Durant to have jersey retired at UT
Kevin Durant will have his No. 35 jersey retired at the University ofTexas during the 2008-09 season, the school announced Friday.
Durant played one season for the Longhorns in 2006-07, sweeping seven national player of the year awards and becoming the first freshman named national player of the year. He ranked fourth in the nation in scoring (25.8 points) and rebounding (11.1) during his one season with the Longhorns.
“I’m completely humbled to have my jersey number retired,” Durant said in a statement. “Growing up, I never imagined I would be able to attend such a great university and be surrounded by so many great people who had such a positive influence on my development.
“I’ve never been one to pay attention to individual honors, as I take more pride in team success. But this is definitely an honor that really is special to me and my family. The University ofTexas means so much to me.”
Durant will be one of nine former Longhorns to have their jerseys retired during the 2008-09 seasons. He’ll be joined by Slater Martin (No. 15) in basketball, Vince Young (No. 10), Bobby Layne (No. 22) and Tommy Nobis (No. 60) in football and Burt Hooton (No. 20), Greg Swindell (No. 21), Brooks Kieschnick (No. 23) and Scott Bryant (No. 25) in baseball.
Durant and Martin will join T.J. Ford as the only players to have their basketball jerseys retired at UT. Ford’s No. 11 jersey was retired in 2004 after he won national player of the year in 2003 and led the Longhorns to their first Final Four since 1947.
Football’s Earl Campbell (No. 20) and Ricky Williams (No. 34) and baseball’s Roger Clemens (No. 21) are the only other Texas players to have their jersey numbers retired.
“Everyone in the Texas basketball program salutes both Kevin and Slater on this great honor,” said Texas coach Rick Barnes in a statement. “With Kevin winning every national player of the year honor, his accomplishments speak for themselves. Both are true Texas legends, and it will be great to see their jerseys retired in theErwinCenter this coming season.”
No ceremony date has been scheduled for Durant, who went on to become the No. 2 overall pick by the Seattle SuperSonics and winner of the 2007-08 NBA Rookie of the Year award.
“To be able to return to Austin and see my jersey hanging up in the Erwin Center, a place that I will always call home, is unbelievable,” Durant said. “I feel truly blessed.”
-DM-
My take on the team name
Everyone’s got an opinion on what the team name for Oklahoma City’s NBA franchise should be. We’ve heard suggestions ranging from Aviators to Zingers and everything in between. An A to Z listing will run in Thursday’s editions of The Oklahoman. On our weekly NBA podcast, sports editor Mike Sherman and I spend a good amount of time discussing the nicknames and what marketing experts are saying. I’ll also have a story in Thursday’s paper examining whether all the good names are taken. Mike Baldwin had a story in today’s paper detailing the process of how the league selects nicknames. And columnist Jenni Carlson explains why the hysteria is sweeping the state.
I’ve got to admit, I’m looking forward to the release of the league-wide schedule next month more than I am the announcement of the team name. I want to know whether the OKC No-Names are opening the season at home or on the road, which team they’ll play in the home opener and what the rest of the schedule looks like. But that’s just me.
That’s not to say I’m not interested in what the name will be. Like many, I’ve rolled my eyes at suggestions I didn’t like and perked my ears at the sound of the ones I did. For my Thursday story, I interviewed several marketing experts about what makes a good name. The top factors were: short, easy to say, easy to spell, can’t be misspelled, region specific, positive and signals strength and power.
A lot of people don’t like nicknames that don’t end in the letter ”S.” I can’t understand that. People who don’t like names that don’t end in ’S' have told me they sound like youth league girls soccer teams. But no one’s complaining about the Orlando Magic, Utah Jazz and Miami Heat. So that “youth league” excuse doesn’t have any merit in my book. The best rebuttal I’ve heard came from a marketing expert. He said, “I think there’s more of a sense of community when you are a fan of the Blazers and not the Storm. There’s a feeling that you are a part of that.” I can buy that.
Having said that, here are my top five team name possibilities thus far and, lo and behold, three of them don’t end in the letter “S.” Unfortunately, I’ve got a strong feeling that the nickname will have an “S’” on the end of it.
