bobby4germany
06-09-2010, 11:21 AM
If anyone has earned their playing time in the NBA, it is Garrett Temple. The former LSU Tiger went undrafted in last summer's NBA Draft and had to decide whether to play overseas or attempt to make it in the NBA Development League.
Following the draft, the Houston Rockets invited Temple to play in their summer league, where he did not get a lot of playing time. After being cut in the preseason, Temple opted to play for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in the D-League.
"I didn't want to play overseas because you got to have a lot of offense to play over there," said Temple. "The D-League gave me a lot of confidence in my offensive game. I didn't score a lot in college, and I really got to work on my game."
Temple averaged 14.9 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists with the Vipers. Soon after, the Rockets called him up and signed him to a 10-day contract. He played in three games with the Rockets and was offered a second 10-day contract. But even though he played well, Temple was cut after the contract was up.
"I was on the way to the airport to go back to my D-League team, and the Sacramento Kings called me and said they wanted me to play with them," said Temple. "I jumped right on a plane and flew out there and played another 10-day contract."
The Kings offered Temple another 10-day contract, but that's when he got word that the San Antonio Spurs were interested in him. He knew that with Tony Parker out with injury, he would get a chance to play for a playoff competitor. Temple signed a 10-day contract, before signing with the Spurs for the rest of the season in March.
When guard George Hill went down to injury in April, Temple earned his first start with the Spurs, where he played 27 minutes with 15 points, four assists and three rebounds.
Through the final six games of the season, Temple averaged 22 minutes of play, with 10.6 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists and a steal per game. He said playing among the league's best players was a little intimidating at first.
"When I got my 4th start, I had to go up against (Rookie of the Year ) Tyreke Evans," said Temple. "And then I had to play against Steve Nash and then Chauncey Billups. But when I realized I'm starting with Manu Ginobli and Richard Jefferson, it really sunk in that it was all just crazy."
Temple said he learned a lot from veteran players like Tim Duncan and Antonio McDyess. He said having conversations with them about how to play the game really helped him learn how to be a professional basketball player. But Temple said it was Spurs coach Gregg Popovich that taught him the most.
"He's the best coach I've ever had the pleasure to play for," said Temple. "He knows so much about the game of basketball and you're always learning new things when you're around him."
Temple said having an opportunity to play with a playoff team in his rookie season was an awesome experience.
"You can really see how much the intensity increases in the playoffs," said Temple. "We had just played the Dallas Mavericks at the end of the regular season, and when we played them days later in the playoffs, it was a different intensity."
Temple and the Spurs ousted the Mavericks 4-2 in the first round of the playoffs, before being swept in four straight games by the Phoenix Suns in the conference semifinals.
While Temple's season may be done, he is still rooting for his best friend and former teammate Glenn Davis, who plays for the Boston Celtics.
"Glenn has really accepted his role with the Celtics," said Temple. "He thought he might have had a bigger role this year, but how he's bounced back and played in these playoffs is a credit to the kind of person he is. I'm real proud of him."
Temple said he thinks the Celtics will take down the Lakers in the NBA Finals because he thinks Boston is more "battle-tested."
As for Temple, he will be back with the Spurs this summer. He will play for the Spurs Summer League team.
"We started back last week working out in San Antonio and we're getting back into already," said Temple. "I'm just ready to get back out there and prove what I can do again."
http://tigerweekly.com/print/06-09-2010/14787/temple-reflects-on-rookie-nba-ride
Following the draft, the Houston Rockets invited Temple to play in their summer league, where he did not get a lot of playing time. After being cut in the preseason, Temple opted to play for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in the D-League.
"I didn't want to play overseas because you got to have a lot of offense to play over there," said Temple. "The D-League gave me a lot of confidence in my offensive game. I didn't score a lot in college, and I really got to work on my game."
Temple averaged 14.9 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists with the Vipers. Soon after, the Rockets called him up and signed him to a 10-day contract. He played in three games with the Rockets and was offered a second 10-day contract. But even though he played well, Temple was cut after the contract was up.
"I was on the way to the airport to go back to my D-League team, and the Sacramento Kings called me and said they wanted me to play with them," said Temple. "I jumped right on a plane and flew out there and played another 10-day contract."
The Kings offered Temple another 10-day contract, but that's when he got word that the San Antonio Spurs were interested in him. He knew that with Tony Parker out with injury, he would get a chance to play for a playoff competitor. Temple signed a 10-day contract, before signing with the Spurs for the rest of the season in March.
When guard George Hill went down to injury in April, Temple earned his first start with the Spurs, where he played 27 minutes with 15 points, four assists and three rebounds.
Through the final six games of the season, Temple averaged 22 minutes of play, with 10.6 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists and a steal per game. He said playing among the league's best players was a little intimidating at first.
"When I got my 4th start, I had to go up against (Rookie of the Year ) Tyreke Evans," said Temple. "And then I had to play against Steve Nash and then Chauncey Billups. But when I realized I'm starting with Manu Ginobli and Richard Jefferson, it really sunk in that it was all just crazy."
Temple said he learned a lot from veteran players like Tim Duncan and Antonio McDyess. He said having conversations with them about how to play the game really helped him learn how to be a professional basketball player. But Temple said it was Spurs coach Gregg Popovich that taught him the most.
"He's the best coach I've ever had the pleasure to play for," said Temple. "He knows so much about the game of basketball and you're always learning new things when you're around him."
Temple said having an opportunity to play with a playoff team in his rookie season was an awesome experience.
"You can really see how much the intensity increases in the playoffs," said Temple. "We had just played the Dallas Mavericks at the end of the regular season, and when we played them days later in the playoffs, it was a different intensity."
Temple and the Spurs ousted the Mavericks 4-2 in the first round of the playoffs, before being swept in four straight games by the Phoenix Suns in the conference semifinals.
While Temple's season may be done, he is still rooting for his best friend and former teammate Glenn Davis, who plays for the Boston Celtics.
"Glenn has really accepted his role with the Celtics," said Temple. "He thought he might have had a bigger role this year, but how he's bounced back and played in these playoffs is a credit to the kind of person he is. I'm real proud of him."
Temple said he thinks the Celtics will take down the Lakers in the NBA Finals because he thinks Boston is more "battle-tested."
As for Temple, he will be back with the Spurs this summer. He will play for the Spurs Summer League team.
"We started back last week working out in San Antonio and we're getting back into already," said Temple. "I'm just ready to get back out there and prove what I can do again."
http://tigerweekly.com/print/06-09-2010/14787/temple-reflects-on-rookie-nba-ride