Harvey: Emerging is a Spurs Afr-i-CAN

[THE SIXTH MAN]

Buck Harvey: Emerging is a Spurs Afr-i-CAN

Web Posted: 01/21/2008 09:54 PM CST


San Antonio Express-News

A blog item last month didn't define Ime Udoka, nor did it predict what would happen Monday afternoon. Then, Udoka helped the Spurs do something they hadn't done in a week, which is win.

But the blog item had some fun going below the surface of this unassuming Spur, and it suggests no one should be surprised when Udoka begins to rip minutes from Gregg Popovich's rotation.

"Ime the Great" is the le of the blog item.

Udoka has rarely been called great. He wasn't drafted out of Portland State, and he's now 30 years old with a minimal NBA contract.

But he was sturdy last season for the Blazers. If not for a troubled knee that scared away NBA general managers, Udoka would have signed elsewhere for more money. He instead came to San Antonio, partly because he knew no place fit him better.

If he's not great, he's still better than how the Spurs have used him this season. Popovich, wanting to go small against Charlotte, passed on Udoka to start a kid on a 10-day contract.

Knowing Popovich, he's still experimenting, and Jeremy Richardson is part of that. Knowing Popovich, he will eventually turn to Udoka more and more, because Udoka is Popovich's kind of guy.

Udoka showed that again Monday. He threw in some corner shots, shared the ball with a couple of efficient passes and defended. He did a lot with his ration of 14 minutes, finishing with 11 points and five rebounds.

He knows how to play, and he does so with a visible mix of experience and toughness. A story tells of this; it comes from the blog item.

The blogger is Gabe Muoneke, who once played for Texas. He's bounced around the world, and he worked out in San Antonio last summer. Now he plays for Tau Ceramica in Spain, home of the Spurs' 2007 first-round draft choice, and Muoneke's most recent blog this month included this:

"Tiago Splitter is much better, bigger and stronger than I thought. Lucky San Antonio."

Muoneke's livelier blog came the month before. Then, he described his time with Udoka when the two played for the Nigerian national team in 2006.

Muoneke began: "Ime was so quiet, I figured he was just some guy with a Nigerian father who could play. Well, folks in S.A., don't be fooled. That dude is an Afr-i-CAN! The only thing non-African about him is his accent."

When they went to Nigeria, Udoka ate the food he grew up with — and food that Muoneke the Houstonian couldn't believe.

Then they went to the African championships in Algiers. According to Muoneke, Nigeria beat the home team in a nasty game that included a rumble and afterward, members of the Algerian team waited for them.

"Everyone was engaged in combat," he wrote. "And lo and behold, Ime was taking people out like in 'Mortal Kombat.' Incredible. In the middle of the whole thing, I heard Ime, literally in mid-swing, say, 'Watch back, Gabe.' And he calmly, I mean calmly, smeared a guy who, as I turned to see his warning, jumped from the stands with a chair to probably kill me or knock me out to where the crowd would have (been). I mean, Ime caught the guy in mid-air with a fist and calmly continued."

Muoneke might have embellished, and the Spurs didn't sign Udoka for this. Even trips to Phoenix don't require ninja protection.

Muoneke continued: "All I could do was marvel at Ime. This quiet American guy was standing there — all his stuff gone (gym bag, wallet, shoes, jersey) — with a stick in his hand, we tore off the walls of the locker room in the middle of North Africa, quite literally with our lives on the line, laughing."

Laughing?

Udoka will need to shoot 3-pointers better than his current percentage. He will also be pressed to get on the court if Bruce Bowen, Brent Barry and Michael Finley are healthy.

But as Udoka defended Gerald Wallace on Monday, and as he looked more comfortable than he did a month ago, the blog item added to traits that will come in handy in the spring.

Then, things will also get tense and nasty.

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[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Udoka has visibly grown more comfortable and confident in January.

He's playing solid, unfancy but effective one-on-one D, he's getting to good spots on O and making some nice jumpers (7/17 for 41% from 3, 20-42 for 48% from field, in January). He's also got just under 1 offensive rebound a game. Overall, 7pts, 2 boards in 16 minutes a game during January, and as his role grows I'm sure his effectiveness will improve.

My only criticism of Udoka is his passing, especially into the post. he can get careless when delivering the ball inside and I've seen such passes from him picked off a number of times this season, including today.

I hope by the end of the season he's playing half a game behind Bruce, and that his O improves to the point where we might be able to put both on the court together at times.

to Udoka, he's on the way up and will be really valuable by the end of the season.

PS That African story was on Truehoop a month ago. Buck ought to come up with something new.

[TDMVPDPOY]

udoka class of 300 spur-taas?

[m33p0]

Even trips to Phoenix don't require ninja protection.

[vanvannen]

Good to hear we have a bruiser. This team was getting soft.

[The Truth #6]

Buck is right. His toughness should endear him to Pop.

[SouthernFried]

He's always so damned calm on the court. He never seems to rush a thing. Somebody jumps at him when he's about to shoot, he calmly dribbles aside and pulls up for an 18 footer.

A guy who can maintain poise like he does can be pretty damn useful. In a lot of situations it seems.

[SAGambler]

I look for Udoka to either bust the starting lineup or come off the bench with Manu and play the same minutes, in the next month or so.

Ime and Manu should work well together on the second unit, and increase the productivity of the bench. Plus the opposition couldn't just que up to stop Manu if Udoka was out there with him.

Was also impressed with his D yesterday. Looks like he has the rotations down, plus he looks to be a good one on one defender like Bowen. I always felt he would be a big contributor this season. Looks like it is starting to all come together.

[SenorSpur]

He does appear to be coming around. Looks much more comfortable than earlier this season.

[phyzik]

I hope it doesnt happen but it is kind of fun to entertain the idea of Udoka smashing some heads in Phoenix.

[BonnerDynasty]

I really like this guy. Good pickup imfo.

He should be the enforcer along with Horry when we go to PHX in the playoffs.

[SenorSpur]

On the court, it appears as though Udoka is about an inch shorter than Manu. Very good defender. Love to watch him get after the opposition on the perimeter.

[T Park]

PS That African story was on Truehoop a month ago. Buck ought to come up with something new.

You do realize that not everyone in SA that reads the newspaper can also read stuff online like that?

[Dex]

"Tiago Splitter is much better, bigger and stronger than I thought. Lucky San Antonio."

[MoSpur]

I have been wanting to see Ime get more minutes. Hopefully he does.