Witherspoon working to salvage an NBA career







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His big night in Houston becoming a blurrier memory by the day, Wesley Witherspoon was back on the practice floor Wednesday, once again spilling sweat at the seemingly impossible task of making the Spurs’ roster.

“Stuff like that lasts until you leave the locker room,” Witherspoon said of Sunday’s breakout preseason performance. “Then it’s back to work.”

The 17 points he scored as the Spurs’ starting small forward against the Rockets aside, Witherspoon remains the longest of long shots still left in camp.

In all likelihood, the undrafted rookie will soon be looking for a new professional home before he ever unpacked at his first one.

This was decidedly not how the script was supposed to go.

At this time two years ago, heading into his junior season at the University of Memphis, Witherspoon was projected as an NBA first-round draft choice, guaranteed money and a guaranteed roster spot there for the taking.

Though not quite in the same talent bracket, Witherspoon was predicted to one day follow in the footsteps of Tyreke Evans, a fellow member of Memphis’ Class of 2008 and a Sacramento lottery pick in 2009.

“I felt like it was the best decision for me to stay,” said Witherspoon, 22. “You can’t listen to all the stuff you hear, about where you’re going to be drafted. I felt like I wasn’t ready to go. So I didn’t leave.”

In retrospect, the decision might have cost the 6-foot-8 forward millions.

His junior season was a disaster almost from the start. Witherspoon played poorly in front of NBA scouts — and a national television audience — in a loss to Kansas in December.

Then came arthroscopic knee surgery.

Six games after he returned, Witherspoon was suspended for mocking an assistant coach on the team bus after a loss to SMU.

By March, Witherspoon was back — but as a reserve. Between injury and suspension, he missed 12 games. His draft stock plunged.

Witherspoon came back as a senior, averaged a respectable 7.2 points and 3.7 rebounds, then was passed over by every team in the NBA draft.

Having never expected to be a four-year college player in the first place, Witherspoon now describes his downfall in Memphis in purely practical terms.

“My time in Memphis was well spent,” Witherspoon said. “It was a great four years. That’s the past. Right now, I’m focused on playing for the San Antonio Spurs.”

Sunday in Houston, Witherspoon was able to flash a bit of that long-ago potential.

Earning the start next to Tim Duncan and Tony Parker in a 117-106 win over the Rockets, Witherspoon knocked down 6 of 9 shots, including a pair of 3-pointers.

He led all players in scoring and showed an impressive burst and explosion in the halfcourt.

“Guys get pretty excited, trying to make a basketball team,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “If you have a bad night, it’s like the end of the world. If you have a good night, you’re feeling pretty good.”

In San Antonio, Witherspoon is tasked with making a roster already more or less set, at a wing position where the Spurs are overstocked.

In a sense, his NBA career is considered day-to-day.

“He probably came back down to Earth a little bit with today’s practice,” Popovich said Wednesday. “We all get back to normal after a while. But he showed he’s got some ability and some potential there.”

For an undrafted rookie trying to make possible the impossible, the highs and lows rarely last long.

His pro career nudged from the fast track and onto a path considerably more treacherous, the longest of long shots aims to make every chance count.

“I came here to get better, and I feel like I’m doing that,” Witherspoon said. “This is a great place to start your career.”

jmcdonald@express-news.net

Twitter: @JMcDonald_SAEN

Race for Spurs roster spot down to Curry, Brown

By Jeff McDonald

MIAMI — Ten days before the start of the regular season, there technically remain four candidates to claim the Spurs’ 15th and final roster spot.

Before Saturday’s 104-101 loss at Miami, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich winnowed the field further.

“We’re looking at basically two guys, Eddy Curry and Derrick Brown,” Popovich said.

Curry, a 29-year-old center whose career has become synonymous with squandered promise, has throughout the preseason displayed a consistent ability to put the ball in the basket.

In his Saturday return to Miami, where he was a little-used member of last season’s NBA championship squad, Curry contributed nine points in less than eight minutes.

“Eddy lost 20 pounds to come to camp, and he’s played through being tired, which has always been a bugaboo for him in the past,” Popovich said. “He’s worked very hard, and he’s done a lot of good things.”

