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Given the investment was only 1.4 mil yr, I don't see it as high risk or anything. NDC could actually surprise a lot of ppl.
Yeah, their game is similar, but Manu makes the efficency his strength while nando's is OJ Mayo style.. Maybe Pops can fix his shot a bit to make it more reliable, it would be huge for us.
Given the investment was only 1.4 mil yr, I don't see it as high risk or anything. NDC could actually surprise a lot of ppl.
Nando definitely looks like he has great court vision. There were at least 3 passes he made to the interior in the half court set that could have easily been dunks/layups. I wouldn't be surprised if he averages close to 5 assists a night. He also seems to have a sneaky athleticism. I'm not expecting another Manu, but I am expecting a player that can break down defenses should pick and rolls be switched all the time (I.E OKC defense on Spurs in the playoffs)
Yeah, i didn't mean financially, but in terms of minutes taken from other young players .. Actually his game might translate better into the nba than to fiba basket, since there's so much more transition game.
Definitely great passer and great court vision, but i don't see a long-term PG. He will definitely be a SG in the NBA that could play some minutes as a PG if required (like Manu for example).
Of the four possible back ups (him plus Neal, Mills and Joseph) De Colo looked to me like, at the Olimpics at least, the best ball handler and having the best court vision.
And that, imho, is a big plus; looks a little like Manu, in that sense.
Add to that he's already experienced at the international level, he's already developed some chemistry at an high level with two players of the starting five (Parker and Diaw), that he's a decent defender (way better than Neal, probably well better than Mills, at least just 'cause of his 6'5 size) and that he has a more than decent shoot from outside, and that's why I see him as the best final choice for sharing the back up role at point guard.
Well, I think you've all heard about the 9 assists and the game winning basket...
A video of a De Colo practice of this summer:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151056804716863
Not bad
Nando will give each month an interview to his local newspaper about his new life. His thoughts for November:
http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/sports/na...a4046b0n796421
The start of the season:
After the training camp, it's good to start the season. There is a lot of excitement around this first game among players and fans. I can feel it. People are well informed and tell us "you had to bring back another le". They are used to win it all but the last le was quite a long time ago.
About the first game:
I'm fine about it. We will see how the game will go. During the preseason, I've learned some things. I'm trying to improve on the NBA aspects of the game. But I'm still eager that it starts. Friendly games remain friendly games. You can play a certain amount of time and when the the season start, it's a whole new story. All the players were here last year. I'm the only new player so I have to make one more effort but I'm ready.
His role:
I haven't really talked about it with the coach. Depending on the situation, I will play PG or SG. Nowt of the time in the preseason, I was playing PG. We will see how it will evolve during the season. It's a team that likes to share the ball and I've said to myself when I arrived here that I will fit that role. However, I had to take open shots and not hesitate doing so. That's what assistants coaches told me. Most of the time they are the one giving me Coach's messages.
The "Mini Manu" ?
Compliments are fine. The comparison with Manu Ginobili is flattering but It's behind me and I have to continue to work. I have my own game and he has his owns. Saying that, it's true that there are a lot of resemblances because I've made one or two spectacular passes and some plays a little different that what people are used to see in the NBA. It's a new experience, it's not always easy but, quite frankly, I'm happy with what I've done in the preseason. The coaches, assistants, players are all here to help you. You don't hesitate to ask questions because there is a vocabulary that isn't the same at all than in Europe. It's mostly the case for offensive plays hat aren't called "1", "2", "5" or "jersey" but that are a combination of 3 words for a system. I'm feeling well integrated. Everyone talks with everyone, there are good guys, it's fun.
I don't translate the rest of the interview because it's less interesting. He is just saying how the NBA life is more luxurious than the one in Europe and that he has had his own house for 10 days.
Thanks Bruno. These insights from overseas interviews are always appreciated.
Thanks for the translation. In the herky-jerky Spurs preseason, De Colo did about as well as could have been reasonably expected.
Before too long, I expect Pop to give him a shot in the real rotation.
From France with a Family Flair - Nando De Colo
The Spurs rookie from France stood near the baseline, back to the basket, his path to the paint and view of the post obstructed by a defender on his hip.
Somewhere in the back of Nando De Colo’s head, eyes caught a glimpse of a teammate beneath the rim. With his right hand, De Colo threw a sneaky, behind-the-back bounce pass to Derrick Brown.
To the announcing crew -- “Did you see that!” -- it looked like a spectacular, blind assist. To De Colo, it was simple execution. He discerned a teammate in scoring position, guarded by two Houston Rockets, with a third approaching, and delivered a perfect pass. Brown grabbed the ball, spun around a tangle of arms and legs and laid the ball in.
Such plays throughout the preseason added to a growing reputation and begged a question: Where did De Colo learn to pass like that?
