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OFFICIAL 2010-11 SACRAMENTO KINGS SEASON THREAD - Vol. Too Lazy To Make A New Topic Right Now!
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by nicedudewithnicedreams,
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Casspi 'hurt' by vandalism incident
Reached at his family home in Yavne, Israel, a few minutes ago, Kings forward Omri Casspi said he was "hurt" upon learning that a mural featuring his likeness was defaced with a swastika. The incident at 16th and R Street in midtown is being investigated as a possible hate crime by the local authorities.
"It's been all over the news over here," said Casspi. "Everybody's talking about it. It's hurtful to think that this is 2010, and there are still people like that out there. I almost don't know what to say. It's probably just some idiot who wants some publicity. But I know the people in Sacramento, and they have been wonderful to me. I know they must feel bad about this. Same thing with the Kings. I'll just let the police handle this and focus on having a great season."
Casspi, who is the first Israeli to play in the NBA, returns to Sacramento on Monday to begin preparing for his second training camp. He spent part of last week participating in a basketball camp designed to foster friendships among Israeli and Palestinian youngsters. The event at the Jewish-Arab community center in Jaffa was sponsored by the Peres Center for Peace, in conjunction with the NBA.
Read more: http://blogs.sacbee.com/sports/kings/archives/2010/09/casspi-hurt-by.html#ixzz0z4hWjQOp
Not a good look for Sac.
Reached at his family home in Yavne, Israel, a few minutes ago, Kings forward Omri Casspi said he was "hurt" upon learning that a mural featuring his likeness was defaced with a swastika. The incident at 16th and R Street in midtown is being investigated as a possible hate crime by the local authorities.
"It's been all over the news over here," said Casspi. "Everybody's talking about it. It's hurtful to think that this is 2010, and there are still people like that out there. I almost don't know what to say. It's probably just some idiot who wants some publicity. But I know the people in Sacramento, and they have been wonderful to me. I know they must feel bad about this. Same thing with the Kings. I'll just let the police handle this and focus on having a great season."
Casspi, who is the first Israeli to play in the NBA, returns to Sacramento on Monday to begin preparing for his second training camp. He spent part of last week participating in a basketball camp designed to foster friendships among Israeli and Palestinian youngsters. The event at the Jewish-Arab community center in Jaffa was sponsored by the Peres Center for Peace, in conjunction with the NBA.
Read more: http://blogs.sacbee.com/sports/kings/archives/2010/09/casspi-hurt-by.html#ixzz0z4hWjQOp
Not a good look for Sac.
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Not a good look for this country..
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[h1]Omri Casspi Responds to Swastika Graffiti on Kings Mural[/h1]
9/09/2010 10:21 PM ET By Sam Amick
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The historic rookie season of Omri Casspi wasn't without its challenges.
Israel's first NBA player earned a starting role with the Sacramento Kings, then lost it. He hit the proverbial "rookie wall," then never truly found his way over it.
But all in all, it was something close to storybook.
Picked 23rd overall in the June 2009 draft, the 6-foot-9 small forward cried tears of joy inside his Yavne, Israel, home when commissioner David Stern spoke his name and enjoyed the season-long love fest that followed. He was a relative rock star in every city in which the Kings played, a point of pride for the respective Jewish communities that almost always showed up in force to wave the Israeli flag and chant "Casspi!"
Yet as Casspi spoke to FanHouse by phone from his home on Thursday -- on the celebration of the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashana, no less -- there was no such joy in his voice as he discussed the first painful part of his experience. A swastika that had been painted on a mural of his face in midtown Sacramento was discovered on Wednesday, the act being deemed a hate crime by local authorities who are investigating the matter and looking for the moronic culprit.
"It's all over the news here," Casspi said. "I'm not shocked but I'm kind of hurt, you know. ... It's just crazy that it's 2010 and still there are people who are racist and who hate. That's the only thing that hurts and is a big shock."
Casspi, who played for the Israeli team, Maccabi Tel Aviv, and spent his entire life in Israel until being drafted last year, said he had never been through anything even similar to this.
"In Israel, obviously there's not something like that," he said. "I've been in Sacramento and all over the NBA and never had anything close to that, never had anything racist happen. Everybody has treated me warm and kind and been unbelievably great to me. It's the first time for me to handle that kind of situation and I'm sorry I have to handle it at all."
Come Monday, though, he'll be far more focused on handling more welcome matters. That's when Casspi will return to Sacramento, where Kings head coach Paul Westphal has already declared the small forward spot up for grabs and Casspi is determined to earn it for good. He started 31 games in his rookie campaign, averaging 10.3 points and 4.5 rebounds in all while also taking part in the Rookie-Sophomore game at All-Star weekend.