1) Thunder — There is one reason and one reason only this name is at the top of my list – AC/DC. I’m no AC/DC fan and am not familiar with much of their work. But can you imagine this song being played each night before the Oklahoma City Thunder starting lineup is introduced? The Ford Center faithful would go nuts. You can make a weather-related argument for Thunder and OKC’s reputation for storms. I’m not. Legalities aside, I think people are trying too hard to pick names that make sense on all fronts. Thunder is No. 1 in my book just because of that song. When I’ve mentioned that AC/DC song to people, they’ve said Yukon’s own Garth Brooks’ “Thunder Rolls” would be better. I wasn’t familiar with the song until I looked it up on YouTube while posting this entry. After hearing it, I’m not quite sure a slow song about infidelity is going to get many people fired up to watch basketball. Sorry, Garth.
2) Pride — This is actually a nickname I heard a caller of sports talk radio say Wednesday morning. I fell in love with it immediately and, honestly, it should be No. 1 on my list. Instead, it’s a very close second. Unlike Thunder, I’m all for Pride because of its connotation. Nothing is more positive than pride. Good pride of course. Imagine the team referred to as the Pride of OKC. In a lot of ways it is. This city has craved a big-league team for what, 15, 20 years? Although some couldn’t care less about the NBA coming here, there is a good amount of people who realize the significance of this achievement and its impact on this city even if they aren’t NBA fans. I think Pride also fits because it could double as the term used for a family pack of lions. When you think of a lion you think of one of the fiercest felines around. When you think of a pack of lions you think of unity, togetherness, all for one and one for all. OK, that last one was a little lame, but you get the idea, a team.
3) Energy — Energy once sat at the top of my list of names. It ranked second on Tuesday before I heard Pride. It’s slowly becoming a distant third. I also like this one because of its meaning in this city and state. Simply put, what is the engine that drives this state’s economy, and more than anything what do you want your team to play with? The answer to both is energy. Also, remember how at the end of the every Hornets game they had the “Devon Energy Power Play of the Game?” That little promotion certainly could return.
4) Barons — Honestly, I think I just fell head over heals in love with the uniform design more than the name itself. Obviously because of the oil industry around here, Barons would be a good fit. Unfortunately, Barons also could be construed as Robber Barons, and I would think the powers that be wouldn’t want that punch line following their franchise after the whole Seattle saga. But hey, it ends in the letter “S.”
5) Vipers — In my book Vipers is like the runner who got lapped twice by everyone in the race and finished 10 minutes after everyone else. That’s how far back this fifth-place finisher is from my top four. But it fits the mold of what the marketing experts say are good names. It’s short. Easy to spell. Easy to pronounce. Represents strength, power, speed and a lot of people are scared of snakes. You could do a lot of cool things with the logo, too. The one negative is the Dodge Viper. The Oklahoma City No-Names will play in the Ford Center and that might not fly in the big business of sports.
-DM-
OKC Represented on Olympic Select Team
Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant and Jeff Green have been named to a 10-player USA Basketball Men’s Select Team that will help the USA Senior National Team prepare for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Oklahoma City coach P.J. Carlesimo was named the coach of the USA Select Team.
The Select Team also includes Portland’s LaMarcus Aldridge, Houston’s Luther Head, Atlanta’s Al Horford,Philadelphia’s Andre Iguodala, Sacramento’s Kevin Martin, Memphis’ O.J. Mayo, Chicago’s Derrick Rose and Detroit’s Rodney Stuckey.
The team will begin training in Las Vegas on Sunday and is expected to train and scrimmage against the USA Senior National Team from July 21-24.
“As we have been fortunate to convey in the past, it is an honor for members of our organization to be involved with USA Basketball,” said Oklahoma City general manager Sam Presti.
Preliminary round play of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games will be held Aug. 10-18. The gold and bronze medal games are Aug. 24.
-DM-
Places to mingle
My past four posts have all included Q&As with players, the team GM and a guy who last week had people briefly thinking the team will be named the Oklahoma City Marshals. While I hope those Q&As were insightful, I figure I better get away from that format in this post.
And so, as the team continues its transition from Seattle here are a couple of Internet sites you can visit to interact with fans of the new team and the NBA in general.
