Udrih returns ‘home' happy to be a King
By Jeff McDonald
The Sacramento Kings' charter plane dipped low through the South Texas sky early Sunday morning, breaking through a layer of cloud cover and into a swatch of airspace that Beno Udrih knew well.
From his window seat, even in the pre-dawn blackness, Udrih could see the familiar lights of the familiar landmarks. Before he had even set foot on San Antonio soil, he felt it.
He was home.
“The first time I came to the U.S., it was to San Antonio,” Udrih, the former Spurs point guard, said Sunday. “My first house was here. It still kind of feels like home.”
By mid-afternoon, Udrih was back in the AT&T Center, his home away from home for his first three NBA seasons, where his new team was staging a walk-through in advance of tonight's game against his old team.
On the surface, the Udrih who returns to San Antonio this week is not the same Udrih who left town two Octobers ago, after his Spurs career hit a dead end and he was traded to Minnesota on his way to Sacramento.
Udrih is 26 now. He is an established NBA starter. And he has job security, thanks to the five-year, $33.3 million deal the Kings gave him in the offseason.
“It is the opportunity I have always wanted,” Udrih said.
It is the opportunity Udrih was never going to get in San Antonio, where he was interminably stuck behind a budding All-Star in Tony Parker. And it is the opportunity Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, never the noisiest of Udrih apologists, thought he deserved.
Though occasionally questioning Udrih's mental toughness and often frustrated by his physical fragility, Popovich never doubted his skills as an NBA point guard. He figured Udrih, the Spurs' first-round draft pick in 2004 and a member of NBA championship teams in 2005 and 2007, would one day look elsewhere for more minutes and a fatter paycheck.
“We knew we weren't going to be able to sign him to a $30 million contract,” Popovich said. “He's young. He's not going to want to sit behind Tony for the next 10 years. We knew he was going to go elsewhere.”
Just days before the start of his fourth season, Udrih got his break. He was dealt to the Timberwolves, who immediately waived him, paving the way for a soft free-agent landing in Sacramento.
In his first season as an NBA starter, Udrih averaged 12.8 points and 4.3 assists, while shooting 46.4 percent from the field. The hands-down highlight: Less than a month after his trade, Udrih scorched the Spurs for 27 points, then a career high.
Those left behind in San Antonio were not surprised by Udrih's success.
“I don't see him as so much improved,” said Manu Ginobili, who dressed next to Udrih for three seasons. “He's a confidence player. He found a good place in Sacramento with a coach that trusts him. That's why he's having better numbers.”
If the story ended there, it would be a Slovenian fairy tale. Instead, Udrih finds himself in the midst of a dramatic second act.
His team is 7-21. His coach has been fired. And Udrih is struggling to prove himself worthy of the faith the Kings have placed in him.
Udrih's numbers are down almost across the board. In 27 games this season, he is averaging 11.9 points and 5.1 assists. His 3-point percentage has taken a nosedive from 38.7 percent last season to 23.5.
As he was for much of his tenure with the Spurs, Udrih also has been injury prone. He is battling a strained hamstring, but expects to play tonight (If he does suit up, it will be Udrih's first action at the AT&T Center since the 2007 Finals; he was injured for each of the Kings' two visits to San Antonio last season).
“He worked his tail off last year to really get that contract that he hadn't had,” said Kenny Natt, the Kings' interim coach after Reggie Theus' ouster last week. “My objective right now is to get him back to where he was — hungry, like he was last year.”
One of the first investments Udrih made upon signing his new deal was to buy a house in Sacramento. That is home now.
But San Antonio is home, too. Udrih still owns his house here, which he is finding difficult to sell in a bad economy. And he still owns his memories.
Udrih will be back in the AT&T Center tonight, back beneath the championship banners that he, in some small part, helped the Spurs win. Back home, this time as a visitor.
“I had good times, and it was a great organization,” Udrih said. “I have no regrets about anything here. There are no bad feelings.”
