Bruno
03-21-2008, 07:39 AM
http://www.statesman.com/horns/content/sports/stories/other/03/21/0321golden.html
By Cedric Golden
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Friday, March 21, 2008
It's easy to see why the San Antonio Spurs spent a 2005 first-round draft pick on France's Ian Mahinmi.
And it's not because he bears any resemblance to Tony Parker.
Now why would San Antonio have any interest in this kid?
Let's see. He's 6 feet, 11 inches, 230 pounds, with long arms. Athletic and nimble, he can shoot a jump hook with either hand and can make jump shots out 18 feet. He's particularly good on the elbow (the corners of the lane) and runs well.
Yes, he's ever heard of Wake Forest University and the Virgin Islands. And he doesn't swim, just in case you you're wondering.
Okay, the 21-year Austin Toros rookie center does have certain similarities to Spurs superstar Tim Duncan, and there are more.
He owns a house in San Antonio. He's actually played for the San Antonio Spurs (five games, to be exact) and is good friends with a French all-star. His answer to Duncan's friendship with Parker? None other than soccer player Thierry Henry (the guy in the shaving commercial with Tiger Woods and Roger Federer).
Similarities aside, Mahinmi is playing in U.S. for the first time. At 21, he's accustomed to life on the road, and any bout of homesickness is cured with a visit to his sister in New York City or his brother in Calgary.
"I'm enjoying the U.S., and I'm getting to learn a new style of basketball,'' he said. "New rules, new referees and new teammates. But at the end of the day, it's still basketball."
He's probably seen enough of that 74-mile stretch between Austin and San Antonio to last him a lifetime, though he insists he will be a full-time Spur in 2009. He's played a total of 23 minutes with the big boys this season, but real development will only come with a heavy workload. Those minutes are readily available in the D-League with the Toros.
"When the Spurs call, I'm ready,'' he said. "And when they send me back to Austin, I'm ready to play then too. It's part of the process."
Mahinmi scored 10 points and grabbed nine rebounds in Thursday's 110-75 win over the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, and despite making only 3 of 11 field goal attempts, he showed why the San Antonio brass sees him as a major contributor in the near future.
He entered the game averaging 16.6 and 7.9 rebounds, promising numbers for player still finding his way on this side of the ocean.
"This is his first time playing NBA basketball,'' said Spurs director of pro player personnel Dell Demps. "He spent his whole life playing European basketball, and that's a different style than we play here.
"We're hoping in the next couple of years, he will be a rotation player for the Spurs."
Versatile as he is, Mahinmi is a project.
The 28th pick in the first round was well worth the risk, given his upside. And he's in a good situation with an organization that's in no hurry to rush him to the pros because Mr. Duncan still has a few hundred bank shots left in this deep pockets.
That doesn't mean this aging front line that includes Duncan (who turns 32 next month), Fabricio Oberto (33), Robert Horry (37) and newcomer Kurt Thomas (35) couldn't use some youth coming off the bench in the next couple of seasons.
That's presumably where Mahinmi and 6-11 Brazilian Tiago Splitter, the team's top pick in the 2007 draft, will step in.
"I want to give them energy,'' Mahinmi said. "Running and jumping, playing defense. All the things a young man brings to a team."
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich told me last week that he loves Mahinmi's athleticism. He sees this apprenticeship in the Development League as an opportunity for Mahinmi to find out what he does best and what he needs to improve before he can make the permanent step to the NBA.
He has the talent to end up in the San Antonio rotation by the start of next season. In other words, this is the right place for Mahinmi.
At this point, he's much better off working on his game for 30 to 35 minutes a game with the Toros than he is sitting on the bench at a packed AT&T Center. Besides, the NBA guys rarely practice, and this kid would probably just waste away on the pine.
Between those stints on Interstate 35, he will need to figure out how to stay on the court. Mahinmi is second in the D-League in fouls per game at 4.2 — a few too many personals, considering he's playing only 29.5 minutes per game. That adds up to 6.9 fouls per 48 minutes, enough hacks to get him a free taxi license.
The meter was running Thursday as Mahinmi committed two quick fouls in the first 1:53 against Rio Grande Valley and took a seat next to coach Quin Snyder before returning with five minutes left in the first half.
It was easy to see that Snyder is careful with his charge after Mahinmi scored inside with 8:12 left in the third. On his next trip down the court, Mahinmi committed a foul No. 3 going for a rebound.
Seat next to coach.
It's all part of the maturing process.
Lessons can only be learned when mistakes are made.