HornetsCentral.com. The name is old, but I assume that will change as soon as the team name is announced. The forums have changed from being primarily a Hornets message board to talk about Oklahoma City’s new NBA team. It’s also not as jumping as it used to be when the Hornets were here, but I assume that also will change as the season draws closer and the team becomes more visible in the community.
RealGM.com. A lot of good NBA fans on the forums on this site. An Oklahoma City forum recently was added and it’s becoming more and more populated. A Seattle SuperSonics forum still exists but might be extinct soon.
InsideHoops.com. There is no designated Oklahoma City forum, but you can talk all things NBA with fans of all teams. There is a 16-page thread about the team’s move, dating back to July 2 and discussion about the official announcement and going up to present-day talk about what the team name should be.
A few other sites also still weigh in on the old Sonics. They’re Seattle-based blogs with longtime Seattle fans, so they might not be great places for OKC fans to engage in actually talking about OKC’s team. But every now and again some of their content is worth a look.
Supersonicsoul.com. They’ve got a post on there now about the Uni Watch contest started by an ESPN.com blogger. You can take a look at their jersey design for yourself.
SonicsCentral.com. This blog has a lot of die-hard Seattle SuperSonics fans, and with the team now gone the topics have transitioned more to what Seattle needs to do to regain a team. I’d expect a few fans to continue following the team when the season starts and regularly post messages on the boards.
And of course there’s this space, which will begin to have more and more content as the season approaches and this city hosts its first permanent NBA franchise. Feel free to add places I didn’t list here. I’m always looking for new places where people are talking about the NBA.
-DM-
Catching up with Russell Westbrook
By now I’m sure most of you saw or heard about how impressive rookie point guard Russell Westbrook was in the Orlando Pro Summer League. He raised a lot of eyebrows of scouts, coaches and GMs with his performances and made believers out of many fans and media members who doubted Oklahoma City taking him with the fourth overall pick.
In four games, he averaged 16.5 points, 3.5 assists, 2.5 rebounds, 1.7 steals, 1.5 turnovers, 3.0 fouls and 0.2 blocked shots in 26 minutes per game (out of a possible 40). He shot 50 percent from the field, 36.3 percent from behind the 3-point line and 58.3 percent from the foul line. The most telling stat to me is his fouls. He plays great defense without fouling all that much. That might change when the season starts, because refs are known to call rookies for fouls that wouldn’t be called on veterans or star players.
But one writer said Westbrook was the best player in Orlando last week. The same writer also gave Westbrook some pub in this piece, quoting one scout as saying, ‘He’s flat out the best player here not named Kevin Durant.”
That means better than teammate Jeff Green (who led OKC with a 22.8-point average), better than No. 1 overall pick Derrick Rose (who played the first few games injured before shutting it down) and better than No. 2 overall pick Michael Beasley. Coach P.J. Carlesimo is quoted in the second piece as saying, “It’s not a question of if he’s going to be great, but when?” You can find in this very space where Green told me Westbrook could be a future All-Star.
I caught up with Russell at the end of his first pro experience and asked him about his performance in Orlando, his unheralded offensive game, his expectations for next season and whether his draft-night doubters added to his motivation.
DM: How would you rate your summer league experience?
RW: I started off well. I wasn’t real happy because we lost so many games, but I felt real comfortable out there.
DM: How much did you learn out there?
RW: I learned a lot. All the coaches pulled me to the side and told me little things here and there. It’s all a learning process for me, and I’m willing to listen?
DM: What did you take away from playing with Kevin Durant and Jeff Green for the first time?
RW: They’re two great guys, off the court and on the court. They’re two tremendous players. It showed last year. It was a good experience, and we have a good chemistry together.
DM: Were you all able to build that chemistry by spending a week together in Orlando?
RW: Yes. We started to learn how each other plays, and we’re going to learn even more when practice starts and throughout the season.
DM: When do you plan on arriving in Oklahoma City?
RW: Probably August to check it out and try to find a spot to stay and just check out the city.
DM: What do you know about the city?
RW: I don’t know too much. I just know it’s a lot cheaper than L.A. That’s all I know.
