News Ian Mahinmi

[wildbill2u]

Difference between Tony and Ian is that Parker was playing pro ball at age 15 or 16 already. Ian was just a kid that was tall.

You can't compare the two. Parker came in and ran the show his rookie year. Ian doesn't have that kind of maturity.

Didn't hurt that Parker's old man was a NBA pro either. He grew up working out against his dad.

[Bruno]

I guess it's time to change the thing under my name to Mahinmi in "07.

Yep, it's time to do it.

Ian has signed an one year contract with Pau Orthez.

Some details :

- Ian has chosen Pau-Orthez over Le Mans because of Pau's coach (Gordon Herbert) project for Mahinmi.

- Ian has ever thought to sign with Spurs this summer but they have said him that he should stay one more year in France.

- To play Euroleague is the next step of his carreer.

- Pau's GM say that Spurs have pushed him to sign with Pau thru the coach (who is an assistanat coach for Spurs during summer leagues).

- He doesn't fear to be in the same case than Petro (fex playtime) because the coach isn't the same than for Petro and because he isn't petro.

- Ian will play PF and C. Pau's other C is Hiram Fuller (he has played some minutes in NBDL and Kori has maybe heard of him because he played with Noel Felix at Fresno State). Pau's other PF are Michael Bauer (who played with Humphries with Minesswota) and a french guy (either Victor Samnick or Thierry Rupert). They have too a young and talented player : Ludovic Vaty but he won't get playtime next year (he is born in november 1988).

[timvp]

Hiram Fuller is a pretty good player. He was on a Spurs summer league team a couple years ago. He's borderline NBA talent and an NBA quality rebounder, so it'll be good to be able to compare Mahinmi's numbers to his next season.

Thanks for the info, Bruno. Any idea how man minutes he can expect next season? Is he still planning to play for the Spurs' summer league team this summer?

Thanks.

[Bruno]

Any idea how man minutes he can expect next season?

No, but Pau's GM has used playtime as an argument for Mahinmi to chose pau over Le mans.
Two things are sure : he will have more games than last year (between 55 and 65 for this year while he has played less than 40 games last year), he will practise a lot : Herbert's practising are known to be long an hard.

Is he still planning to play for the Spurs' summer league team this summer?

I think that it will depend on if he is called to play with the french NT. For the moment he is playing with the french NT second team and he is doing well. He played some games until August 2nd and we will know on August 3rd if he will play for the french NT.

[Kori Ellis]

Pau's other C is Hiram Fuller (he has played some minutes in NBDL and Kori has maybe heard of him because he played with Noel Felix at Fresno State).

He's one of Noel's closest friends. He was with the Wizards in preseason last year I believe. I met him at summer league when I met Noel. He's a nice guy.

[Kori Ellis]

It's interesting that Hiram is going to play center. He's a little bit shorter than Noel and chubbier. I'd guess he's around 6'8/260.

[Bruno]

It's interesting that Hiram is going to play center. He's a little bit shorter than Noel and chubbier. I'd guess he's around 6'8/260.

They list him at 6'9"/278lbs on Pau website.
Don't know how it's accurate. 278lbs is a lot, maybe he has eaten too much fois gras and cassoulet (these recipes come from Pau's area).

[picnroll]

It would be nice for Kori and LJ to get to see him in Utah but it would be an awesome statement of potential if he were to impress enough to play for the French national team.

A little sad but it sounds good for Ian's development so please change to Mahinmi in '07.

[JUUOT]

just saw this. good news. hope we will be able to see some of the games.

[ducks]

cool one year NO BUYOUT

[Kori Ellis]

They list him at 6'9"/278lbs on Pau website.
Don't know how it's accurate. 278lbs is a lot, maybe he has eaten too much fois gras and cassoulet (these recipes come from Pau's area).

Well if he's 278, then he's fatter than I thought. I thought he was 265 maximum. He's not quite 6'9 because he's just a little shorter than Noel.

[T Park]

Playing another year in europe is a total waste of Duncan's, Mine, and every fan's time.


Bull and horrible move...

[Mr. Body]

Playing another year in europe is a total waste of Duncan's, Mine, and every fan's time.


Bull and horrible move...

No, it's not. He's absolutely not ready yet.

[MoSpur]

Playing one year in Europe against quality compe ion is a great move.

