McDonald: To get veteran, Popovich went extra mile

[some_user86]

Pro basketball: To get veteran, Popovich went extra mile

Web Posted: 02/03/2008 08:41 PM CST

Jeff McDonald
San Antonio Express-News

Damon Stoudamire is 34 years old, an age that puts him closer to being an NBA senior citizen than a senior in high school. One day last week, however, he experienced a full-fledged teenage flashback.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, not exactly recreating a recruiting trek from his days at Pomona-Pitzer College, flew halfway across the country and back Wednesday, from Seattle to Memphis to Phoenix. All to try to convince Stoudamire, the veteran point guard whose contract the Grizzlies had just bought out, to come play for him.

"I felt like I was in college again, getting recruited," Stoudamire said.

That would have made Sunday signing day for Stoudamire.

Shortly after autographing a new contract that formally made him a Spur, Stoudamire completed his first workout with his new team at its northwest-side practice facility. Life as the Spurs' one-man midseason recruiting class had begun.

Stoudamire's arrival in San Antonio did not come accompanied with quite the same level of breathless anticipation sure to greet his former Memphis teammate, newly minted Lakers forward Pau Gasol, in Los Angeles.

But in San Antonio, Stoudamire — a 5-foot-10, left-handed sharpshooter nicknamed "Mighty Mouse" — should see an instant opportunity to contribute to a Spurs team in dire need of both a scoring punch and healthy point guards.

With Tony Parker shelved for at least the remaining six games of the team's rodeo road trip, which resumes Tuesday at Indiana, the Spurs ought to find immediate use for their new toy.

"He's a pro, he's established," Popovich said. "He's somebody who can score. He's a good passer. He plays hard. We're thrilled to have him on the club."

A 12-year NBA veteran and former league Rookie of the Year, Stoudamire will earn the veteran minimum, pro-rated for the remainder of the season. He chose to sign with the Spurs despite overtures from Boston, Phoenix and the team with which he began his pro career, Toronto.

For the record, Stoudamire says he was sold on the Spurs even before a heel injury pushed Parker to the sideline for the second time this season. In turn, the Spurs began batting their eyes at Stoudamire even before their current crisis at point guard.

Popovich displayed his intentions by padding his frequent flyer account, logging more miles in a 24-hour span than an airline pilot.

After the Spurs lost at Seattle on Tuesday night, Popovich took a red-eye flight to Memphis to meet with Stoudamire on Wednesday. Later that day, Popovich hopped a westbound jet to rejoin the Spurs in Phoenix.

Impressed by the full-court press, Stoudamire ultimately accepted Popovich's proposal.

"You can't tell nobody 'no' after a ride like that," Stoudamire said.

Collateral damage in a youth makeover in Memphis, Stoudamire joins the Spurs looking to show that he still has something left in his tank.

He averaged 7.3 points in 29 games with the Grizzlies this season, but was passed on the depth chart by youngsters Mike Conley Jr. and Kyle Lowry, prodding him to eventually seek a buyout.

Stoudamire says he harbors no hard feelings about the way his Memphis tenure ended. In San Antonio, his shooting stroke should earn him plenty of playing time on a Spurs team averaging just 88.4 points over the past 10 games, last in the league.

"I don't think he's going to hurt us, that's for sure," guard Michael Finley said. "I don't think he'll come in and become a cancer, so to speak. He's a guy who will do whatever it takes to win, especially at this point in his career."

Though not quite the scorer he once was — he will never match the 20.3 points per game he produced his second season in Toronto — the Spurs don't need him to be.

They just need to him to knock down an open jump shot when it presents itself.

"Damon's always been a player, anytime we played against him, we worried about his shooting ability," guard Manu Ginobili said. "I would guess other teams are going to be thinking the same thing, so it's going to open up the court even more."

Stoudamire didn't come to San Antonio to recreate the scoring binges of his point-gorging past. He came here to be a role player, a bench sparkplug, a cog in a machine.

He does not view himself as the cavalry, riding in to save the day.

If it means a shot to play for an NBA le before his career runs out, Mighty Mouse is willing to be uncommonly modest.

"If I feel like I have something to prove, it's that I can still help a winning team on a big stage," Stoudamire said. "That's the only thing I need to prove. I know who I am as a player and I'm secure with that."