DM: Have you ever been to Oklahoma City?
RW: No. I’ve never been out there.
DM: How are you going to go about looking for a house?
RW: I don’t know. I’m probably going to try to find one close to the practice facility. Wherever the practice facility is built is where I’m going to try to find a home or wherever I stay at. I’m just going to take it step by step and try to find the best spot.
DM: People always talk about your offensive game, but you showed a lot of offensive skills in Orlando. Can you talk about your offensive game?
RW: It’s just me getting up and down the floor. Whenever I see an opportunity, it’s just me attacking and being under control. We’ve worked on that and been doing a good job on that.
DM: What has coach P.J. Carlesimo told you about his expectations for you next season?
RW: Don’t put pressure on myself. Just come out and play my game. He doesn’t want me to put pressure on myself. He’s just telling me to play my game and do what I do.
DM: Do you expect to start next season?
RW: I don’t know. I don’t expect to start. I’m just going to come in and try to work for as many minutes as possible and do whatever the team needs. But I’m just going to come in and try to work for my minutes.
DM: When you were taken fourth overall a lot of people questioned you going that high. Did that motivate you any more coming in?
RW: Always. It was motivation for me when I got to UCLA and some people didn’t think I should be there. Now, it’s the same thing all over again. But I’m going to continue to work regardless of what everybody else is saying. I’m just going to continue to work on my game and let my game speak for itself.
DM: What position do you feel most comfortable at?
RW: Point guard. I’ve been playing point since I’ve been little. I only stopped playing point for like a year, and I was playing point throughout the year at UCLA. So I’ve been playing point all my life.
DM: What do you think about Jeff Green saying you have the potential to be a future All-Star?
RW: It’s great. Jeff’s a good guy, and if I continue to work hopefully I’ll have an opportunity to be a star like that. That’s what I’m trying to do, continue to work with Jeff and Kevin and build something good.
DM: What are your initial impressions of D.J. White?
RW: D.J. White’s a good guy. He’s a good rebounder. He grabs everything. He blocks shots, runs the floor well as a big and he’s a good defender and great person as well.
DM: What do you want to say to the fans who you’re about to come and play in front of out here?
RW: Just that I’m looking forward to meeting you guys and I’m happy you’re having us. And I’m just looking forward to the season.
DM: What are your expectations for next season?
RW: I’m trying to win as many games as possible. I’m just trying to come in and win games. That’s basically what we’re trying to do as a team and as an organization, just come in and be a winning program.
-DM-
Sam Presti visits OKC
Sam Presti, the second-year general manager for Oklahoma City’s new NBA team, met the media on Thursday afternoon. In his 30-minute press conference, Presti talked about the challenges of relocation, his expectations for next season, coach P.J. Carlesimo’s philosophy, and attracting free agents to a small market.
Q: Is your job as general manager going to be more difficult because of the transition?
A: I wouldn’t say that it’s more difficult. I think there’s probably going to be some inherent challenges initially. But those are things that we’re ready to take on, and we have a staff of people that are working tirelessly to make the transition for our team as efficient as possible. But our focus has to maintain on continuing to make good decisions and building this team with the vision and identity that was set out.
Q: Have you started touring the city in search of a temporary practice facility, and what are you looking for out of a site?
A: We’ve taken a couple of looks. We’re looking at several different options. Essentially, what we’re looking for is a place that’s going to be our home. We really feel like that’s important to our program, especially because development is a huge component to our team and our growth.
Q: Do you have a timeline for finding a place?
A: The timeline for that will be when we find a place that we feel like is the right spot for us. We don’t want to make a quick or rash decision because it is a big decision for us and there’s a lot of options.
Q: What kinds of questions are the players asking about Oklahoma City? Are you having to battle any stereotypes?
A: I think this is the great thing about our players and everyone will have a chance to learn this, a lot of guys want to know are the baskets 10 feet? Do the balls have air in it? I think we’ve been fortunate enough to find players that want to play. Surely anytime that there’s a transition there’s going to be different questions. That’s part of our job to try to make the transition as easy as possible for our players and their families.
Q: Will this city’s small market size put the franchise at a disadvantage to attract large-name free agents?