But Westphal went away from Casspi late in the season, repeatedly citing the young player's slight frame and the fatigue factor as reasons for his decline while opting to use small forward Donte' Greene and veteran Andres Nocioni. This time, Casspi said, he plans on making it clear to Westphal and Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie who should be playing.
He has added considerable muscle, upping his weight from 208 pounds to "225 or 227 (pounds)" while getting a trial run at a more-prominent role while playing with his national team. In eight games with the Israeli team, Casspi averaged 16.9 points and 5.3 rebounds during the EuroBasket 2011 qualifying tournament, while enjoying what he called "my opportunity to lead, to really lead a team."
"I'm in great shape right now, and I'm going to show it to everybody," Casspi said. "I'm going to make sure that I'm going to be the starting small forward (for the Kings) during the season. I started 30-something games during the first season, and I want to make sure I'm going to be the only starter this year. ... I'm ready to show everyone that I'm the right guy, and show Geoff and Paul that I'm the right guy for that spot. Everybody will see it soon."
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9/09/2010 10:21 PM ET By Sam Amick
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- Sam Amick
- Senior NBA Writer
Israel's first NBA player earned a starting role with the Sacramento Kings, then lost it. He hit the proverbial "rookie wall," then never truly found his way over it.
But all in all, it was something close to storybook.
Picked 23rd overall in the June 2009 draft, the 6-foot-9 small forward cried tears of joy inside his Yavne, Israel, home when commissioner David Stern spoke his name and enjoyed the season-long love fest that followed. He was a relative rock star in every city in which the Kings played, a point of pride for the respective Jewish communities that almost always showed up in force to wave the Israeli flag and chant "Casspi!"
Yet as Casspi spoke to FanHouse by phone from his home on Thursday -- on the celebration of the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashana, no less -- there was no such joy in his voice as he discussed the first painful part of his experience. A swastika that had been painted on a mural of his face in midtown Sacramento was discovered on Wednesday, the act being deemed a hate crime by local authorities who are investigating the matter and looking for the moronic culprit.
"It's all over the news here," Casspi said. "I'm not shocked but I'm kind of hurt, you know. ... It's just crazy that it's 2010 and still there are people who are racist and who hate. That's the only thing that hurts and is a big shock."
Casspi, who played for the Israeli team, Maccabi Tel Aviv, and spent his entire life in Israel until being drafted last year, said he had never been through anything even similar to this.
"In Israel, obviously there's not something like that," he said. "I've been in Sacramento and all over the NBA and never had anything close to that, never had anything racist happen. Everybody has treated me warm and kind and been unbelievably great to me. It's the first time for me to handle that kind of situation and I'm sorry I have to handle it at all."
Come Monday, though, he'll be far more focused on handling more welcome matters. That's when Casspi will return to Sacramento, where Kings head coach Paul Westphal has already declared the small forward spot up for grabs and Casspi is determined to earn it for good. He started 31 games in his rookie campaign, averaging 10.3 points and 4.5 rebounds in all while also taking part in the Rookie-Sophomore game at All-Star weekend.
But Westphal went away from Casspi late in the season, repeatedly citing the young player's slight frame and the fatigue factor as reasons for his decline while opting to use small forward Donte' Greene and veteran Andres Nocioni. This time, Casspi said, he plans on making it clear to Westphal and Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie who should be playing.
He has added considerable muscle, upping his weight from 208 pounds to "225 or 227 (pounds)" while getting a trial run at a more-prominent role while playing with his national team. In eight games with the Israeli team, Casspi averaged 16.9 points and 5.3 rebounds during the EuroBasket 2011 qualifying tournament, while enjoying what he called "my opportunity to lead, to really lead a team."
"I'm in great shape right now, and I'm going to show it to everybody," Casspi said. "I'm going to make sure that I'm going to be the starting small forward (for the Kings) during the season. I started 30-something games during the first season, and I want to make sure I'm going to be the only starter this year. ... I'm ready to show everyone that I'm the right guy, and show Geoff and Paul that I'm the right guy for that spot. Everybody will see it soon."
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[h1]Sacramento Kings' Omri Casspi mural vandalized again[/h1]
/www.news10.net/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=95916&provider=top">http://www.news10.net/new...d=95916&provider=top">C. Johnson
Last updated 3 hrs ago
Posted: 9/16/2010
SLIDESHOW: Sept. 8 Casspi mural vandalism
SACRAMENTO, CA - A mural of Sacramento Kings player Omri Casspi was defaced again, a Sacramento police spokesman said.
