Sergio Already Impressive in Portland
posted: 9/11/2006 at 10:34 PM
The pre-training camp workouts have hit high gear at the Trail Blazers practice facility, and they will continue right up to the big day on October 3rd when camp officially gets underway. Trail Blazers players, along with other NBA players who live in the area, have been going at it in pickup-style games.
Trail Blazers' players Martell Webster, Travis Outlaw, Raef LaFrentz, Jarrett Jack, Dan Dickau, Juan Dixon, and Sergio Rodriguez, have been working out and playing games. Other players, like Desmond Mason, who lives in Wilsonville in the off-season, Steve Blake, Luke Jackson, Stephen Graham, Fred Jones, Aaron Miles, Ime Udoka, and Salim Stoudamire, have also been taking part in the action. As many as 18 different players have been playing games at the practice facility, and that is expected to continue as they get set for camps to begin. Blazers Joel Przybilla, Jamaal Magloire, and Brandon Roy, are due to arrive in town in the next several days, and will join in the workouts.
The news on Portland players has been all positive, with maybe the most positive information coming about Spanish star Sergio Rodriguez. Sergio led Spain to the title game in the recent World Basketball Championships in Japan, and was very impressive. Following the tournament in Japan, Sergio flew 21-straight hours to Portland, showing his desire to immediately get to work on his NBA game.
Blazers player personnel director Kevin Pritchard had some great things to say about Sergio after his first couple of days working out in Porltand.
"After flying 21 hours to get to Portland, Sergio went straight to the practice facility and had a great workout with our player development coach Bill Bayno," said Pritchard. "He speaks much better English than I thought, and we're going to get him a tutor. It'll be about him grasping the basketball terminology. This was just the first day, and we can't yet name Sergio to the next all-star team, but Sergio suprised us with how quick he is with the ball. He knows how to use his speed, how to change direction, and I was suprised." Pritchard continued with the high praise, saying "Bayno told me Sergio is hands down the quickest player on our roster right now. Speed won't be his issue, it'll be how he'll handle defending some of the big point guards he'll be facing. With the new rules you have to use quickness rather than strength to guard, and I think Sergio will handle that well."
Pritchard, and Blazers president Steve Patterson flew to Japan to watch the World Championships. They wanted to support Portland coach Nate McMillian, who was an assistant coach for Team USA, and also wanted to get a look at Sergio's game.
"What I like best about Sergio is the fact that he's a gamer," said Pritchard. "Against probably the best team in the world, Argentina, Sergio came in and changed the whole game. I just didn't understand in the next game why he didn't even come into the game until the third quarter. But, the kid has confidence. In this league if you have confidence and ability, then you have a chance at success. He's a great kid as well, and I'm even more confident now that he's going to help us, perhaps immediately."
One other interesting note, is that while the pick-up games at the practice facility in Tualatin are basically just to get the players into game shape, winning is important. Wins and losses are not just kept in the player's heads, but on a standings board posted on the side of the court. Each player has a record next to his name. Pritchard loves it.
"That's a Kansas trick, and it really works," says Pritchard. "If you're like 4 and 24, you really want to hustle around and dive for loose balls. We did it at Kansas and it was great. It's posted on the wall, and the players know the coach sees the overall standings at the end of the day. Don't think there isn' t a lot of pride on the line. That's just one of the ways we've tried to change the culture here. I like when guys go at it, and we're seeing that even now. Come training camp it's going to be very intense, and that's what we want."
Pritchard was our guest on Courtside Monday Night, presented by L.A. Weight Loss. To listen to the entire interview with KP,
click here.
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Sergio is a hell of a player. You will sure enjoy with him.
Great to have you back, Mike. I've been on the Sergio ban wagon since we acquired him. I think in the preseason he'll establish himself as a fan favorite. He should be a lot of fun to watch this season.
Hey, Mike, can we get a link to that interview and the show? I hope you will still be posting those here.
My lord! I can't wait for the season to begin! That's great hearing those guys start working out in games so soon. It shows that they actually care about basketball and strive to be better. Or ya know, could just be there to get in shape like you said. Lol. Either way, I'm happy with the roster we have now. We'll be able to actually compete this year. Sergio and Jarret at PG while Brandon Roy and Juan Dixon hold down the 2 spot. And the rest of the positions are up in the air I understand. OH BOY! Go Blazers!
¡¡¡!!!BIENVENIDO A OREGON, SERGITO... DESDE LA LAGUNA SEGUIREMOS APOYÁNDOTE COMO HEMOS HECHO SIEMPRE... VAS A TRINUFAR EN LA NBA, KE NADIE DUDE DE ELLO¡¡¡!!!
¡¡¡!!!SUERTE, MOJO PICOOOÓN¡¡¡!!! :D
Sergio can average between 8 ast in 20 mpg with NBA rules, so is there any question?
He needs minutes and I hope he'll have them, then we'll enjoy the huge talent of this guy
SErgio is one of the best guards in europe, and in a few years, he will be one of the most determintated playmaker in the NBA, he is so fast and so creative.
He loves basket, and have great ability with the ball. Really Portland signs the best guard who plays in the "acb" (spanish league).
