Roger Mason Jr.: An unfinished portrait
by Jesse Blanchard
Whether through a series of unfortunate cir stances or simply misplaced expectations, The Legacy of Big Shot Rog will likely end as one of the most regrettably unfinished chapters in recent San Antonio Spurs history.
Roger Mason Jr. came to San Antonio with little expectations from Spurs fans but quickly endeared himself to the AT&T Center crowds with clutch shot after clutch shot. There was the Clippers game. The Phoenix Suns on Christmas. The Lakers and Celtics. He was Big Shot Rog:
His shot is so elegant. He is the essence of a pure shooter. His feet are square. His hands are high. His body and the floor form a perfect right angle. He can stop on a dime and still go straight up. And even when being fouled, which obviously limits his ability to maintain such idyllic physical composition, the mangled forms of his shot shine through. You see each little puzzle piece working tirelessly to make sure the shot remains on target. Some might call it “focus” but I think it comes from something slightly different. It radiates from his confidence. Not just confidence. Charisma. Roger Mason Jr.’s late game heroics are like an unexpected baptism.
That portrait of Roger Mason Jr., written over a year ago by Graydon, was everything the San Antonio Spurs needed this season. Because of that first impression, head coach Gregg Popovich stuck with Mason through all of his struggles. But even given every opportunity, Mason never had a chance.
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God. That is sooooo true. After those big shots last year, I think we were all on the RMJ bandwaggon. Even as late as halfway through this year, I was waiting for him to return to that player that beat the Lakers, Suns, etc. And for the rest of the year I kept thinking that he would get hot somewhere, sometime. And now that he says he was injured the whole time, I'm wondering again. Anyone still think he has something?
He can get back to where he was by getting away from Pop and by not having to play PG. Pop has a way of helping some players reach their potential while destroying others by playing them out of position.
I don't know about that. It seems like whenever he gets the ball, he is looking for a 3 point shot and not necessarily the best bball play. I have no idea of the stats but it seemed like when he dribbled into the lane and took the 15 foot jumper, he was pretty accurate.
He would have been better had he not retired in February.
haha an unfinished portrait...
The guys wasn't injured during last year's playoffs. No excuses, he just fell off. Can't say why. Had he kept that deadly shooting touch, who knows how this season would've turned out.
I would say his portrait is VERY finished at this point. He was a shooter who came into our system with confidence and looking to contribute. He leaves as a guy who lost his shot, his confidence and who never recovered.
Some stories finish with a whimper.
It is quite simple: Some guys have a terminal case of small balls. It prevents them from coming through in the clutch. Not to be confused with small ball, which keeps you from getting out of the second round. lol.
Lol How people keep blaming pop for this bum is beyond me. This dude had so many chances this year. I don't remember him playing PG at all either... He was always out there with Tony or Hill or Manu. The guy lost it (or maybe it was his hurt hand) but it wasn't pop who made him miss wide open shot after wide open shot and missed rotation after missed rotation.
Yes. Time to move on.
Blanchard just had to find a way to show off his watercolor skills:
Not bad, Jesse.
This. The whole PG experiment was a lesson in futility. He was never the same after that fiasco. He needs to be shooting the rock, not pounding it.
Mason was decent in his first two months since January of 2009 he's one the worst players I ever see in a Spurs uniform
I try to feel sorry for him, but he's just been too disappointing in the playoffs.
Time to move on. Even though it's way overdue.
One of the worst players I've seen in the NBA in a long time that consistently received quality minutes throughout the regular season.
Are we talking about a free agent that can‘t help us at all？
i think a lot of people tend to diminish just how much of a up RMJ was in his second year as a spur in light of how ty RJ was as well. still, i think a year equal to what he did last year could've, perhaps, pushed this team to a Finals' appearance and maybe more. a royal dissapointment. and there's no excuse for him. RJ at least has the excuse that his skillset doesn't fit with our offense, but that can't be said for RMJ.
It's obvious that his hand injury affected his shooting touch, but his defense was beyond horrid.
Yes its all Pop's fault that RMJ couldn't hit an open jump shot.
Quite clearly.
Hey I went from one of RMJ's biggest fans to dreading when he hit the court almost as much as Finely. He just could not make up for his lost shot. Shame about his contract and he always seemed to be a good character. I wish him well, but it is time to move on. If only to give our young guys more time.
Just get rid of Mason and Bonner in the offseason. Dammit, it's so simple.
Trade request plus poor performance means there's almost no chance we see Mason next year.
Bonner returning with a significant pay cut remains, unfortunately, a possibility.
Corporate knowledge, stretch 4, sandwiches....
This
He used to be a better decision maker before the PG experiment
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