Which echos about 99% of the feelings of the Beno haters.Though occasionally questioning Udrih's mental toughness and often frustrated by his physical fragility, Popovich never doubted his skills as an NBA point guard
Everyone knew he was damn good and talented, he was just lazy and had no give a about wanting to play.
From earlier today.
Jeff McDonald: Guess who's back?
So Beno Udrih is supposed to play tomorrow, when the Kings face the Spurs. No, seriously.
Udrih, the former Spurs guard turned Sacramento starter, is battling a strained hamstring. He said he was feeling good after a light workout with the Kings at the AT&T Center, and if all holds course, he expects to play in Monday night's game.
No, seriously.
Udrih, who was oft-injured when he was with the Spurs from 2004 to 2007, sat out both of the Kings' trips to the AT&T Center last year. (It should be noted, in his debut against his old team in Sacramento, less than a month after his departure from San Antonio, he scored 27 points).
For what it's worth, Udrih is looking forward to a return to his old stomping grounds.
"The first time I came to the U.S., it was to San Antonio," Udrih said after Kings' practice today. "My first house was here. It still kind of feels like home."
If Udrih does play Monday, it would mark his first game action at the AT&T Center since the 2007 Finals.
I can't help but miss the guy, always enjoyed watching him play. It'd be nice if his bones weren't made of glass...Best of luck Beno.
Welcome back Beno...we have a nice hot cup of full court press waiting for you.
i hope he drops 50pts on parker
Saying that might cause it to happen.
Then I hope for a breakout game from Hill!!!!
What about George Hill?
Exactly. Beno's been the same player since entering the NBA. He's just playing more minutes now.“I don't see him as so much improved,” said Manu Ginobili
It should be noted that Beno's three-point percentage has dipped to 23.5%. Although I'm sure he'll knock down a couple against the Spurs tomorrow.
Hill works better because he can play next to Parker. The Parker/Udrih backcourt was horrible.
Why the must you be such a bag?
I hope hill goes for 50 on beno
Isn't Beno always hungry for breakfast tacos? At least, that's what I heard.
How surprising from Beno. He played well last year for securing a contract and now he can relax a bit.
I clearly remenber an interview he gave just before leaving SA wich was quite laughable. I'm on the haters side now.
And for the 50pts on TP, he'd have to show up first.
And... lmao for the "kinda feels like home" BS. The guy hasn't sold his house b/c of the bad economy. Beno is really a smart and lazy asshole seriously (talented one though).
LMFAO!!!Welcome back Beno...we have a nice hot cup of full court press waiting for you.
beno crashes and burns under a full court press. i just remember the spurs-pistons finals series: pop put him on and he immediately melted under the pressure, turned the ball over and was made to look like billups'
aww, now why would you want that?
all that would do is give satisfaction a player that the spurs got rid of!
Great, Beno drops 50 on Parker, Hill drops 50 on Beno - so result will be SA:Queens - 212:202, or something like that
Go hop on the Kings bandwagon then. I don't consider you much of a fan if you wish ill will against your team for any reason.
Because he HATES Parker with a passion.
He's more of an anti-Parker fan than a Spurs fan.
Sorry Nat but your front-office was stupid enought to give Beno one of the worst contracts ever. Now he'll only will play like last season in 4 years when he'll need a new contract.“He worked his tail off last year to really get that contract that he hadn't had,” said Kenny Natt, the Kings' interim coach after Reggie Theus' ouster last week. “My objective right now is to get him back to where he was — hungry, like he was last year.”
Anything has got to be better then sitting and rotting on someones bench.
In a related story, Taco Cabana expects FY2008 Q4 to be the most profitable in over a year.
I wondered how long it would be before a Taco Cabana reference was worked into this thread.
Hate Beno and how he played for the Spurs all you want, but you just look foolish when you comment on something about which you know nothing. Beno loved the city of San Antonio and loved living here.
yeah Beno loved that mexican punani nani
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