Batum is disapointed

[romain.star]

In an interview in L'equipe, Batum confessed he had set up a strategy with his agent to be picked by SA. He was really looking forward to be picked by the spurs. He admited that his aim was really to go to SA. He says he was praying after every pick not be the next one, waiting for the 26th.

It looks like he really wanted to go to SA

too bad

[anakha]

If that's true, Houston/Portland may have just wasted themselves a pick.

[Kori Ellis]

@ he had set up a strategy with his agent

The Spurs didn't really want him.

[timvp]

Interesting. Do you have a link?

[romain.star]

http://www.lequipe.fr/Basket/breves2...-pres_Dev.html

sorry it's in french

[Mr. Body]

@ he had set up a strategy with his agent

The Spurs didn't really want him.

Sure they did.

[angelbelow]

im sure they did want him, but they wanted our boy georgie boy more. who knows maybe batums rights are traded for the TE since hes projected to be in europe next year.

[Kori Ellis]

Sure they did.

Then why did they tell George Hill that they were picking him at 26 if he was available?

[timvp]

From reading that interview in babelfish, I really think the Spurs told him he'd be the pick. I'm guessing the Spurs wanted either Batum or Hill. Who did they want more?

I guess we'll never know. Batum was expecting to be picked at 26 ... but so was Hill.

[Mr. Body]

Then why did they tell George Hill that they were picking him at 26 if he was available?

Uh... he said that after he was drafted, right? You figure it out.

[timvp]

Uh... he said that after he was drafted, right? You figure it out.

Uh, Hill's camp was expecting the Spurs to take him at 26.

[Mr. Body]

Uh, Hill's camp was expecting the Spurs to take him at 26.

There are plenty of statements of surprise at being taken so high.

[Streakyshooter08]

Interesting. I would have liked if they got Batum. But it is too early to say wether the draft was a success or not. Maybe Hill will surprise a lot of people, who knows.

[Buddy Holly]

From reading that interview in babelfish, I really think the Spurs told him he'd be the pick. I'm guessing the Spurs wanted either Batum or Hill. Who did they want more?

I guess we'll never know. Batum was expecting to be picked at 26 ... but so was Hill.

I think it was Hill by the simple fact that they openly sighed relief when Batum was taken.

[Mr. Body]

I think it was Hill by the simple fact that they openly sighed relief when Batum was taken.

They really thought Houston was about to take George Hill?

[angelbelow]

some articles claims that spurs were celebrating after batum got picked. i think they wanted hill more.

[timvp]

There are plenty of statements of surprise at being taken so high.

Not really from his camp. They were expecting 26. Didn't sound like a cut and dry promise but it also sounded like it would have been surprising if the Spurs would have passed.

[Kori Ellis]

Uh... he said that after he was drafted, right? You figure it out.

Did you read the George Hill blog that was going on DURING the draft?

[Bruno]

Batum also said that Pop tell him that he wanted to put him in the rotation as soon as next year because they had aging swingmen.

Anyway, no Batum, F Portland...

[timvp]

"It’s been a childhood dream," Hill said. “I’m excited to be going to a class organization like the Spurs. I worked out for them twice and really hit it off with (Gregg Popovich). They told me if I was there at 26, they’d take me.

So if Batum and Hill were on the board, who would the Spurs have taken?

I guess that is the answer we will never know.

[Mr. Body]

I'll read Hill's draft diary. I will not believe what the player says after the fact. I fully believe Batum was the target and they got stymied. They had to pull Hill sooner than they wanted.

[timvp]

9:53 pm: Anticipation grows for the Spurs' pick at No. 26. I talk briefly with George's Godfather, Mike Saunders. Saunders' alternates between clutching his Sanyo phone and plugging it in to it's charger. Saunders admits it would've been nice for George's name to have already been called, but now action will start heating up.

9:54 pm: Saunders and Knox share a hug and start clapping their hands as the Spurs go on the clock. Meanwhile, the crowd is gravitating to George, who has shifted positions to the center of the room behind the sofa.

10:02 pm: PANDEMONIUM! George, meet Tim Duncan and Tony Parker, you're now a proud member of the San Antonio Spurs! The Spurs have just gained about 75 fans inside this building. People are clapping, crying, hugging and exchanging high fives.

Hill went from a huge smile to tears in about 2.3 seconds after Stern uttered his name.

Sounds like the Spurs promised both Hill and Batum

Damn it, the Rockets should have sold their pick to the Spurs as repayment for the Scola trade . . .

[Buddy Holly]

I'll read Hill's draft diary. I will not believe what the player says after the fact. I fully believe Batum was the target and they got stymied. They had to pull Hill sooner than they wanted.

Because Pop is too proud to say that his number one choice was off the board when they picked. Instead, because he has soooo much pride he decided to say every pick they wanted was available.

Dude, live in your little bubble world.

[timvp]

Last year the Spurs flat out said Splitter was their second pick. Pop and RC both sound like Hill was their man. But this Batum news makes me unsure about which was their man.

Although like I've been saying for the last few days, the Spurs had good intel that Batum was going to Portland one way or another. Portland buying a pick to get Batum was not a surprise at all from what I've heard.

[Mr. Body]

I don't read a promise in that draft diary. Pretty dubious, but whatever. So the Spurs promised two players. Or one player is lying. Meanwhile there's a bit of fishiness with the physical and the league-wide email the team sent off the day before the draft you fail to account for. What was that, cover up? Just an inside joke? A code to meet at Cheesecake Factory?

Nah, what I read in that draft diary is, once Batum got picked, the Spurs called George Hill's camp and let them know he was their selection. They knew before the crowd knew.

But no, your explanation is so much better.