Kayte Puts Young Kings Play In Perspective
January 28, 2010 by Kayte Christensen
Let’s be honest, being a professional athlete is a pretty amazing and enviable job to a lot of people. Those who don’t have the ability to play their favorite sport at its highest level often have the point of view that being able to play a sport for a living is the best thing EVER! The reasoning is simple, you go to work every day and get to play a game. I imagine avid videogamers probably think the same way about those who are in that field, developing and playing video games for a living. From what I’ve seen, it’s every kid trapped in a grown man’s body’s dream!
But it gets better than just being, say, an NBA player.
How, you ask?
Well, when Tyreke Evans and Omri Casspi were told on Wednesday they were chosen to play in the Rookie-Sophomore game at All-Star Weekend, it was like Christmas, Hanukah and birthdays rolled into one big day!
Realistically, though, we all knew Tyreke was on his way there. Shoot, it’s just one more thing for him to add to his list of accomplishments and accolades he’s earned just halfway through what has turned out to be a record-breaking rookie season for the Kings 4th overall pick in 2009 NBA Draft. He has already been named Western Conference Rookie of the Month for October/November and December and now he’s heading to the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam. Plus, he’s the early favorite for yet another award he wants to add to his resume — Rookie of the Year.
Does it get any better?
Not only is Tyreke the first Kings player to make an appearance in the Rookie game since 2002 when Hedo Turkoglu represented the franchise, he will not be alone. His rookie teammate Omri Casspi will be right alongside him. It will be the first time since Kings teammates Brian Grant and Michael Smith were on the Rookie team together in 1995. That’s 15 years!
It only gets better and better if you’re a Kings fan!
Omri, the first-ever Israeli-born player to play in the NBA, has shocked people around the League with his play so far this season by averaging 12.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, 48 percent field goal shooting and 40 percent three-point field goal shooting in 28 minutes per game.
Before Kevin Martin’s return from wrist surgery, Omri was a regular in the starting lineup on a team that has featured 18 different lineups already this season. Tyreke, though, playing at an extremely high level and averaging 20.8 points, 4.9 assists and 4.8 rebounds while shooting 46 percent from the field in 37 minutes a game, has also performed well above what many expected. He, nonetheless, was still expected to be a huge piece to the rebuilding project taken on by the Maloofs and Geoff Petrie. The combination of Tyreke and Omri has been like the team winning the lottery twice!
A day after the news of the rookies’ honor settled in, I wanted to ask both rookies what it means to them to take it all in!
Omri, on every occasion I have spoken with him, always seems like he doesn’t quite believe he is where he is and is doing what he’s doing — like he’s going to wake up and be back home in Israel playing for Maccabi Tel Aviv! When he talked about the opportunity to play with the best of the best at All-Star Weekend, he told me, “It’s like a dream!” We often think of the NBA in terms of the United States alone. Sure, we’re all aware of the huge foreign representation, but I think we sometimes forget how people outside the U.S. view the NBA.
I was in Las Vegas for Vegas Summer League this past July and while I was at one of the games, I saw what must have been an 11-year-old boy wearing a Dan Majerle USA Basketball jersey. I was intrigued, so I went up and asked the boy about his jersey. It turned out that he was from Russia and in whatever way, be it ESPN Classic or what have you — he became a huge Thunder Dan fan. It made me think about how the NBA and its players are viewed around the world, often times, very much like an action figure or superhero.
I think this is why Omri always seems to be in a sort of dream state! He told me he knows everyone back home will be watching the Rookie game live and he is flying his father and brother out to join him for the Dallas festivities. I couldn’t help but ask him about the pressure, knowing every single game he plays in, he has the eyes of an entire country watching him. “I like being in the spotlight,” he said. “Every pro player does!” I don’t think anyone realized just how big of a spotlight Omri would be relishing in.
After speaking with Omri, it prompted a question for Tyreke — with two consecutive Western Conference Rookie of the Month awards in their new place on his mantel and plenty of room for more, could he possibly be surprised to be named to the Rookie team?
Tyreke, soft spoken and extremely humble, just kind of blushed at the question and replied with something along the lines of ‘I’m excited. It’ll be a great atmosphere.’ His response reflected he wanted to say anything to shift the attention off of himself. He deflected the attention so much so that he went on to talk about having his brother and best friend along on for the trip and looked forward to the possibility of seeing family members who live in Dallas during his stay.
Can you call that evasive — hardly! In a world where so many egos exist it’s always a breath of fresh air when you come across someone with the talent Tyreke possesses who would rather talk about anything BUT himself!
Despite the number of wins and losses in the Kings column right now and the recent calls on our postgame radio show from frustrated fans, due to what they feel are disappointing losses, I have to be completely honest with how I feel about the state of this team. EXCITED. Optimistic. Proud. Yes, I said proud. Because, as an athlete, there is nothing better than proving people wrong and exceeding expectations.
We all know the expectations for this team weren’t as high before the first game as they were, say, after game 15. The Kings showed us the potential this young group has early in the season, while dealing with significant injuries. Now when they’re on the verge of surpassing last year’s 17 wins and are just halfway through the season, and yet there are still people upset because of the recent struggles, its a compliment in my book. I’m not the only one out there who sees this team’s capacity for greater things to come.
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