Indazone
07-24-2010, 05:21 PM
My favorite player who's not a Rocket. Dude did it the hard way, didn't play much in high school, had to go to a JUCO school to get into NCAA Div I to play ball. Goes to Rockets gets shot in his calf and is back in 3 weeks, loses his teeth twice first time in the playoffs and second time in Dirks Elbow. Now over at Sacremento still playing with high efficiency numbers. Would be nice to see him develop into an All-Star. Unrestricted Free Agent next year...I doubt he stays on the Kings.
Mandry!
Like almost all successful college basketball players, former Purdue standout Carl Landry aspired to play in the NBA.
But as Landry prepares for a fourth professional season, the 6-foot-9, 248-pound forward has surpassed his expectations.
In the final year of his current contract, Landry is scheduled to earn $3 million this season playing for the Sacramento Kings. The Kings acquired him from the Houston Rockets in a multi-team trade Feb. 18 that also sent Tracy McGrady to the New York Knicks.
Landry, who averaged 18.4 points and 7.1 rebounds in a 64-game Purdue career, is coming off a season in which he averaged 16.8 points and 5.9 rebounds in 80 games.
"Had I looked back three years ago coming out of Purdue and told myself I would be where I am today, I never would have thought I would be here," Landry said Monday morning at West Lafayette High School, where he is conducting a basketball camp for kids.
"Through hard work and dedication, I'm here. I'm happy to be where I'm at. I'm not settled. I want to be a lot better. I have to keep working."
Landry averaged 16.1 points and 5.5 rebounds in 52 games with Houston, then averaged 18 points and 6.5 rebounds in 28 games with Sacramento as a full-time starter.
"I think it has been maturing on the court," Landry said of his consistent NBA improvement. "When I was a rookie, things were going a thousand miles an hour. I didn't really understand the game, and I didn't really understand the NBA lifestyle.
"I've let things come to me. I never take things for granted. I'm just relaxing when I'm on the court, but at the same time, I'm giving it my all."
When the 2010-11 season ends, Landry will become a free agent. He says he would like to stay in Sacramento but makes no promises.
"At the end of the day, I understand it's a business, and I have to make the best decision for myself, my family and friends and the people I love most," Landry said.
"Sacramento is not as big as Houston nor (hometown) Milwaukee. But I'm not out there to party. I'm out there to play basketball. That's my job. I do that and come home and relax. I'm happy with that. That's all I need in my life right now."
David Teague, Landry's Purdue teammate who played professionally last season in Germany, is assisting his friend with this basketball camp.
"I'm so proud of Carl," Teague said. "He has come so far, from not getting to play much in high school to having to go to a junior college and then coming to Purdue and making a name for himself.
"He helped turn that Rockets franchise around. Now, he is one of the special players for the Sacramento Kings. His role is going to continue to grow. Once this season is up, it's going to be a bidding war. Any time he needs me for his camp, I'm right here."
Current Boilermakers Robbie Hummel and E'Twaun Moore welcomed Landry's invitation to speak to campers on Monday morning.
"It says a lot about Carl that he will come back to West Lafayette and do this," Hummel said. "He is not even from here. He could do this in Milwaukee, which is where he is from.
"It shows how much he cares about Purdue and this community. He feels like he owes it to them after they supported him for three years. It's great. It's definitely fun for me. The kids asked some funny questions. It's fun to get to talk to them."
http://www.jconline.com/article/20100720/SPORTS02010201/7200329/NBA-success-surprises-former-Purdue-star-Landry
Mandry!
Like almost all successful college basketball players, former Purdue standout Carl Landry aspired to play in the NBA.
But as Landry prepares for a fourth professional season, the 6-foot-9, 248-pound forward has surpassed his expectations.
In the final year of his current contract, Landry is scheduled to earn $3 million this season playing for the Sacramento Kings. The Kings acquired him from the Houston Rockets in a multi-team trade Feb. 18 that also sent Tracy McGrady to the New York Knicks.
Landry, who averaged 18.4 points and 7.1 rebounds in a 64-game Purdue career, is coming off a season in which he averaged 16.8 points and 5.9 rebounds in 80 games.
"Had I looked back three years ago coming out of Purdue and told myself I would be where I am today, I never would have thought I would be here," Landry said Monday morning at West Lafayette High School, where he is conducting a basketball camp for kids.
"Through hard work and dedication, I'm here. I'm happy to be where I'm at. I'm not settled. I want to be a lot better. I have to keep working."
Landry averaged 16.1 points and 5.5 rebounds in 52 games with Houston, then averaged 18 points and 6.5 rebounds in 28 games with Sacramento as a full-time starter.
"I think it has been maturing on the court," Landry said of his consistent NBA improvement. "When I was a rookie, things were going a thousand miles an hour. I didn't really understand the game, and I didn't really understand the NBA lifestyle.
"I've let things come to me. I never take things for granted. I'm just relaxing when I'm on the court, but at the same time, I'm giving it my all."
When the 2010-11 season ends, Landry will become a free agent. He says he would like to stay in Sacramento but makes no promises.
"At the end of the day, I understand it's a business, and I have to make the best decision for myself, my family and friends and the people I love most," Landry said.
"Sacramento is not as big as Houston nor (hometown) Milwaukee. But I'm not out there to party. I'm out there to play basketball. That's my job. I do that and come home and relax. I'm happy with that. That's all I need in my life right now."
David Teague, Landry's Purdue teammate who played professionally last season in Germany, is assisting his friend with this basketball camp.
"I'm so proud of Carl," Teague said. "He has come so far, from not getting to play much in high school to having to go to a junior college and then coming to Purdue and making a name for himself.
"He helped turn that Rockets franchise around. Now, he is one of the special players for the Sacramento Kings. His role is going to continue to grow. Once this season is up, it's going to be a bidding war. Any time he needs me for his camp, I'm right here."
Current Boilermakers Robbie Hummel and E'Twaun Moore welcomed Landry's invitation to speak to campers on Monday morning.
"It says a lot about Carl that he will come back to West Lafayette and do this," Hummel said. "He is not even from here. He could do this in Milwaukee, which is where he is from.
"It shows how much he cares about Purdue and this community. He feels like he owes it to them after they supported him for three years. It's great. It's definitely fun for me. The kids asked some funny questions. It's fun to get to talk to them."
http://www.jconline.com/article/20100720/SPORTS02010201/7200329/NBA-success-surprises-former-Purdue-star-Landry