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Tony Parker left-handed?
Finding His Place in Larger N.B.A. Community
By LIZ ROBBINS
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/19/sp...ll/19afar.html
Published: December 19, 2004
Beno Udrih, his brother, Samo, and his father, Silvo, are the first family of basketball in Sempeter, Slovenia.
"Well, yeah, in my town it's easy to be known," Udrih said. "There are only two million people in Slovenia and maybe 5,000 people in my town. It's more like a village."
It took more than a village for Udrih to get to the San Antonio Spurs. With what is perhaps the N.B.A.'s most complete team, he is a fast-rising rookie point guard, a left-hander backing up another lefty import, Tony Parker of France.
Udrih's father played in Yugoslavia's second-division professional league. Udrih and his brother began their careers in Slovenia's pro league.
"My father didn't force me to play basketball," Udrih said. "I played handball, football, soccer. I came home one day and a basketball coach asked me to come try out for a team when I was 9."
By the time Udrih was 17, he was a better basketball player than his brother, who is three years older.
Samo Udrih plays in Israel's second-tier league.
"Sometimes you don't need to be better, you got to have some luck, too," Beno Udrih said. "I had a little bit of luck."
He had some hard luck, too. After a promising debut with Slovenia's top team, Olimpija, Udrih struggled with injuries and consistency when he played with Maccabi Tel Aviv.
He moved around last season, starting with a team in Russia and finishing in Italy. At the N.B.A.'s predraft camp in Chicago, he impressed teams that had not paid attention to him.
The Spurs drafted Udrih at No. 28, the same slot they used to choose Parker in 2001.
"We didn't think he'd still be there," Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich said of the 6-foot-3 Udrih.
Udrih and Parker, each 22, complement each other well. "Tony is an outstanding defender and very explosive; Beno spreads the court a little more because of his shot," Popovich said.
Udrih has averaged 13.5 minutes a game. When Parker was limited to 29 minutes last Wednesday against Orlando because of a groin muscle injury, Udrih sparked the Spurs' 10-point fourth-quarter comeback. He hit two 3-pointers and two free throws and had seven assists in the victory.
"He's a natural point guard, really understands the position," Popovich said. "He's got a great pace about himself: when to speed up, speed down. He's a grade-A passer: hits people on time."
Udrih has so far dispelled the Spurs' doubts that he could handle the physical N.B.A. game.
"The bonus is, we didn't know he was a 3-point shooter," Popovich said.
Through Friday, Udrih was shooting 47.2 percent from 3-point range, fourth in the N.B.A. But his cool court savvy is his calling card.
"He brings a different look, he's got great passes," the Spurs' Rasho Nesterovic, a fellow Slovene, said. "He sees that open guy when nobody sees him. He's just an all-around player."
Udrih comes by it naturally.
Tony Parker left-handed?
Beno hitting the big time. Nice.
P.S.
Since when did Tony Parker become left handed?
Damn you Nikos.
I am not left-handed!
I think his teammates have taken a shine to him as well. When TP went back into the game in the second period, Beno was on the bench having a conversation with TMass. They weren't like joking or anything. They talked for about 5 minutes. I think TMass may have been pointing out some stuff going on in the game to him. Nice to see the grizzled vet taking the youngster under his wing.
That's very important at the position he's playing and with the different type of game in the NBA - he needs all the info he can get. Wasn't there an article saying that during practice he's going around his teammates asking them about the next opponent's players?
Last edited by Slomo; 12-19-2004 at 10:58 AM. Reason: Lousy typing skillz
Parker is a lefty and an outstanding defender...
Mass: Now Beno, when Francis is lighting you up like that, what you need to do is give him a shot here, but wait until the refs aren't looking . . .
I have known from the beginning that Beno Boy was a keeper. I am glad the rest of you have finally caught on. =)
Where did that pic of Baloney, I mean Malone, come from? It is so awesome!=) I heard that Malone's daughter has actually won a championship ring. At least being a loser isn't hereditary. Maybe she lets daddy wear hers for his nights out on the town. Hehe! =)
That was funny Lmao, im just wondering, do you all think we'll be able to keep pulling off these late draft miracles?
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