Sgt. Norm Leong said police took a report at 10:30 a.m. Thursday that someone had painted a swastika on the image of Casspi, the first Israeli to play in the NBA. City crews have since removed the swastika from the mural, located at 16th and R streets.
Sometime around Sept. 8, the eve of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, the mural was similarly defaced. Anthony Padilla, the mural artist, painted over the swastika as soon as he learned of the vandalism.
Police have not found the culprit or culprits. Leong said when they do, the person may be charged with a hate crime.
The Anti-Defamation League offered a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the vandal after the first crime.
"The Anti-Defamation League condemned these acts before and we do so again," said Dan Sandman, Director of the league's Central Pacific Region, which includes Sacramento. "We are proud to have the Sacramento Kings and the Maloof family standing with us as we say together, 'In Sacramento, there is no place for hate.'"
Sacramento Kings co-owner Joe Maloof said Thursday the organization would match the ADF contribution, boosting the potential reward to $2,000.
"We absolutely condemn these sickening acts of intolerance and we're working closely with the Anti-Defamation League to support the Sacramento Police Department and help bring those responsible to justice," said Joe Maloof, co-owner of the Sacramento Kings.
News10/KXTV
[h3]Copyright 2010 / All Rights Reserved[/h3]
/www.news10.net/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=95916&provider=top">http://www.news10.net/new...d=95916&provider=top">C. Johnson
SLIDESHOW: Sept. 8 Casspi mural vandalism
SACRAMENTO, CA - A mural of Sacramento Kings player Omri Casspi was defaced again, a Sacramento police spokesman said.
Sgt. Norm Leong said police took a report at 10:30 a.m. Thursday that someone had painted a swastika on the image of Casspi, the first Israeli to play in the NBA. City crews have since removed the swastika from the mural, located at 16th and R streets.
Sometime around Sept. 8, the eve of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, the mural was similarly defaced. Anthony Padilla, the mural artist, painted over the swastika as soon as he learned of the vandalism.
Police have not found the culprit or culprits. Leong said when they do, the person may be charged with a hate crime.
The Anti-Defamation League offered a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the vandal after the first crime.
"The Anti-Defamation League condemned these acts before and we do so again," said Dan Sandman, Director of the league's Central Pacific Region, which includes Sacramento. "We are proud to have the Sacramento Kings and the Maloof family standing with us as we say together, 'In Sacramento, there is no place for hate.'"
Sacramento Kings co-owner Joe Maloof said Thursday the organization would match the ADF contribution, boosting the potential reward to $2,000.
"We absolutely condemn these sickening acts of intolerance and we're working closely with the Anti-Defamation League to support the Sacramento Police Department and help bring those responsible to justice," said Joe Maloof, co-owner of the Sacramento Kings.
News10/KXTV
[h3]Copyright 2010 / All Rights Reserved[/h3]
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Terrible thing to do. What makes it worst is that the person probably won't even get caught.
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[h1]Marcus Landry Invited to Kings Training Camp[/h1]
9/21/2010 6:00 PM ET By Scott Schroeder
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Marcus Landry, the brother of Sacramento Kings power forward Carl Landry, is reporting to the Kings' veterans camp today where he will compete for a roster spot, according to his agency, Exclusive Sports Group, LLC.
Marcus began last season with the New York Knicks as an undrafted free agent out of Wisconsin before being traded to the Boston Celtics. Landry was then assigned to the Celtics' NBA Development League affiliate Maine Red Claws for 13 games before being released by the Celtics in April.
This summer, Landry played four games apiece for the Indiana Pacers in the Orlando Pro Summer League and New York Knicks in the Vegas Summer League but failed to make a significant impact for either team.
When it became less convincing that Marcus would be able to secure a free agent contract to attend training camp with an NBA team this season, the same way he made it onto an NBA roster with the Knicks last year, brother Carl took to Twitter to plead Marcus' case, tweeting "THIS MESSAGE IS FOR ALL NBA GM's: One of the top Wing Free Agents is still available(Marcus Landry). Don't let a wonderful player pass u by."
While the brotherly love probably played a factor in the Kings giving Landry a chance to prove himself, he did perform admirably as a member of the Kings' 2009 Summer League team. In five games, Landry averaged 9.4 points and 3.6 rebounds while making 41 percent (10 of 24) of his 3-point attempts for Sacramento's Vegas entry. His outside shooting that summer, along with his performance in the D-League -- there was one game where he shot 8 of 10 from three-point territory -- is probably what made him most attractive to the Kings.