It might have been from his dad, Bruno De Colo, a 6-foot-1 point guard with exceptional playmaking skills back in the day. It might have been from his mother, Nicole De Colo, a 6-foot-0 post with superior passing skills. Or it might have been from one of his older sisters, Sandy or Leila De Colo, both first division players in France before they retired and started families.
continue reading:
http://www.nba.com/spurs/features/12...driguez_decolo
Nice read thanks. It'll be hard to crack the rotation but who knows.
Nando gave another interview to his local newspaper before the Bucks game:
http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/sports/de...ia213b0n878993
The first part is about the life during a road trip. Nando just noticed the difference between Europe and in the NBA where trips are more luxurious and better managed.
About the Miami game, the starting spot and fine:
The fine surprised me. I'm new in this league, I know fines can happen from everywhere for little details. It looks like you can't remove your three stars for a nationally televised game. It makes rest time damn expensive! On the other hand, you can understand it. People have bought their tickets for the game and the NBA remains a show. Saying that, we manage to play a good game despite the loss with a starless B team. It's nice to get some playing time. I knew it since the day before. I was ready for it. You had to take what we give you. I came here to live a new experience. I've talked a lot about it with my family and with Wassim (his French agent) and I didn't see myself ending my career without having given a try to the NBA experience. I'm there and I'm' living at 100%. I practiced as much as possible because we have a lot of time to work on fundamentals and the individual game.That is great. That's really a good rhythm of improvement and of career.
About the limited playing time:
It's not easy to have little playing time. I've got sometimes 5 minutes, I have to take them and using this opportunity to show I can do things on the court. I knew it wouldn't be easy. The Miami game was nice but I've seen tons of players here that have played a good NBA game. It means nothing. I just had to take advantage to that and continue like that to raise my playing time with the season advancing. The coach said nothing special after it. We had a video session to point some details we lack of focus on because we were in control of the game. Pop is a perfectionist and, in every case, he is in the mindset of working more. But, of course, he told us that he was proud of what we did because Miami is the reigning champion and nobody expected that kind of game.
His game with the Toros:
The coach came to see me just after the Memphis game to tell me "tomorrow, you will play with the D-League team, it' just for a game to make you run a little." We had anyway three days without a game. One of two assistants, with whom I often work on my individual game, also told me it would be a way to take some shots. I talk about it with my American agent and with Wassim. They told me the same thing. I went there, did my things and came back. Had it been for more than one game, I would have been worried because I'm here to earn a place in the NBA and ending in the D-League is hash.
About the NBA game:
Like in Spain, you had to be always focus because every single player can surprise you. The difference here is that all the players are physically gifted. You had to react quickly and you can't play slow. You had to be ready to play and play hard. Even if it's like that in some European leagues, it's here a level higher and I like it. The issue is that I'm doing a lot of passes and, now, I need to be more aggressive in the scoring department and with my shot selection. Once I will do that, it will still be a nice thing done.
About his life in SA:
We start to be well settled. The only issue left is my girlfriend's visa. It's really complicated with quite a lot of forms to fill. Aside of that, life is cool. We are starting to work on Christmas. My sisters are coming with their husbands and children. Our schedule with a 10-12 days home-stand around Christmas allow me to be here at that time. We really had to spend once a year some times with the whole family. And I just got my Texas driving license.
Thanks for the find and translation
De Colo REALLY doesn't want to play in the D-League. I think perhaps he doesn't really understand how it wouldn't be a long-term demotion, rather just a way for him to get minutes. Hopefully he plays well enough to avoid ever being sent down but it's definitely a possibility if the Spurs ever get completely healthy and Pop tightens up the rotation.
It's great that he notices that he needs to shoot more. It's much better than Diaw's "meh I'm a facilitator and will shoot when I want to" mindset.
A new interview with his local newspaper he gave a couple of days ago:
http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/sports/na...ia213b0n920419
Nando, after 27 games played including 17 on the road played in less than 2 months, you finally get a little rest?
Since the beginning of the season, it's only the second time we have 2 or 3 days at home like that. We played 6 games last week and still 2 this week. Personally, I'm fine but I'm' not playing 30-35 mpg like some of my teammates. The problem is that we often are on the road where you get more tired. But the coach knows how to manage his team and believes in resting. For him, when you are well rested, you don't need to do 10000 practices before a game to be ready for it. It's a good thing for a team like ours when there isn't only young players and it allows to work hard when there is a practice.
Do you do some extra practices?
Whenever I can, I try to go to the practice facility that is always open. It depends on what I need. When I've played 20+ minutes, I'm going to recover and do a little weight lifting. When I've played less, there are either mandatory practices or I go there to do some shooting and keep the rhythm.
Are you getting used to that high paced life?