Brown, a 25-year-old former Charlotte Bobcat who can guard both small and power forwards, did not play Saturday. Still, Popovich has been impressed with Brown’s versatility and defensive chops.

“He’s a talented kid,” Popovich said. “Sometimes it takes people a little longer for the light to go on. You get them into another program and things work for them.”

The Spurs have until Oct. 29 to cut their roster from 18 players to no more than 15.

In addition to Curry and Brown, two other players on camp contracts — forwards Josh Powell and Wesley Witherspoon — remain on the roster for now.

Powell logged 16 minutes against the Heat, producing eight points and six rebounds, but made only 3-of-8 field goals. Witherspoon did not travel with the team to Florida, although he has not yet been formally waived.

Prize waits: In addition to the promise of a paycheck, Curry has another reason to want to make the Spurs.

If Curry is on the team Nov. 29, when the Spurs return to Miami in the regular season, that’s the date he’s most likely to receive his championship ring from the Heat.

“It’s cool,” Curry said. “I already got sized and everything. My wife, too.”

Having appeared in just 14 games for Miami last season, and none in the playoffs, Curry admits he had considerably less to do with the Heat’s title than, say, LeBron James did.

“I don’t want to sound ungrateful,” Curry said. “My second ring will be better. I’ll say it like that.”

Got Spo’s vote: One person rooting for Curry to hook on with the Spurs is Miami coach Erik Spoelstra.

“He has really committed himself, to put himself in a position not only to be back in this league, but really be an impact player,” Spoelstra said.

jmcdonald@express-news.net

With only one roster spot left, who will be the next Spur?

There are four players vying for the final roster spot for the 2012-13 Spurs Roster and each are making the case with their play.  Here is a quick rundown of who is on the cusp.

Eddie Curry – An 11 year veteran that spent four seasons with the Bulls, four with the Knicks and most recently played last season with the Miami Heat.  Curry has had weight issues and spent the summer slimming down and working on his game.  The Spurs do have a need of another big man.

“I feel I’m in a good situation,” Curry told the San Antonio Express-News. “I worked hard this summer. Every game it’s just about showing everybody what I can do. I’m trying to focus on defense and rebounding, trying to play in the system and soak up as much as I can. I think I’m going to make it. Until they tell me I’m not, I feel like I’m part of this team.”

Derrick Brown – After receiving several invitations to camp with NBA teams, Brown chose the Spurs even though there was really only one roster spot to be had.  The three-year veteran, selected as the 40th overall draft pick in 2009 by the Charlotte Bobcats  played with them until 2011. He then signed on with the Knicks in March of 2011 but returned to the Bobcats in December of 2011 up until the end of the 2012 season.  The Bobcats made him an unrestricted free agent and  he signed on with the Spurs. Steven Jackson, a former teammate with the Bobcats had high praise for the journeyman who is averaging seven points in 15.7 minutes a game.

“He actually gave (one-time All-Star) Gerald Wallace a run for his money every day in practice,” Jackson said. “I think that’s what opened a lot of people’s eyes that he belongs in this league.”

Josh Powell – Veteran forward who’s NBA career began with the Dallas Mavericks in 2005.  Powell,  originally slotted to be the forward groomed to take over for  Dirk Nowitzki, was traded to the Pacers along with Darrell Armstrong and Rawlee Marshall in exchange for Anthony Johnson.  Powell, along with current Spur Stephen Jackson and two other players were dealt to the Golden State Warriors.  He next played for the Clipppers then the Lakers where he got considerable playing time for an injured Andrew Bynum.  After winning two Rings with the Lakers, Powell next signed on with the Hawks for the 2010/11 season.  The push for Powell and Curry was something Manu Ginobili recently spoke about.

“There are 13 returning guys, so there aren’t many that can surprise you. But, of course, having Josh Powell and Eddy Curry on the roster is a big thing,” Ginobili said. “They’re both great players, talented bigs that (aren’t) easy to find in the league anymore. So, it’s good to have them around and give them a chance.”

Wesley Witherspoon -Rookie guard/forward combo out of Memphis has made the most of his rookie camp recently scoring 17-points in a start against the Houston Rockets. He has had to shed the  title of being ‘soft’ as in not doing everything he can to improve himself and with the Rockets game, he may have just done that.