A: With market size you can look at the history of the league. There’s been successful teams in smaller markets. Each market is different and unique, and we’re still obviously in the very early stages of learning this market. But our plan and our vision is to build the best team that we can. And our market size is not something that we come in thinking about. We come in thinking about how to put the best basketball team together for the long term to fulfill the plan that we have in place.
Q: When GMs are mentioned around the league, their age generally is not brought up. When your name is mentioned usually it’s followed by a comma and 31. Would you comment on that?
A: My birthday is a little bit of a topic. At some point it won’t be. But it’s never really been an issue for me. I think that the places that I’ve been and the people that I work with it’s never been an issue. It’s usually something that precedes me but doesn’t really stay with me very long. My job is to make the best decisions that I can for the organization, and that’s the way that I approach it every day. My age doesn’t really factor into that.
Q: Is the current roster one fans can expect to see come November?
A: There’s always a possibility that something can happen in the NBA. That’s part of the business. But going forward, we feel like we made some additions through the draft that are going to help bolster us in some areas of need and added some players that we feel like are good fits for us long term. At the same time we are a team that has to get better, so we are a team that’s going to explore those avenues. And if something pops up that we feel like will improve our team then we won’t hesitate to make a decision on that.
Q: As far as wins and losses go, what are your expectations for this team next year?
A: Continuing to improve. Get better defensively. Allowing our guys to grow together, to continue to compete and develop. I wouldn’t necessarily (say) a win total or a benchmark. I don’t think many people in my position would do that other than to say philosophically for our team, our focus is on chipping away every day.
Q: Would you talk about P.J.’s coaching style and his expectations?
A: P.J.’s a teacher of the game, and I really feel like he has the ability to coach the game and develop a defensive identity for our team. Our group is a hard-playing group, and that’s something that his teams have always represented. So we’re excited about watching the continuity of the group continue.
-DM-
No truth to OKC Marshalls
There is a buzz on talk radio and Internet blogs and message boards today about the nickname of Oklahoma City’s new NBA team. People are under the impression that the team will be called the Oklahoma City Marshalls. It’s not the Marshalls. The rumor is quickly gaining momentum because when you type www.okcmarshalls.com into your address bar it sends you to the official Web site of the NBA, NBA.com.
Well, it used to. When you click on the above link or type it into your address bar now, it directs you to a marshalls.com that says it’s “Transforming Britain’s Landscapes.” The link changed minutes after I spoke with the creator of okcmarshalls.com, an Oklahoma City resident named Lucas Lawver. He was evasive when I asked him questions about it and I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the link changed moments after I spoke with him.
Lawvery told me his domain name has no official connection to the real team name, which has yet to be announced. An NBA spokesman confirmed that Marshalls has no relation to the league, saying, “No steps have been taken on that front at this point. We’re still working on the process.”
Lawver created the domain name back in March like many other people who bought domain names in hopes that the team would settle on that name. It’s unclear how the Web site actually linked to NBA.com before the recent change, and Lawver said he had no idea the site linked to the NBA’s Web site until I told him. But after seeing it change moments after I spoke with him, I’m not buying that. I’m not tech savvy enough to know how to do those cool Internet tricks.
That probably explains why Lawver was short with his answers and told me he doesn’t want to be involved with any of this, which made me wonder why he bought the domain name in the first place? What’s also interesting is the domain name is misspelled, using two Ls instead of one. The clothing department store is spelled Marshalls. The spelling of the law enforcement officer or high-ranking military official is Marshal.
Here’s the entire conversation I had with Lawver:
DM: I’m trying to figure out what this okcmarshalls.com is about.
LL: I just bought that a long time ago.
DM: Well, you’ve got people thinking that’s the name of the team.
LL: I do? Well, there’s a bunch of them like that isn’t there?
DM: Well, this one links directly to the NBA’s official Web site, nba.com
LL: Oh it does?
DM: Yeah.
LL: I don’t even know what it’s linked at.
DM: When you type in okcmarshalls.com, it takes you straight to NBA.com
LL: Oh it does? I didn’t realize that.
DM: Are you responsible for that?
LL: No, I didn’t actually put where it links to. It was actually a long time ago. I don’t know what it links to.
