard or small forward. Power forward Antawn Jamison has filled in at small forward. Dominic McGuire primarily spells Butler but is more of a natural power forward. Andray Blatche is 6-foot-10 and can play any of the three post positions, and Oberto is expected to see time at both center and power forward.

Saunders, who was hired in April, called the 2009-10 version of the Wizards the "most unique roster" he has ever coached. And Grunfeld said this is the highest level of comfort he has had with a roster since he came to the Wizards in 2003.

"It's as talented a roster we've had since we've been here," Grunfeld said. "We have all of our positions covered. We've added a lot of outside shooting; we've added a lot of depth to our roster. Also, our young players are improving, and not only are we adding the three players that were hurt last year in Gilbert, Brendan and DeShawn, but we have three new veterans in Randy Foye, Mike Miller and now Oberto."

Grunfeld said with 14 players under contract - one less than the league maximum - the Wizards likely are set for the upcoming season. He expects to extend invitations to two or three more players for the week of training camp, which begins in late September, but those players aren't likely to earn a regular-season roster spot. And Grunfeld said unless a "really interesting" unexpected trade comes up, the Wizards won't make any more tweaks to the roster.

[hater]

Oberto is an instant plug in player. meaning you can plug him in at any time and you pretty much know what you gonna get.

[BWS-1994]

Best of luck to Fabs!

[MaNu4Tres]

DeJuan Blair will set the screens and Haislip will slam down the open lay ins.

It's called sarcasim philly.

[Mark in Austin]

Now instead of Arenas just constantly jacking up questionable shots, he can constantly jack up questionable shots while overlooking Oberto getting free on a backdoor cut and standing wide open under the rim.

Exactly. Arenas is not anywhere close to being a franchise player.

[easy7]

When we was Fab....

[Spurs Brazil]

He said he picked number 21 to play because of Duncan.

http://espn-i.starwave.com/media/apphoto/067a6bb6-dd9d-4e15-a822-d18dda39f617.jpg

[angel_luv]

All the best to you. Fabricio!

[completely deck]

http://espn-i.starwave.com/media/apphoto/067a6bb6-dd9d-4e15-a822-d18dda39f617.jpg

Press shot or mug shot...? Smile fabs! :lol

[bdictjames]

Nice of Fab to give Timmy a tribute - the two players really seemed to be one hell of an unathletic, yet really intelligent "couple" so to speak.

Can't wait to see the Wizards, and I hope he gets playing time and AF-free.

[crc21209]

http://espn-i.starwave.com/media/apphoto/067a6bb6-dd9d-4e15-a822-d18dda39f617.jpg

WOW he really did choose #21!

[TIMMYD!]

Good Luck.

[temujin]

I hope the heart beat is back to normal for good.

Suerte, Oberto.

[Brazil]

Fab is a classy player and a clever guy, I wish him the best.

[bobby4germany]

I will miss having Fab on the team but we are better off now without him. I think he will play better in Washington because 1. he now has to something to prove 2. he is playing the east and 3. Agent Zero is now "healthy" and he will be able to feed off of him.