A french article about Mahinmi

[Bruno]

It's an article from a French newspaper so no link.
I've made a rough translation of it. If you don't understand a part of the article, just ask me and I will try to provide a better translation.

Newspaper "l'équipe"
by Olivier Pheulpin
San Antonio

Mahinmi at the school of Spurs

Very studious pupil, the former Pau player has started to discover the work with the NBA champion team and with the exemplary Tim Duncan

As the most often, at the end of practices, Ian Mahinmi listen politely. It's the right at ude for a 20 years old player who discovers a new world. Being 6'11" high isn't a that big edge in the NBA world, so Mahinmi makes himself as small. Quinn Snider, coach of the Toros and his assistant coach Roy Rogers give him again a lot of advices after having spoken with Greg Popovich. Even if he has spend the whole summer in SA, Mahinmi is a true rookie.

Polite, discrete and Curious about everything, Mahinmi lives a learning at a very high speed with Tim Duncan as teacher. To be every day with such a star could can be intimidating, even if the hidden face of Tim Duncan, ready to make tons of jokes, is really helpful to break the ice. To play 1 vs 1 against the former NBA MVP isn't an easy task at all but Mahinmi is really happy to play against one of the best player in the world. "He has a little, little edge on me" said Mahinmi while laughing. "But that's what I want. Playing daily against him helps me a lot. Everything in his game is well thought.To have him as a teacher is a huge edge". Mahinmi has still understood the most important lesson, To succeed with NBA champions, it's really important to listen every pieces of advices given by the big Tim. "He speaks to me a lot and I've still learned a lot with him given that I have practiced with him since July." Even if his future is everything but sure, Ian knows how lucky he is and he didn't want to waste it. Even more after a first warning with his chest injury at the start of the summer.This injury has happened a bad moment, it was just before the summer league where Mahinmi should show his improvements.

Despite this event, Spurs FO has finally offered him a two years contract with a $782,300 salary for the first year and a $841,000 salary for the second year. The 28th pick of the 2005 draft is a project, a project for the future with physical abilities noticed by everybody. "We will be patient with him" said RC Buford. "It's up to him to improve his game enough that the question didn't exist". The question of this start of the training camp is about the future jersey of Ian. The Spurs one ? Or the Toros one ? "He is a good player. He has huge upside' said Tony Parker after a training at the weighting room. "I think that it's looks promising."

While the French PG works on his physical to be ready for a nba season, The other French player wait his time. It will start on Tuesday at Dallas before a home game against Panathinaikos. TP won't play but Ian will play a lot : "I'm very impatient to show what I can do. I will try to take my chance" said he with hunger. The investment should be a good one. If Greg Popovich gives a lot of advices to the young player, nobody gives a word about eh future of the young Frenchman. "We will communicate on it when a decision will be taken." said Tom James, Spurs press relation guy. Mahinmi only choice is to be patient : "everything goes well for the moment. I'm well physically and everybody help me, especially guys like Elson and Finley. It's really a very impressing team, where people are very close. I'm very fine but everything is still to do. A lot of things can happen during the training camp".

In case of bad news, he will learn to know Austin and the Toros. His future destinations will be Sioux Falls, Forth Worth, Tulsa or Bismarck. These names are for sure less exciting than NBA names. But while waiting better...

[timvp]

Nice article. Thanks for the translation

I don't think anyone knows what to expect out of Mahinmi during the preseason. Is he going to be a young Nazr with less scoring ability or is he going to challenge Elson for playing time?

I guess we'll find out . . .

[ChumpDumper]

The only thing he is going to challenge Elson for is the highest number of missed rotations.

There is still a pretty big stigma about being sent down to the D-League -- at least in the media -- but hopefully guys like Ian and Marcus see it as an opportunity.

And somebody tell the reporter for the leadng French sports paper that there is no longer a team in Fort Worth.

[Solid D]

The concerns I have for Ian playing at the NBA level right now is his maturity, physically as well as mentally. His lower body resembles that of a newborn fawn compared with some of the stronger-trunked pivot players at this level. He'd better be able to front players well at this stage because he will get posted-up and he will foul, guaranteed.

I am not sure how well he has improved his scoring outside the paint over the summer but that has also been lacking in his game. If the kid is a sponge and can replicate or adapt what he learns from Timmy, then he may just make this team....next season.

[objective]

it'd be nice if somehow the Spurs got David Robinson to tutor Mahinmi like the Lakers have Abdul-Jabbar for Bynum.

Going against Duncan in training camp is nice, but once camp ends the practices will be few and far between and Duncan probably won't be too available for one-on-one work with Mahinmi.

[Summers]

Cool article. Thanks for posting.