DM: Why did you set up okcmarshalls.com?
LL: Uh, just for luck. I don’t know. Just to do it. I don’t know, there’s not really a good explanation.
DM: Is it in reference to the NBA team that’s coming here?
LL: Yeah, if it was to be that, but it’s probably not going to be that.
DM: So this has no official connection to the NBA as far as you know?
LL: No, it doesn’t. I’m 100 percent sure about that.
-DM-
Jeff Green moving to OKC in August
Had a conversation with Oklahoma City second-year forward Jeff Green today a few hours before the team tips off its second game in the Orlando Pro Summer League. Green, who has never been to OKC, talked about when he’ll arrive, what he knows about the city and its fans, rookie guard Russell Westbrook, why he chose to play in the summer league again and how good he thinks the team can be next season.
Q: When do you plan on coming out here?
A: At the end of this month I’ll be out for a couple of days looking for a place, and then for good I want to say in August.
Q: What are you plans from August to October?
A: Just to keep myself in shape, get ready for the season.
Q: How are you going to go about looking for a house?
A: Just find a place that’s comfortable. They say they’re building a practice arena by next year, so probably somewhere in that area or close to the arena. It just depends on where it’s at.
Q: Have you ever been to Oklahoma City?
A: I have not.
Q: What do you know about it? What have you heard?
A: I know it’s southern, because I’ve got family from Alabama and they tell me about it. The tornadoes, the normal stuff that people hear about when they hear Oklahoma. I heard it’s a vibrant community, places are being built to liven up the city atmosphere. So I heard good things.
Q: Have you talked to Kevin Durant at all about what he knows about the city and state from his Big 12 days?
A: Actually, I had the chance to talk to Tyson Chandler last year when I went to USA Basketball and the word got out that we might end up moving last year. And he told me the fans were great. They always were appreciative whether (the Hornets) won or loss, so that’s always a good thing because they’re always willing to stand behind us.
Q: What would you like to add to your game next season?
A: Just be a more all-around player, because last year I was mainly a defensive player or being a guy who was trying to create energy. But now I’m put in a position where I’m handling the ball a lot. The ball is in my hands. This summer league, we’re experimenting with that. So hopefully being a guy who can play both ends and be effective on both ends.
Q: What position do you feel most comfortable at?
A: I’m more comfortable at (small forward), but I can play multiple positions. I’m not a guy who’s mainly a (small forward). I can play (shooting guard, small forward and power forward). So wherever I feel comfortable at just depends on who we’re playing against.
Q: Has P.J. Carlesimo taken time yet this summer to talk about your role and what he expects out of you next season?
A: Before I left to go home for the summer we talked a little bit about it. He just wants me to do the same thing I did yesterday (Monday), but be more effective and aggressive on the offensive end. Last year, I was kind of hesitant to take shots in the beginning and middle of the season. Toward the end I got more comfortable with that. But he just wants me to be more aggressive on both ends.
Q: How much more comfortable are you heading into next season with a full year under your belt?
A: A lot more comfortable. I think one year in the NBA helps you a lot. I think it helps you know the game. It helps you learn the ins and outs of the game. It makes it easier on you. So that one year really helped me out a lot.
Q: Why did you choose to play in summer league again this year when you could have sat it out?
A: Because we’re a young team. We have D.J. White and Russell Westbrook, two guys who are very young who are coming into the same situation that we came into last year, coming into new surroundings. So we wanted to get the heads-up to them. We’re coming in next year all together young guys, but we want to make a statement that we can play with some of the top teams out there. It’s just going to take hard work, so we’re going to have to come in and get a feel for them and let them get a feel for us so that when the season comes we already have that chemistry among all of us.
Q: What were your initial impressions of Russell after his performance yesterday (Monday)?
A: That guy is unbelievable. I think he might have been the top prospect above the guys that were drafted before him. He plays both ends very well. He’s a very good defensive player. He puts pressure on the opposing team’s guards. He can also push the ball. He can shoot the ball. That guy is a future All-Star as long as he keeps working.
Q: Future All-Star?
A: Yeah. He’s very athletic. He can do a lot of things on the floor.