Frankly, I am. You had to take the rest time you get and do non-basketball related activities. That's also what the staff wants. They don't want that players are always focused on basketball. Sometimes, they even forbid you to come at the practice facility by saying "tomorrow, it's lockout and nobody can come". It's a franchise that takes care of its players, its staff and, behind that, there is a coach who knows very well how to manage it. He separates basketball and the rest. After games, he is the first to day, if no one knows what to do that there is a bus that goes at some place where you can eat with the staff and players who want it.
Have you still eaten at the same table than coach Pop?
Yes, I have one time. I took the bus thinking going back at the hotel but we were in fact heading to a restaurant. I was there eating with coaches and just Manu as player. I've discovered what they were doing after games. Before that, I was most of the time with Boris, Tony and sometimes french players we were facing.
What did you talk about with your coach?
If there are only 2 or 3 players, we sit at the coaches table, we talk about everything and we a drink a little glass of wine. The coach knows to enjoy good things. It's also the case during travels. He likes when we are in the best travel situations possibles with the best hotels. In LA, we were close to the sea and it seems that we are the only team in the NBA to go at that hotel. It's the coach who wants us not to be downtown and enjoy what's around the hotel. What he really likes is going to good restaurants. We were on time in LA at the same restaurant than him with Boris, Ronny and a french friend. Pop was the one who paid for his table and for ours. That is surprising. You don't expect a coach doing that for his players.
For a month, you have played more. Gregg Popovich made some compliments about you. Are you earning your spot with the team?
Earning my spot is an exaggeration. With this team, you can't say that. They are players that know each other for a long time. There is a hierarchy that will be always respected. What I told to myself is "be ready at every moment". One game, I will play 20 minutes but the next one only 3 minutes and that's how it is. At first, I was more in a role where I was playing for the team but I understood that they also needed that I took some open shots. When I have some playing time and I can play my individual game, I'm doing it. Spurs' roster is deep. There are people at every spot with almost 2 players in front of me at every spot. It's not easy when you are new. But the season is long and the most important are the playoffs because there is only the NBA le in play in this league. It's not like in Spain or in France where they are different les to play each year.
You could have stayed in Europe with a big team like Madrid or Barcelona. No regrets?
No. My first choice was the NBA. Even if I could earn more money and get, at first, more playing time in Europe, it would have pissed me off to end my career without having tried the NBA. I'm there and I'm happy about it. Of course, it would be even better with a little more playing time but the road is long and so is my career. You have to look beyond this year and look at a whole career. It would also have been nice to play in a big European team whose goals were at least to reach the Spanish league or Euroleague finale. I'm in my rookie year and you can't expect to play 20 minutes every game. If I were in a team like Portland, that plays with 4 players, and I didn't play every game, I could have said to myself that there were a problem. It's not the case with this team.There is nothing to say to himself. There is just to be ready and show what you can do on the court without expecting others to screw it up.
Which teammates are you closer to? The other french players?
I'm often with Boris. We are sitting alongside on the plane where we are always at the same place. He is here to help me on tons of things. If I have an issue, he is the first one to help me, so is Tony. After that, I try to talk a little with everybody when the time is right and without pissing them too.
Do you like your new life?
I do. Everything is going well. There are a lot of details to solve aside of basketball but there are only at most one practice per day so you have time to enjoy your private life. Coaches told you like that: "you practice hard the morning and you enjoy your afternoon to think at something else."
Did you still have a house that big?
No, I don't. It's the first time.
Even if you don't a have big contract for a NBA player, you earn quite a lot of money. Do you realize that? Is it a success?
I earn a little more than in Valencia but I don't think too much at that. I have a financial advisor. After that, if I only need a certain amount per month, I won't necessarily spend more. Now that I have this contract, I have to keep working to get a better one in two years, a big one and we will then maybe do things differently.
But do you buy nice things for yourself?
I'm not saying that I put all the money I get on a saving account without touching it. I bought this house. I rather have a place big enough to welcome the whole family (his three sisters, brother in laws and six niece and nephews arrived last Saturday) than having a flat and put them at a hotel. I bought a car and I wanted a 4X4. However, I remain at a level where you had to take care about your money and don't forget there is a life after the basketball. We will see in ten years. For the moment, I don't to tell to myself "I will buy the next Ferrari"" or all these bull s. I will do that when I won't have to worry about money for the rest of my life. Now, it's fine, not too much but not little too. Furthermore, we aren't in Valencia or in France. This house could cost Millions in France. The life in SA isn't as expensive as it is in big cities, you can get bigger houses.
Do you still have find places you like to go?
