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They'll keep him as long as they don't need a playoff caliber point guard, which should be a while.
He isn't spectacular like Jason Williams. He hasn't humbled the Los Angeles Lakers with a leaning, last-second jumper in the playoffs. He doesn't have an entourage. Heck, he didn't even have a job when the season began.
But as the Kings crawl toward the draft lottery and another offseason of changes, Beno Udrih, despite having unusually small hands and fingers for an NBA point guard, retains a vise-like grip on the starting position.
He wants them. They need him. Assuming the free agent-to-be and his bosses reach agreement this summer on a long-term contract – and according to all the parties, this is a reasonable assumption – the job will be Udrih's for the foreseeable future.
"Everybody feels he has been a great acquisition," Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie said. "But the free-agency thing … I can't talk about."Udrih, in fact, has improved by the week, most notably since returning to the starting lineup following Bibby's swap to the Atlanta Hawks on Feb. 16. Stronger and quicker than he appears at 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds, Udrih is increasingly productive on pick-and-rolls, on curls into the lane for midrange jumpers, or knifing to the basket and eluding defenders with crafty, left-handed reverse layups. As much as anything, it's his European style of play – the ability to penetrate the lane, draw defenders and then find open teammates for dunks and jumpers – that draws the highest praise from Kings officials.
"Beno has earned the right to take control of the team," coach Reggie Theus said. "He goes deep into the paint, much better than I expected, and he takes hard hits. The last few weeks he has been really aggressive, which is what I want to see. … One night he came over to the huddle, and he complained that someone wasn't passing the ball. I said, 'Beno, why the are you telling me? You're the point guard. Go tell him.' I think he has a strong enough personality to demand that."http://www.sacbee.com/100/story/781908.htmlAnd by all accounts – Cornstein's included – he is thriving under Theus' pointed tutelage.
Though not as acerbic as the Spurs' respected Gregg Popovich, Theus is just as quick with the critiques. He thinks Beno can defend better. He wants Beno to attack the rim more. Intrigued by his point guard's talent, he wants more and more from Beno.
They'll keep him as long as they don't need a playoff caliber point guard, which should be a while.
Good for Beno. And good riddance, too.
He doesn't have an entourage.
He wants them. They need him. Assuming the free agent-to-be and his bosses reach agreement this summer on a long-term contract – and according to all the parties, this is a reasonable assumption – the job will be Udrih's for the foreseeable future.
He's playing very well for them. I've watched plenty of games and he makes no where near the mistakes he was in SA. I don't know if it's to do with a different system, not having to look over his shoulder at the coach all the time, or just being happy to be out of SA. He attacks at will, passes the ball extremely well, and you have to respect his jumper.
Trading Bibby was both a savings move and to make Udrih their #1 pg.
He works for them whereas he didn't work for SA.
Typical former Spurs formula. Don't do anything here but get moved to another team and become an All-Star.
Our teams most of the time is the big 3 and role players
Wonder how he fares against pressure defense
I hope they let him leave. We can always find room for him in Houston. I think he failed in SA because some players don't react well to Pops type of pressure.
So Udrih is an all-star, but these guys aren't?
LeBron
D Howard
Chris Paul
Come on Leonard, you should know better. Beno's got rings.
Oh yea...duh...
I thought of Spurs fan last night when the Sacramento commentators were talking about how much they love Beno--- because he hustles every play and works so hard...
They talked some more about the Tasmanian Slovenian-- when he spun in the lane and scored- and this nickname has even made it to his Wikipedia entry.
Needless to say- I am very happy for him.
He made a move on Sportscenter Highlights last night that I had to rewind and check that it was Udrih because I had never seen that man move anywhere NEAR as fast during any game as a Spur.
It is so weird that some players just do not play their game under Pop, but goes to show that he has a system, and the Spurs are constantly looking for people to fit into that system.
Too bad the he sucked as a Spur.
Lives in Cali and makes millions a year... He's laughing at us all.
Sacramento is not really considered Cali...Imagine a place where all of Larry the cable guy’s relatives live…
and everyone rides huge trucks with NOR CAL stickers on them... oh ya and they get hyphy and stupidSacramento is not really considered Cali...Imagine a place where all of Larry the cable guy’s relatives live…
The only thing could be worse is Beno playing for Rockets!!!
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