Rookies Check In
October 1, 2009 by Andrew Nicholson
Three days into Kings training camp, Coach Paul Westphal continues to speak highly about the team’s progression with the offense and defense, player effort and attitude.
Watch – Kings Training Camp: Coach Westphal, including the niche he’d like to see Donté Greene fill, Omri Casspi’s tough defensive matchups and more.
The players have shared Westphal’s positive feelings about practices, adding the most notable takeaway from them so far has been the emphasis on teaching. After Thursday’s morning session, training camp addition Melvin Ely detailed the coaching staff’s lessons.
“This is my eighth year in the League and this is the most teaching I’ve been through,” Ely, who continues to play through a strained right knee, said. “I wouldn’t call it the fundamentals (Westphal is teaching), but it’s just basketball – different cuts, the plays and why he gives (us) two or three things you can do (in a given play). He doesn’t put limitations on anybody. If you can make it and make it consistently, you can shoot it. He’s instilling freedom and responsibility at the same time.”
After discussing the key takeaways from Westphal’s practices, Ely had the following to say about the two players who have impressed him most during training camp:
“It’s impressive to see a guy who was 13th or 14th coming off the bench (turn into) a starting point guard, and he handles it well,” Ely said of his former San Antonio Spurs teammate and Kings point guard Beno Udrih. “He handles it with extreme maturity. Being under Tony (Parker) and Tim (Duncan) really helped him because he’s putting that leadership right back on the court.”
“He’s surprised me a little bit, too,” Ely said looking at Jon Brockman on the opposite end of the court. “He gets everything, gets at it and works hard — for a rookie that’s kind of hard, because you come in and you’re hesitant. He came in like he wasn’t skipping a beat.”
Though Brockman’s rookie teammate Tyreke Evans is listed day-to-day with an acute patellar bone bruise, he played in the team’s scrimmage on Wednesday night and participated in the shootaround-like session Thursday morning. After the early go-round today, Evans said he feels “pretty good” and is “probably 95 percent” healthy. Not one to rest, Evans didn’t hold back in the two sessions and is looking forward to playing in Sacramento for the first time in front of his new legion of Kings fans this Saturday at the Kings open practice at ARCO Arena.
Watch – Kings Training Camp: Tyreke Evans, including his feelings about his left knee, excitement for Saturday’s open practice and what he’s learned in training camp.
Evans’ rookie teammate Omri Casspi caught up with the media for the first time since training camp tipped off today, after being excused from the team’s Media Day in honor of Yom Kippur. Despite a busy summer of traveling, media obligations and Vegas Summer League, Casspi made time to workout in Bradenton, Fla., with IMG Basketball Academy and Pro Training Center Executive Director David Thorpe. More comfortable in his role with the team, his game and his new home, Casspi discussed his workouts with Thorpe, advice teammate Kevin Martin has given him and training camp.
Watch – Kings Training Camp: Omri Casspi.
Stay current with Kings.com and Full Court Press for continued coverage of the Kings 2009-10 training camp.
Many Kings fans have already had their questions answered by Coach Westphal and the players — do you have a question for the team? Submit your questions below or @ reply to Twitter.com/sacramentokings to have the opportunity to have your question asked by Kings.com at team media availability.
Can't wait to see Reke Havoc on Saturday. Omri either. Positive news is GREAT to read!
ROOKS RULE! GO KINGS!