Progress will come in its own time, and young Mahinmi is learning in both D-leagues — NBA and life.
By Cedric Golden
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Friday, March 21, 2008
It's easy to see why the San Antonio Spurs spent a 2005 first-round draft pick on France's Ian Mahinmi.
And it's not because he bears any resemblance to Tony Parker.
Now why would San Antonio have any interest in this kid?
Let's see. He's 6 feet, 11 inches, 230 pounds, with long arms. Athletic and nimble, he can shoot a jump hook with either hand and can make jump shots out 18 feet. He's particularly good on the elbow (the corners of the lane) and runs well.
Yes, he's ever heard of Wake Forest University and the Virgin Islands. And he doesn't swim, just in case you you're wondering.
Okay, the 21-year Austin Toros rookie center does have certain similarities to Spurs superstar Tim Duncan, and there are more.
He owns a house in San Antonio. He's actually played for the San Antonio Spurs (five games, to be exact) and is good friends with a French all-star. His answer to Duncan's friendship with Parker? None other than soccer player Thierry Henry (the guy in the shaving commercial with Tiger Woods and Roger Federer).
Similarities aside, Mahinmi is playing in U.S. for the first time. At 21, he's accustomed to life on the road, and any bout of homesickness is cured with a visit to his sister in New York City or his brother in Calgary.
"I'm enjoying the U.S., and I'm getting to learn a new style of basketball,'' he said. "New rules, new referees and new teammates. But at the end of the day, it's still basketball."
He's probably seen enough of that 74-mile stretch between Austin and San Antonio to last him a lifetime, though he insists he will be a full-time Spur in 2009. He's played a total of 23 minutes with the big boys this season, but real development will only come with a heavy workload. Those minutes are readily available in the D-League with the Toros.
"When the Spurs call, I'm ready,'' he said. "And when they send me back to Austin, I'm ready to play then too. It's part of the process."
Mahinmi scored 10 points and grabbed nine rebounds in Thursday's 110-75 win over the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, and despite making only 3 of 11 field goal attempts, he showed why the San Antonio brass sees him as a major contributor in the near future.
He entered the game averaging 16.6 and 7.9 rebounds, promising numbers for player still finding his way on this side of the ocean.
"This is his first time playing NBA basketball,'' said Spurs director of pro player personnel Dell Demps. "He spent his whole life playing European basketball, and that's a different style than we play here.
"We're hoping in the next couple of years, he will be a rotation player for the Spurs."
Versatile as he is, Mahinmi is a project.
The 28th pick in the first round was well worth the risk, given his upside. And he's in a good situation with an organization that's in no hurry to rush him to the pros because Mr. Duncan still has a few hundred bank shots left in this deep pockets.
That doesn't mean this aging front line that includes Duncan (who turns 32 next month), Fabricio Oberto (33), Robert Horry (37) and newcomer Kurt Thomas (35) couldn't use some youth coming off the bench in the next couple of seasons.
That's presumably where Mahinmi and 6-11 Brazilian Tiago Splitter, the team's top pick in the 2007 draft, will step in.
"I want to give them energy,'' Mahinmi said. "Running and jumping, playing defense. All the things a young man brings to a team."
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich told me last week that he loves Mahinmi's athleticism. He sees this apprenticeship in the Development League as an opportunity for Mahinmi to find out what he does best and what he needs to improve before he can make the permanent step to the NBA.
He has the talent to end up in the San Antonio rotation by the start of next season. In other words, this is the right place for Mahinmi.
At this point, he's much better off working on his game for 30 to 35 minutes a game with the Toros than he is sitting on the bench at a packed AT&T Center. Besides, the NBA guys rarely practice, and this kid would probably just waste away on the pine.
Between those stints on Interstate 35, he will need to figure out how to stay on the court. Mahinmi is second in the D-League in fouls per game at 4.2 — a few too many personals, considering he's playing only 29.5 minutes per game. That adds up to 6.9 fouls per 48 minutes, enough hacks to get him a free taxi license.
The meter was running Thursday as Mahinmi committed two quick fouls in the first 1:53 against Rio Grande Valley and took a seat next to coach Quin Snyder before returning with five minutes left in the first half.
It was easy to see that Snyder is careful with his charge after Mahinmi scored inside with 8:12 left in the third. On his next trip down the court, Mahinmi committed a foul No. 3 going for a rebound.
Seat next to coach.
It's all part of the maturing process.
Lessons can only be learned when mistakes are made.
Progress will come in its own time, and young Mahinmi is learning in both D-leagues — NBA and life.