SPARKY
07-05-2006, 11:04 PM
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/0705suns07050.html
Sato may fill Suns' need
Paul Coro
The Arizona Republic
Jul. 5, 2006 12:00 AM
Romain Sato's American journey began with a mother's dream for him to get a college degree.
It continues in Phoenix this week with his unfulfilled dream to play in a NBA game.
Warriors don't give up. That is the requisite mind-set back home in the Central African Republic. He left there for Dayton, Ohio, seven years ago as an exchange student with no grasp of English and a shaky hold on the game of basketball.
He never stopped working, becoming a four-year starter and graduate at Xavier (Ohio) University. He was a second-round pick of San Antonio in 2004 but stayed on the injured list, for lack of an inactive list then. After a season in Italy and a month of play in Spain, he has found himself in the ideal spot to prove his NBA worth again.
The Suns, after not making a draft pick last week, have at least three roster slots to fill and need depth on the wings. Sato, 25, is a 6-foot-5 shooting guard with a 7-foot wingspan and nothing but kind words out of San Antonio, where he was waived to make room for Nazr Mohammed in February 2005.
"It's exciting," said Sato, whose Xavier 2004 Elite Eight backcourt mate Lionel Chalmers also will be in the Suns camp. "God's always got my plan. I feel good about it. With nobody drafted, I've got a chance. I'll come in and work hard, do whatever the coaches want and hopefully make it."
Showing a consistent ability to hit shots in the two-a-day rookie/free-agent camp today and Thursday and in five Vegas Summer League games would go a long way toward earning his first NBA minute.
He was the go-to scorer this season for Sicc Jesi, an Italian League second division team. He averaged 25.6 points and 7.5 rebounds in the regular season and 35.0 points and 14.6 rebounds in the playoffs. That is from a guy who never led Xavier in scoring because he was so defense- and rebound-oriented.
Between the time he spent learning from Spurs guards Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Brent Barry and Bruce Bowen and his season in Italy, Sato feels more prepared for this NBA chance than in last year's Chicago camp invitation.
"As long as you're playing against better guys, you're getting better," Sato said of his Spurs season. "So when I went to Italy, I wanted to work hard and show people that I was better in all parts of the game. I do all the little things. I put it all together so I feel good about it. But I've still got a lot to learn."
Sato, fluent in six languages, sounds like a teacher's pet. He thanked Thad Matta, then a Xavier assistant, for every rebound on his first day of practicing jumpers there. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich called him "a sponge, in that he just wants to learn everything he can." He already figured out an NBA job is here for the taking.
Sato may fill Suns' need
Paul Coro
The Arizona Republic
Jul. 5, 2006 12:00 AM
Romain Sato's American journey began with a mother's dream for him to get a college degree.
It continues in Phoenix this week with his unfulfilled dream to play in a NBA game.
Warriors don't give up. That is the requisite mind-set back home in the Central African Republic. He left there for Dayton, Ohio, seven years ago as an exchange student with no grasp of English and a shaky hold on the game of basketball.
He never stopped working, becoming a four-year starter and graduate at Xavier (Ohio) University. He was a second-round pick of San Antonio in 2004 but stayed on the injured list, for lack of an inactive list then. After a season in Italy and a month of play in Spain, he has found himself in the ideal spot to prove his NBA worth again.
The Suns, after not making a draft pick last week, have at least three roster slots to fill and need depth on the wings. Sato, 25, is a 6-foot-5 shooting guard with a 7-foot wingspan and nothing but kind words out of San Antonio, where he was waived to make room for Nazr Mohammed in February 2005.
"It's exciting," said Sato, whose Xavier 2004 Elite Eight backcourt mate Lionel Chalmers also will be in the Suns camp. "God's always got my plan. I feel good about it. With nobody drafted, I've got a chance. I'll come in and work hard, do whatever the coaches want and hopefully make it."
Showing a consistent ability to hit shots in the two-a-day rookie/free-agent camp today and Thursday and in five Vegas Summer League games would go a long way toward earning his first NBA minute.
He was the go-to scorer this season for Sicc Jesi, an Italian League second division team. He averaged 25.6 points and 7.5 rebounds in the regular season and 35.0 points and 14.6 rebounds in the playoffs. That is from a guy who never led Xavier in scoring because he was so defense- and rebound-oriented.
Between the time he spent learning from Spurs guards Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Brent Barry and Bruce Bowen and his season in Italy, Sato feels more prepared for this NBA chance than in last year's Chicago camp invitation.
"As long as you're playing against better guys, you're getting better," Sato said of his Spurs season. "So when I went to Italy, I wanted to work hard and show people that I was better in all parts of the game. I do all the little things. I put it all together so I feel good about it. But I've still got a lot to learn."
Sato, fluent in six languages, sounds like a teacher's pet. He thanked Thad Matta, then a Xavier assistant, for every rebound on his first day of practicing jumpers there. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich called him "a sponge, in that he just wants to learn everything he can." He already figured out an NBA job is here for the taking.