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No surprise. I said the soonest I could see his being sent down is Christmas.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b...k.305b965.html
Spurs notebook: Staying with team key to rookie's development
Web Posted: 11/20/2006 12:20 AM CST
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Spurs coach Gregg Popovich likes what little he's seen of James White in practice. He doesn't have any plans to send the rookie guard to the NBA's developmental league, but he also doesn't have any plans to put him in a game anytime soon, either.
"We're evaluating him now mostly as an individual," Popovich said. "How he fits with other people in a team setting, see how he works out before or after practice. The days we haven't practiced, some of the young guys have gone three-on-three. We've seen him in those situations."
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Popovich's impressions?
"He definitely has skills and is athletic," he said. "He's a mature young man who understands his time is ahead of him. In the meantime, he seems very willing to work. So far, nothing but a positive report on him."
White has the disadvantage of having not spent the preseason with the Spurs. They signed him the first week of the season after Indiana waived him.
That's one reason why Popovich wants to keep him with the team instead of sending him to the Spurs' D-League affiliate in Austin.
"He needs to learn the language of the team and players," Popovich said. "I want to see him in practice and work with him for right now and see what he's all about."
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Olé: The Spurs went looking for a fight shortly after arriving in Sacramento on Saturday. They found one at Arco Arena.
Tim Duncan, Eric Williams, Michael Finley, Matt Bonner, Beno Udrih and Spurs assistant strength coach Chris White attended the Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight bout between Georges St. Pierre and Matt Hughes.
Manu Ginobili passed on the offer to join them.
Said Ginobili: "I'm a lover not a fighter."
Get well soon, Shaq: Duncan won't have to deal with Shaquille O'Neal leaning on him when Miami visits the AT&T Center on Wednesday. The Heat center is expected to be out four to six weeks after undergoing surgery Sunday to repair torn cartilage in his left knee.
Duncan, however, wasn't happy to hear his longtime rival was hurt.
"That sucks," Duncan said. "You wish injuries on no one. That's the worst thing in the world, to work an entire summer to come back and have that happen so early in the season.
Spurs 108, Kings 99
Duncan unseats Kings
Staying with team key to rookie's development
Monday: Spurs at Trail Blazers
Box: Spurs 108, Kings 99
Your turn: Give your thoughts on the Spurs-Kings game
"I guess if there's a silver lining, that's it: It's early in the season, and he'll be able to recover from it, get back in shape and get back on the court and they can get used to playing with him again."
Briefly: Sacramento forward Kenny Thomas had to leave Sunday's game in the second quarter with a cut lip. ... Francisco Elson received a delay-of-game penalty for not having his jersey tucked in when he lined up along the lane for a free throw. In addition to cracking down on step-under fouls, the league also is trying to rid the game of untucked jerseys.
Looks like no D-League...and a rare case of Pop and Chump being at cross purposes.
No surprise. I said the soonest I could see his being sent down is Christmas.
soon to be dunk contest winner......
God i hope he gets his ass into a game before feb so he can quailify for the Dunk Contest...
Well you wanted him in D leauge as I remember
Ps. The spurs won't have much time to practice. The 16th December they play Phily and 20th they play Mem, both at home. Other then that thay don't have two days off (accully one).
Right.It just makes sense. The Spurs won't be practicing much and the Toros will be in Austin to play four games in one week. I'm not saying it will happen, just that if the Spurs still have a question whether to keep him before his contract becomes guaranteed, this is the best time to evaluate him in game situations.
Yup - I agree with you
If the youngster have the patience and do not have a stupid agent then he will probably have the whole camp summer leauge and preaseason with spurs.
It seems to be all about the Corporate Knowledge first with Pop.
"Corporate Knowledge "
... which comes after a player has mastered BB fundamentals to be incorporated into Spurs system. Athleticism and dunking do not equal BB fundamentals.
So he lacks fundamentals just because he can run and jump?
no, "just because he can run and jump" doesn't mean he has BB fundamentals/IQ.
Nazr was pretty atheltic, but he can't play basketball.
Rasho isn't athletic, but he knew how to defend, how set screens, how to hold open the lanes for our drivers.
Fab isn't athletic but he knows how to play basketball.
White? Just another tall, athletic black guy? or a basketball player?
Sounds like Pop doesn't know the answer, yet.
As usual, you don't know what the you are talking about, and you apparently don't read. Pop said he has skills. He was scouted for the draft as being a good shooter and ball handler with outstanding athletic ability. His only weakness was the lack of an NBA body.
Leave it to you to call him "just another tall, athletic black guy", just because he can jump. Moron.
the body is bull smokescreen.
Tayshaun Prince doesn't have an NBA body
Trust me, if Pop thought White was the next Carmelo or LeBron--or even a Morrison, he'd be in some games. He's obviously not ready in some aspects of the game.
Corporate knowledge is just a euphemism for 'basketball IQ"
My bet is that White is 2 years away, and may be waived or traded by then.
he'll have no impact this season. Butler has a greater chance of seeing some PT this season.
I'm sure this opinion is shared by most everyone on this board. I'm not sure it'll take 2 years to see if he has anything to offer the NBA, however.
Not with Manu, Bowen, Finley and Barry playing ahead of him he wouldn't....
Just like Butler can't crack through Duncan, Horry, Oberto and Elson.
And I suspect White will get some PT at some point during this season, although most likely it will be garbage minutes.
NAZR WAS A TURD OUT THERE, AND SO WAS RASHO! IT'S TRUE THAT RASHO WAS SMART WHEN IT CAME TO HOLDING OPEN LANES BUT HE MOVED LIKE MOLASES!
THIS BOUTONS DUDE IS A ING MORON. TALL ATHLETIC "BLACK" GUYS ARE WHAT RUNS THE LEAGUE! JAMES WHITE IS A SMART, ATHLETIC PLAYER AND I THINK IF HE STAYS AROUND THEN HE'LL BECOME A GREAT PLAYER FOR THE SPURS.
Like everyone else, I'd like to see him get some garbage time minutes. But let's face it this move ia about the future.
Personally, I'm glad he's on the team and I'm real happy the Spurs have finally acquired some domestic talent with such tremendous upside. It helps that he's a defensive-minded, athletic-type player.
He'll only be able to gain valuable knowledge from such a veteran team. If he doesn't play until next year- that's OK.
Stephen Graham was cut by the Spurs and is now starting in Portland (tonight) for an injured Brandon Roy. Let's hope we don't make a mistake with White.
Feh, Graham is starting because the Blazers suck. Ime Udoka has started every game for them this season, that gives you an idea about the relative talent level they are working with there.
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