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LINK: http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b...n.2e95421.html

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Best that could be done under the cir stances, and he is NOT another NVE - MM still has a bit of gas left in the tank.

If he can make good passes, minimise TOs (that will be hard at first given the difficulty of the system), hit the 3 and open 2s, and hustle on D, all things he's done during his career, he'll be great.

I think he'll put up 10/4 playing 24-30mins, and that'll do until TP returns (after ASB, fingers crossed). After that, we can go offensive with MM, or defensive with JV, as the backups, which gives Pop more options.

Hope it works out. GO Might Mouse GO!!! (that sounds strange...)

[porscha]

GO Might Mouse GO!!! (...that sounds strange

GO Mouse GO!!! sounds better?

[whottt]

And in a related story Avery Johnson was rushed to the hospital last night after being stabbed in the back. Most details are unavailable at this time but AJ was heard to be screaming "Et tu Pop?" as he was being loaded on to the ambulance. More on this later as the facts become known.

[whottt]

"I don't think he's going to hurt us, that's for sure," guard Michael Finley said. "I don't think he'll come in and become a cancer, so to speak. He's a guy who will do whatever it takes to win, especially at this point in his career."

Translation: It's ing dry here. That's dry with a capital D R Y.

[Please_dont_ban_me]

Finley kinda' brought in the C word out of nowhere.

That said, all should be cool. Bring Damon off the bench for now, and let him spot up in a corner Bruce style. Holler.

[hsxvvd]

Ultra Small Ball

Stoudamire
Parker
Ginobili
Udoka
Duncan

[Please_dont_ban_me]

Ultra Small Ball

Stoudamire
Parker
Ginobili
Udoka
Duncan

Well...

Parker
Stoudamire
Ginobili
Udoka
Duncan


But ya, I kind of like that actually.

Just for certain situations. I like Udoka at the 4 a lot more than Finley.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

And in a related story Avery Johnson was rushed to the hospital last night after being stabbed in the back. Most details are unavailable at this time but AJ was heard to be screaming "Et tu Pop?" as he was being loaded on to the ambulance. More on this later as the facts become known.

Very good.

I bet Timmy brings out the AJ/MM jokes early on!

[wildbill2u]

Ultra Small Ball

Stoudamire
Parker
Ginobili
Udoka
Duncan

Minimax small ball ('cause mega small ball is an oxymoron)

Stoudamire
Vaughn
Oberto
Bowen
Finley or Udoka

[WalterBenitez]

Ultra Small Ball

Stoudamire
Parker
Ginobili
Udoka
Duncan

boykins isn't availaible anymore, but would fit well

[VaSpursFan]

Ultra Small Ball

Stoudamire
Parker
Ginobili
Udoka
Duncan

that squad while small doesn't seem half bad. you've got 3 solid ball handlers who can all stretch the d by hitting open shots.

[FromWayDowntown]

"I felt like I was in college again, getting recruited," Stoudamire said.

Damon got recruited while he was in college?

[Solid D]

It may take Damon several games to figure out his spots, where guys like to get the ball, and when to take his own shot. I also expect some defensive letdowns on missed rotations, until Damon absorbs the defensive concepts and can react intuitively. It may take him more than "several" but hopefully he won't come out shooting blanks for a whole string of games because of new system timidity and poor rhythm.

[MoSpur]

We'll see what happens with him tomorrow.

[Borosai]

Hmm.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

It may take Damon several games to figure out his spots, where guys like to get the ball, and when to take his own shot. I also expect some defensive letdowns on missed rotations, until Damon absorbs the defensive concepts and can react intuitively. It may take him more than "several" but hopefully he won't come out shooting blanks for a whole string of games because of new system timidity and poor rhythm.

I'm hoping that too, although it seems to happen to every new Spur... we shall see.

[boutons_]

"It may take Damon several games to figure out his spots,"

seems to take every other new Spur at least one season. He'll be ready for the Playoffs ... 2009.

[m33p0]

uhh... okay. nothing to say really.

[ploto]

It may take Damon several games to figure out his spots, where guys like to get the ball, and when to take his own shot. I also expect some defensive letdowns on missed rotations, until Damon absorbs the defensive concepts and can react intuitively. It may take him more than "several" but hopefully he won't come out shooting blanks for a whole string of games because of new system timidity and poor rhythm.

...And not having played in an NBA game in over a month.