Tag: San Antonio Spurs

Svelte Blair enjoyed Russian solitude

Two months in Russia gave DeJuan Blair a lot of time to reflect about his NBA career.

Blair’s first two seasons with the Spurs have been marked with some monster scoring and rebounding games, along with the predictable defensive busts of a young player that would earn him a regular spot in Gregg Popovich’s doghouse.

But after some pointed comments shortly after the season from Popovich about Blair needing to grow up, it appears the third-year forward has taken the admonition to heart.

It led him to play briefly with the Russian team Krasnye Krylya Samara. But  any production with that team was secondary to the chance away from friends and family that provided him with a chance to reflect about his career.

“It wasn’t good being away from the NBA, but it was good to be alone,” Blair said. ”Just being over there in that environment, I thought a lot, I grew up a lot.

“I felt it was a great decision on my part. It wasn’t just about money, it was about staying in shape and getting better. I think I got something out of it.”

Blair appears noticeably thinner after a summer of extensive work. After battling his weight last season, his frame appears more like the one that enabled him to be a dominant power forward at Pittsburgh while in college.

“Over in Russia I’ve been doing a lot of push-ups and running on the court. Just trying to stay in shape,” Blair said.

But his sleeker frame has prompted several double-takes from his teammates and coaches when he arrived for training camp last week.

“I know everybody was expecting me to come back, however they were expecting me, but it’s just fun when everybody sees me and goes ‘Wo, look at DeJuan.,’ ” Blair said. “I’m just trying to turn a lot of things into muscle and become that vet that I want to be.”

No amnesty for Jefferson

By Jeff McDonald
jmcdonald@express-news.net

HOUSTON – Meet the new starting small forward, same as the old starting small forward.

After a week of flirting with other small forwards, the Spurs will open the preseason tonight at the Toyota Center with Richard Jefferson still on the roster and the remaining three years and $30.5 million on his contract still on the team payroll.

Friday’s NBA deadline for executing amnesty on a player – waiving him in order to clean his contract off the books for salary-cap purposes – came and went without Jefferson being jettisoned.

The Spurs had been strongly considering releasing the 31-year-old Jefferson, but backed away when they couldn’t seem to attract a suitable replacement. Though amnesty is off the table for the 2011-12 season, the team could still use the one-time provision for next season beginning in July.

In two seasons with the Spurs, Jefferson averaged 11.6 points. He shot 44 percent from 3-point range last season, a career-high and fifth-best in the league.

“He had a hell of a year for us,” coach Gregg Popovich said. “I think he’ll just move forward from there.”

ROOKIE ORIENTATION: One Spurs rookie first-rounder is sure to make his NBA debut tonight. Thanks to Canada’s Citizens and Immigration Department, the Spurs’ other rookie first-rounder is at least eligible to.

Point guard Cory Joseph, the 29th pick out of Texas, received a work visa from his native Canada as expected Friday and joined the Spurs in Houston. He is scheduled to participate in his first Spurs practice with this morning’s shootaround, though it is uncertain if he will play against the Rockets.

Meanwhile, small forward Kawhi Leonard – the 15th pick in June – is eager to play in his first game in an NBA uniform, even if it’s just an exhibition.

“I’m just anxious to play really, just to see how the NBA-paced game is and get use to the atmosphere so I can get better,” Leonard said.

OH, HIM: Steve Novak, the former Marquette star who re-joined the Spurs Thursday was thrilled to go through his first practice on Friday, getting re-acquainted with most of the teammates with whom he played in the final three months of the 2010-11 season.

“I sure loved it here with the Spurs, so I’m very happy to be back,” he said.

Novak spent his time during the NBA lockout in his home base in Milwaukee, working out with Marquette players, past and present, including some NBA players.

“There were quite a few (NBA players),” he said. “Myself, Lazar Hayward, Jimmy Butler, Wes Matthews and, and — I’m forgetting one. There were five guys. Who am I forgetting? Oh, yeah, D. Wade. But he didn’t work out with us. He was just there a couple of days.”

That would be Dwyane Wade, All-NBA star of the Heat and MVP of the 2006 NBA Finals.
Wade and Novak were teammates at Marquette in 2002-03.

Novak, 6-10, believes he has a decent shot at making the Spurs opening night roster because the Spurs have only four NBA-experienced big men and because of his long-distance shooting ability.

Ford excited for his Texas return

Houston-area native and former Texas player T.J. Ford couldn’t be happier about his return to the area of his college success.

Ford said he had other opportunities, but was more excited about the opportunity to have a homecoming of sorts by joining the Spurs.

“In the eight years of my career I’ve been in the midwest, the east coast … far from home,” said Ford, who attended Sugarland Willowridge before spending two seasons with the Longhorns. “I have a lot of family and friends between Houston and Austin, so there’s a lot of opportunity for them to come see me play. Just to feel the love and the atmosphere, it feels good.”

Those good feelings and the opportunity for playing time with the Spurs were the biggest reasons he chose San Antonio.

“I think they wanted me. That was the big thing for me,” Ford said. “ I just felt it was the right fit from the time I got that first phone call. I didn’t think about any other team.

“I had other offers, but I don’t think I could have gotten a better situation than being in San Antonio.”

And the opportunity for playing time in place of the traded George Hill also had to factor into the decision.

The Spurs have had only one former Longhorn on their roster in their previous history. Johnny Moore played all but one game in his 520-game NBA career with the Spurs from 1980-90.

The team will have two former UT players this year in Ford and rookie guard Cory Joseph, the team’s first-round draft pick this season.