Q: With the additions that you guys made, how much better do you see this team being next season?
A: A lot better. We’re making strides to be one of the top teams, hopefully. We’ve been put in a good position down the road, whether it’s this year or next year. We’ve just got to be patient and continue to get better with each game.
-DM-
Indiana 95, OKC 78
Oklahoma City’s new NBA franchise played its first game today, and it resulted in a loss for the soon-to-be named home team.
Indiana 95, OKC 78.
Here’s the box score. And here’s the recap.
I got to check out most of the first half of the game live online and bits and pieces of the second half. My first impression, I think we’re going to be surprised by Russell Westbrook. Before I continue, let me say that this is summer league and not many NBA players are on these teams. The best player Indiana could throw at OKC was former OSU forward Stephen Graham. It will obviously be a much different level of competition come November.
Still, Westbrook, the fourth overall pick in last month’s draft, showed flashes of his talents and what he possibly could bring to Oklahoma City immediately. You could get a good sense of some of his skills after just a few minutes of watching him.
He showed a great deal of poise playing the point guard position, bringing the ball up with confidence and more often than not getting the team into its offense without much trouble. He got to the rim whenever he wanted, showing the much-hyped athleticism we’ve heard about since the team drafted him. His speed was impressive. He finished at the rim once he got there and on several occasions made nifty passes following his penetration, setting up teammates with easy layups and dunks. Westbrook also showed some 3-point shooting ability, displaying a fluid and comfortable stroke from deep although he made just one of three 3s.
His final stat line: 18 points on 7 of 13 shooting, 5 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 fouls, 1 steal and 1 turnover in 31 minutes.
Westbrook had 16 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds after the first three quarters. Second-year forward Jeff Green scored a game-high 21 points with five rebounds and three steals in 33 minutes. He had five turnovers and one blocked shot.
I’m looking forward to seeing more from Westbrook throughout the week. Oklahoma City will play Orlando on Tuesday and New Jersey on Wednesday, and neither team has a point guard on the roster who figures to pose any real challenge to Westbrook. Thursday’s game against Miami, however, might be a good test. The Heat has Kansas guard Mario Chalmers, a good athlete and a pest on the defensive end. Chalmers scored 11 points with six assists and four steals in 25 minutes today against Chicago and No. 1 overall pick Derrick Rose.
Westbrook is then scheduled to go head to head with Rose on Friday. Westbrook scored a team-high 22 points against Rose’s Memphis squad during the Final Four. Rose had 25 points, nine rebounds and four assists to lead his team to a 78-63 victory. I didn’t see the Bulls-Heat game today, but judging by the box score Rose struggled against Chalmers, finishing with 10 points, four assists, two rebounds and five turnovers in 28 minutes. Rose made only three of eight shots.
In other news, second-round pick DeVon Hardin didn’t play in today’s opener because of a stress reaction of the left lower leg, team officials said. It’s also worth noting that Hardin still has not signed a contract with Oklahoma City. First-round pick D.J. White did play and scored eight points with four rebounds and five fouls in 26 minutes.
And oh yeah, I hear Kevin Durant will be suiting up Tuesday.
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OKC summer league
That’s Jeff Green in the Oklahoma City summer league jersey, courtesy of NBA OKC. Don’t read anything into the colors. That scheme is just temporary until the official team name and colors are announced. Yes, I know the jersey is basic black and white, but that’s the official word.
You can watch all of Oklahoma City’s games live on the Internet by going to this link.
Oklahoma City plays Indiana today at 2 p.m., Orlando on Tuesday, New Jersey on Wednesday, Michael Beasley and the Miami Heat on Thursday and Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls on Friday.
Green, the team’s second-year forward and No. 5 pick in last year’s draft, 2008 first-round picks Russell Westbrook and D.J. White and second-round pick DeVon Hardin are scheduled to compete this week for Oklahoma City.
The team will be referred to as Oklahoma City throughout the week in Orlando, including the league’s official box scores.
I won’t be making the trip to Orlando this week. But we’ve hired a freelancer to write all kinds of stories from Orlando, so be sure to pick up The Oklahoman and check NewsOK.com throughout the week for continuous coverage.
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