[picnroll]

Interview with Mahinmi
link

Mahinmi to Pau
by xtf_no4 @ 2006-06-27 - 20:50:14
It is now official, Ian Mahinmi signed a 1-yr contract with Pau-Orthez. Here is a translation that he gave to the French Daily Newspaper l'Equipe.

L'EQUIPE : Why did you chose Pau ?
Ian Mahinmi : I had to chose between Pau and Le Mans. In the beginning, I had a preference for Le Mans. I took some time, and the coach change in Pau made me think about my choice. What made me change my opinion were the discussions with the new coahc, Gordon Herbert. I do not going to say what he told me, but he explained me the project he prepared for me and this convinced me. His speech convinced me.

L'EQUIPE : The fact, that he works with the Spurs had some impact?
Ian Mahinmi : Yes, of course, this eased it. At one moment, I thought, this is the right moment to go directly to sign with the Spurs, as they are going to rejuvenate their team. But they told ée to stay one more season in Europe and play with the best.

L'EQUIPE : The Euroleague will be a huge change for you...
Ian Mahinmi : It is rellay important to play on that level. It corresponds exactly to what I planned to go for.

L'EQUIPE : The exemple of Johan Pétro, who did not play a lot in the Euroleague with Pau, did that made you reflect about your decision?
Ian Mahinmi : It is clear that I always said, that I did not want to live what Johan lived. But we are different, and the situation is different. The coach is not the same anymore.

[ChumpDumper]

Let's hope we ge someone better than Ian this summer.

[timvp]

Sounds like Mahinmi is '07 is a given. Only things that could change that are injury or if he just bombs out.

[Beer is Good]

Ian needs more time to develop. I wish he was ready now, but it just seems like he isn't. The main thing the Spurs need for this next season is to make sure Timmy sees limited minutes until the playoffs similar to this year. I really wish all of our key players that are in the WC were not playing this summer. Especially Manu - get some damn rest and come back next season on fire. That's what I feel.

[picnroll]

Looks like Pau's not resigning their starting small forward. I know Bruno said that Sankidze wouldn't likely go there because he wouldn't get minutes. Maybe this changes things. Ludden says Sankidze's going overseas and this level competion would be good if he's got the game.

From the article discussing Mahinimi in l'Equipe.

Pau, meanwhile, have announced the departure of small forward Laurent Foirest, who had been at the club for three seasons.

The 32-year-old France international, who was included in the provisional 12-man squad for the FIBA World Championship, failed to reach an agreement on his contract renewal.

Foirest wanted a two-year extension whereas the club only offered him a one year deal.

"We can consider that he is going to leave," admitted club president Pierre Seillant.

"He wanted a contract extension that we could not give him."

[Bruno]

Looks like Pau's not resigning their starting small forward. I know Bruno said that Sankidze wouldn't likely go there because he wouldn't get minutes.

In fact they still have signed another starting SF (Ricardo Greer, a dominican player, quite good even if he is undersized). They wanted to sign Foirest as backup SF.
They can sign Sanikidze as backup SF but I think that's it's unlikely.

[TDMVPDPOY]

is mahinmi the answer to big ball after 2007? i think the nba is goin to make small ball obsolete, when the big guyz in the 2007 draft come out. greg oden class. mahinmi is the answer to the dwight howards, greg odens

[ducks]

greg odens has proved nothing in the nba
should be a star though

[polandprzem]

is mahinmi the answer to big ball after 2007? i think the nba is goin to make small ball obsolete, when the big guyz in the 2007 draft come out. greg oden class. mahinmi is the answer to the dwight howards, greg odens

Might be.

Well Oden has a potential, Howard is absolutely no doubt future machine, Amare can be back to preovius, still you can play small ball with these guys.]

All I know that we have absolutely no clue who Mahimini will become. None.

[Ninja-Defense]

I trust RC and CIA Pop so if they think he's not ready then so be it...

[JUUOT]

France A' team finsihed their first friendly tournament by loosing against italia.

Ian played well racking up 12 points. he scored 11 in the first game and 4 in the second (no boxscore available). But the report says he was showing his potential well. However he left the game before the end hurt...

Turiaf (LA lakers) did not play. He is clearly the french boss in the paint and has 90% chance to play with the A team in the worlds. it is good for Ian to be groomed with ronnie.