By: Joel Brigham Last Updated: 10/25/10 6:15 AM ET | 1320 times read
Adjust font size:Every summer, when the NBA Draft gets under way, there's always a player taken in the lottery that confuses the casual fan. Maybe it's because he's a relatively unknown international player or a young man not expected to go anywhere near as high as he did. Or, as in the case of Indiana Pacers rookie Paul George, it's because his university's basketball program isn't one that makes perennial appearances in the Final Four tournament.
But, as the Pacers learned only a few short years ago when they drafted Danny Granger out of New Mexico, you don't always have to select Duke Blue Devils and UCLA Bruins to bring aboard a high-quality NBA player. After a fairly successful preseason, it looks as though Indy may have found another one in George.
"Being in a smaller conference, we didn't really get to go up against the best talent night-in and night-out, but being the leader on that team helped me to mature faster," George said about his experience at Fresno State, where he averaged 16.8 points and 7.2 rebounds per game in his sophomore season.
A few short months after wrapping up that sophomore season, George was taken with the 11th overall pick by the Pacers, but he's too humble a young man to make a big stink about being drafted over players with recognizable names.
"Me being a lottery pick, I try not to let that go to my head. At the end of the day, I'm just a rookie and I have to go out there and play," he said. "The key thing for me is just to pick up on things that Coach (Jim) O'Brien instills in us to do. As a rookie, I need to listen even more because this is all new to me."
It's new to all rookies, but for George things got off a slow start this preseason, and despite stellar shooting the last couple of games he still averaged only 27.7% from the field. Scoring seven points a game in limited minutes is promising, but he knows he's got a long way to go.
"I'm starting to understand within the offense and within the gameplay where my shots are going to be," he explained before his final game of the preseason. "It's always tough for a rookie to get out there and get a feel for this level. In college, you can just kind of go with the ball wherever you want to go, and this is an adjustment.
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View Joel Brigham Archive "I've been focusing on the defensive side because I know the shots will come," he continued. "I try to get up as many shots as I can at practice, after practice, before practice."
Coach O'Brien shook his head confidently in response to questions about George's poor shooting early on. He seemed totally unfazed by the slow start.
"I think that when he learns how to effectively use his dribble, how to use the defensive screens, he's going to be a guy that's going to impact our basketball team at both ends pretty quickly," O'Brien said.
"He's a wonderful kid."
"I want to be a huge part of this team, to help out and contribute as best I can," George said. "I'll defend, rebound, score, pass the ball—whatever it takes."
In the meantime, as this young man with so much promise continues to learn the NBA game, George can only work his tail off and be grateful for the opportunity he's been presented.
"Not a lot of people can make it at this level, and to get a chance and get a spot to play is just… there's just so much to be grateful for," George explained seriously.
"I've got an opportunity to play, I'm healthy, and I'm with a great organization. When I go to bed sometimes, I still think of being in New York that night and getting drafted, and I'm just thankful for all of it."
Someday soon, the Indiana Pacers will be thankful, too. With players like Granger and George having come from small programs, they might keep focusing their thankfulness in the direction of smaller college hoops programs from here on out. Fans may shake their heads, but sometimes GMs prove that there's a method to the presumed madness.
In the case of taking Paul George with a lottery pick this past summer, it doesn't seem crazy at all.
very good read like this writer a lot. meant to post it this morin but i left the house at 6:10 lol 5mins late
Read more NBA news and insight: http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?...#ixzz13ORyMJmC
Adjust font size:Every summer, when the NBA Draft gets under way, there's always a player taken in the lottery that confuses the casual fan. Maybe it's because he's a relatively unknown international player or a young man not expected to go anywhere near as high as he did. Or, as in the case of Indiana Pacers rookie Paul George, it's because his university's basketball program isn't one that makes perennial appearances in the Final Four tournament.
But, as the Pacers learned only a few short years ago when they drafted Danny Granger out of New Mexico, you don't always have to select Duke Blue Devils and UCLA Bruins to bring aboard a high-quality NBA player. After a fairly successful preseason, it looks as though Indy may have found another one in George.
"Being in a smaller conference, we didn't really get to go up against the best talent night-in and night-out, but being the leader on that team helped me to mature faster," George said about his experience at Fresno State, where he averaged 16.8 points and 7.2 rebounds per game in his sophomore season.
A few short months after wrapping up that sophomore season, George was taken with the 11th overall pick by the Pacers, but he's too humble a young man to make a big stink about being drafted over players with recognizable names.
"Me being a lottery pick, I try not to let that go to my head. At the end of the day, I'm just a rookie and I have to go out there and play," he said. "The key thing for me is just to pick up on things that Coach (Jim) O'Brien instills in us to do. As a rookie, I need to listen even more because this is all new to me."
It's new to all rookies, but for George things got off a slow start this preseason, and despite stellar shooting the last couple of games he still averaged only 27.7% from the field. Scoring seven points a game in limited minutes is promising, but he knows he's got a long way to go.
"I'm starting to understand within the offense and within the gameplay where my shots are going to be," he explained before his final game of the preseason. "It's always tough for a rookie to get out there and get a feel for this level. In college, you can just kind of go with the ball wherever you want to go, and this is an adjustment.
MORE BY JOEL BRIGHAM
NBA Sunday: Preseason Awards: HOOPSWORLD doles out hypothetical awards now the preseason is officially...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Granger Finished Waiting for the Playoffs: Three years ago, the Pacers told Danny Granger it would be a while before...
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NBA Chat With Joel Brigham: Join Joel Brigham today at 3pm ET to chat about all things NBA, from the...
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View Joel Brigham Archive "I've been focusing on the defensive side because I know the shots will come," he continued. "I try to get up as many shots as I can at practice, after practice, before practice."
Coach O'Brien shook his head confidently in response to questions about George's poor shooting early on. He seemed totally unfazed by the slow start.
"I think that when he learns how to effectively use his dribble, how to use the defensive screens, he's going to be a guy that's going to impact our basketball team at both ends pretty quickly," O'Brien said.
"He's a wonderful kid."
"I want to be a huge part of this team, to help out and contribute as best I can," George said. "I'll defend, rebound, score, pass the ball—whatever it takes."
In the meantime, as this young man with so much promise continues to learn the NBA game, George can only work his tail off and be grateful for the opportunity he's been presented.
"Not a lot of people can make it at this level, and to get a chance and get a spot to play is just… there's just so much to be grateful for," George explained seriously.
"I've got an opportunity to play, I'm healthy, and I'm with a great organization. When I go to bed sometimes, I still think of being in New York that night and getting drafted, and I'm just thankful for all of it."
Someday soon, the Indiana Pacers will be thankful, too. With players like Granger and George having come from small programs, they might keep focusing their thankfulness in the direction of smaller college hoops programs from here on out. Fans may shake their heads, but sometimes GMs prove that there's a method to the presumed madness.
In the case of taking Paul George with a lottery pick this past summer, it doesn't seem crazy at all.
very good read like this writer a lot. meant to post it this morin but i left the house at 6:10 lol 5mins late
Read more NBA news and insight: http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?...#ixzz13ORyMJmC