I hope he play as he knows and have minutes to demostrate to the NBA who is him.
Regards and sorry for my poor english.
"La rica salsa canarias, se llama mojo picón!!!"
Si pudieran ponerme en contacto con sergio para hacerle su web sería fantastico (marcosabad@hotmal.com)
Hey Mike, Sergio sounds like a good kid with a great attitude. It's just hard to get excited about a player that is not as good as a player we previously had. Everytime i hear about how quick he is or what great passing ability he possesses it just makes me think of Telfair. There is no way that he is quicker or has better passing ability than Telfair. It's like were taking two steps back. I wish Sergio the best and im sure he will be a decent NBA player one day but all i expect out of him is hard work and a great attitude. From what i have been hearing so far it sounds like he's got that down.
Come on Mike, you can't drop a cool little nugget like that (players records) and not give us an update of what each players records are....
Inquiring minds want to know....
Congratulations Portland, you guys got the best junior PG in the world (Chrisinhawaii, might still be shaking his head and growing nostalgic of Telfair, but this kid is the real deal). He also possess strong fundamentals a very high basketball IQ a true winner and very experienced. Think Tony Parker meets Steve Nash. Not crazy, just been following this kid's career for very long time.
GREAT STUFF! HE'S FAST AND LIKES TO PUSH THE BALL! HOPEFULLY HE HAS THE SMARTS THAT TELFAIR LACKED.
Hey guys, how are you doing? Good to talk to you again.I've reading all the comments posted on your blog, Mike, and I have been quite taken aback by the one from that guy called CHRISINHAWAII.Pretty much blown away I'd say. What the hell has Telfair shown in the NBA?. Has he made any great impact in the league? The answer is obvious:NO,NOTHING AT ALL.
Then people should show more respect with Sergio Rodriguez, to whom almost anyone over there in U.S.A has watched him play ever. And I'm not saying all this just because I'm a Spanish countryman fella, but because Sergio Rodriguez deserves a lot of credit after what he's accomplished in the recent Basketball World Championship winning the gold medal.All right, he hasn't had many minutes to play, but just take a look at his performance against Argentina.I'm absolutely sure that it will change your mind about Sergio.
Regards from Spain.You'll be hearing from me very soon again.GO BLAZERS,GO!!!!!!!
Thanks for the comments. Nice to be back. I spent the morning at the practice facility today, and watched some more spirited games. I'll have more on that in tomorrow's blog. I will post a link to the interview with Pritchard momentarily at the end of the blog. Sorry for the delay on that. I love the input from the Sergio fans. I talked to him today and he spent this afternoon looking for a house in the area.
Chrisinhawaii,
I get what you're saying about Sebastian. But, you've got to keep in mind, we got Brandon Roy, Dan Dickau, and Raef LaFrentz in that Telfair trade. So, it's not like it was Sergio for Telfair, straight up. Raef is looking great, by the way, Brandon played today, and Dickau has been very, very solid so far in these pick-up games.
From what I've seen, Sergio will not only be better than the Point Guard we traded, he won't have the inflated ego to carry around. That will be a plus.
"Sergio LED Spain to the title game..."
Hey Mike,
I'm excited about Sergio too, but come on...you can't say Sergio led Spain to the championship, when he averaged maybe 10 minutes per game. I know this is the Blazers website and all, but please let's have some accurate reporting here.
GO BLAZERS!
If you have any doubt, see Sergio in the final of junior championship making crazy all the opponents:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhOq6n9_Emg
To all our Spanish friends - welcome and thanks for the comments. Sergio did play very well against Argentina and I am sure he will play well here. I watched each game with rising hope.
The USA Basketball team struggled with learning the international game and that shows how different we play here. It is rare that a rookie plays major minutes in the NBA except for a bad team (I know - 21 wins last year qualifies as a bad team). We made many upgrades this year and Sergio will have every chance under Nate McMillan to earn minutes and that is the only way anyone on the team gets minutes - earn them. It will be fun to watch the team come together over the long 82-game season and each player find his role in the team.
Mike thanks for the good interview with Kevin Pritchard. Can we get the Nate McMillan and Jarrett Jack interviews referenced in that interview as well?
Hello Mike!!!
I hope all this things that we are tellling, will pass in the future and Sergio demonstrate all his basketball. If you talk with him, could you tell him about his website, if he likes, i create for him! please, tell him if you can!!
Regards!!!! Go Blazers!!
"La rica salsa canaria se llama mojo picón"
You lucky Portland fans.
I've seen Sergio playing for 2 years. The more pressure in the match, the fresher he does.
Just beware of too many r.p.m with him when he's hot. A few minutes in the cooler are good to him.
By the way, the Spanish Team coach was his during a year. He got rid of a wonderful guard (Corey Brewer) to give him more minutes. "Pepu" Hernandez is really tough with Sergio, but he does believe in the boy.
At Madrid he was called "Chacho".
Sergio, Tu ex equipo ESTUDIANTES y como no LA DEMENCIA entera te echaremos de menos. Mucha suerte !!!
"Nunca hubo un genio sin un gramo de Demencia"
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