We sometimes go at the Cantera, a big mall with tons of small shops. I went one or two times downtown but I haven't seen Fort Alamo for the moment. Since I'm here, I haven't had the time to settle in. There is always something to do and it's not over. It would be more stable in January. Now, whenever we got outside it's always to do some shopping. During the first three weeks, I was at Tony's house. I went to practice and go back at his house that was a little further to the practice facility to take Vero (his Spanish girlfriend) and do some shopping for our new life here. I've done only that the first month. My car was almost like my house. Since we are here, we got tons of little life details to solve. Since I left my home to go to Cholet (a French city where he played basketball at 15) and without comparing Cholet, Valencia and SA, I'm quite self sufficient. Now, there are Vero's visa issues to solve when she will be back in January but we have some contacts through NBA people about that. She doesn't like to stay there and do nothing so she will have to find an occupation, a class to follow. You just had to be patient.
Do you miss France?
I miss almost nothing. I know that every summer, I will go back there and I enjoy it. For the life in Spain, it's different. I stayed there 3 years and when I sometimes think back at what I've done there, I've said to myself it was the good life. But I will go back there! I follow soccer, Spanish and French basketball leagues on my phone.
Do you do some rookie duties?
There are always donuts before home games for the morning shoot-around. I had to wake up early for that. The shoot-around is at 10am and for me its 8:30am on the court because we have a 20 minutes individual sessions with assistants coaches and, as a rookie, I go first. It's like for the games, I'm here at 5:00pm for a shooting while the game is at 7:30pm. But it's a good rhythm and it doesn't bother me. There are, sometimes, on the road, towels to bring back but, honestly, it's not a lot to do. These are traditions you had to respect and that's how a team works. It's nothing outrageous. When I was with Cholet youth teams, it was a little worse.
Is the NBA still magic?
You know, I'm not easily impressed by all that. It's not magic but , now that I'm in, I realized that it's exceptional. Medias are talking about it in the whole country. The smallest little play on or off the court end up immediately on TV. Teams are doing everything for you to worry only about basketball. I've already said it but it's the first time I go practicing without carrying a bag or even sneakers. I'm surprised each day about some habits. The funny thing is that American people are really expressive. You do a no look pass and it's the assist of the century! They have a different approach of sports than in Europe. A shot that hit three times the rim before going in is because you had a good soft shooter's touch. In France, we'll say to you "eff, you got lucky". These are little details that makes you happy to practice. The show is also their thing. With a game each day, there are everywhere top5 or top10 plays. They are also following very closely other sports, always at 100%. What made me laugh lately was, at OKC, during a timeout, people wearing a disguise in the crowd. They don't care about looking ridiculous, they just come to root for they team, that's nice.
Let's talk about FNT, are you talking about the 2013 Eurobasket with other French players?
Except when we are together with people from the FNT staff like we were a week ago. It's in our head but there is fist the NBA season.
Did you talk with Parker and Diaw about the QF loss against Spain?
No, no, we don't (smile)... We are just waiting for another game against Spain next summer. We were close to win it, we were in control of the game and it's the experience in the clutch that made the difference. During 7 minutes, we couldn't make a FG but it's the past, we have to think about next summer. The most important is that we won a medal two years ago by being ready from the start, focused on our goals. We don't fear anymore to pay against Spain. Before that, there could have a little fear thinking they were better than us. We now know we can beat them. It could make a difference next summer even if they won't be the only to beat.
You were personally frustrated after the QF against Spain?
Yes, I was a lot. FNT is never easy, you always need to be ready to play.
Could a NBA season change you role with the FNT?
I hope so. Every year, I hope it can change. It''s never easy, I don't know at all what will be my role with the NT. I'm still learning here a lot on my individual game, my shoot, the offensive game. Defensively, being on the court help me to work because our game is very structured.
Very interesting interview. Thanks for translation.
Cool little insights in that interview. These foreign interveiws always seem to be more candid than those for US consumption.
Thanks, Bruno. Nando does appear to have the proper perspective for long term success.
Bruno
Will Nando, Parker and Diaw become tax exiles to avoid the France super tax? If they do, do they get kicked off the NT?
It's possible Nando might not even qualify I guess, but Parker must be getting destroyed with Blair-sized take home pay.
Tony is an American citizen. I didn't know that until a recent interview that I believe was posted here on ST. Can't find it right now.
In any event, we have tax treaties with many countries which aim to reduce the issue of duplicative taxation. Highly unlikely that our foreign players pay BOTH foreign and US taxes.
A french citizen, living outside of France and whose income isn't related to France, doesn't pay french taxes. Parker, Diaw and De Colo will only pay US taxes on their NBA salary. They will respecting french laws by doing so, so they won't be sanctioned in any way.
I don't fully know french tax rules about that but they might have to pay french taxes for their activities in France like advertising contracts.
thanks
so any money that the Parker makes from his cartoons or French league team would be subject, but not nba.
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