Landry does not have an easy road ahead of him; according to numerous reports, Landry will bring the Kings to 17 players going to training camp, including a few players he could be in direct competition with, as Joe Crawford, Luther Head, Donald Sloan and J.R. Giddens have all been invited on non-guaranteed deals, as well.
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9/21/2010 6:00 PM ET By Scott Schroeder
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- Scott Schroeder
- -League Blogger
Marcus began last season with the New York Knicks as an undrafted free agent out of Wisconsin before being traded to the Boston Celtics. Landry was then assigned to the Celtics' NBA Development League affiliate Maine Red Claws for 13 games before being released by the Celtics in April.
This summer, Landry played four games apiece for the Indiana Pacers in the Orlando Pro Summer League and New York Knicks in the Vegas Summer League but failed to make a significant impact for either team.
When it became less convincing that Marcus would be able to secure a free agent contract to attend training camp with an NBA team this season, the same way he made it onto an NBA roster with the Knicks last year, brother Carl took to Twitter to plead Marcus' case, tweeting "THIS MESSAGE IS FOR ALL NBA GM's: One of the top Wing Free Agents is still available(Marcus Landry). Don't let a wonderful player pass u by."
While the brotherly love probably played a factor in the Kings giving Landry a chance to prove himself, he did perform admirably as a member of the Kings' 2009 Summer League team. In five games, Landry averaged 9.4 points and 3.6 rebounds while making 41 percent (10 of 24) of his 3-point attempts for Sacramento's Vegas entry. His outside shooting that summer, along with his performance in the D-League -- there was one game where he shot 8 of 10 from three-point territory -- is probably what made him most attractive to the Kings.
Landry does not have an easy road ahead of him; according to numerous reports, Landry will bring the Kings to 17 players going to training camp, including a few players he could be in direct competition with, as Joe Crawford, Luther Head, Donald Sloan and J.R. Giddens have all been invited on non-guaranteed deals, as well.
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SB Nation 2010-11 NBA Preview
[h1]2010-11 Sacramento Kings Preview: Will They Make The Leap This Season?[/h1]
6 months ago: Sacramento Kings guard Tyreke Evans, center, attempts to get by Dallas Mavericks guard DeShawn Stevenson, left, and guard Jason Kidd on a drive to the basket in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, March 5, 2010, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
By Mike Prada - Editor
Read More: DeMarcus Cousins (C - SAC), Samuel Dalembert (C - SAC), Beno Udrih (G - SAC), Jason Thompson (F - SAC), Carl Landry (F - SAC), Tyreke Evans (G - SAC), Omri Casspi (F - SAC), LeBron James (F - MIA), Ricky Rubio (G - MIN), Donte Greene (F - SAC), Antoine Wright (F - SAC), Kevin Martin (G - HOU), Paul Westphal (H - SAC), Hassan Whiteside (C - SAC), Sacramento Kings, Philadelphia 76ers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Lakers
The Sacramento Kings have some great young talent, but are they too green to jump into the Western Conference playoff picture?
Sep 21, 2010 - Due to the success of the Oklahoma City Thunder last season, it's en vogue for everyone to look around to try to find the next young team to make the jump to playoff contention a year before everyone expects. Who is the team most suited for a similar turnaround next season? It's probably the Sacramento Kings.
The Kings went just 25-57 last season, but the record masks what was ultimately a promising season for the club. For one, General Manager Geoff Petrie clearly unearthed a future star in Tyreke Evans. Many criticized the Kings for choosing Evans, a player who many felt didn't have a position in the pros, over Spanish point guard prospect Ricky Rubio, but Evans made Petrie look like a genius last season, becoming just the fourth player in NBA history to average over 20 points, five rebounds and five assists in his rookie season. The other three? Michael Jordan, Oscar Robertson and LeBron James. Pretty nice company.
Evans still has to prove he can play well with his teammates -- his inability to mesh with shooting guard Kevin Martin caused the long-time Kings star to be shipped out of town -- but he's clearly a special, special talent.
For another, other Kings' youngsters such as Donte Greene, Omri Casspi and Jason Thompson showed promise. All three of them showed inconsistency too, but there's the makings of some decent complementary pieces around Evans. Throw in a bounce-back year for point guard Beno Udrih, who emerged late in the year as a good complement to Evans' ball-dominating style, and the midseason acquisition of interior scorer Carl Landry, and on paper, the Kings made strides. It didn't show up in the record right away, as a late-season swoon ruined a promising start, but the signs were there.
Now, the Kings will add DeMarcus Cousins and Samuel Dalembert to that mix. Cousins was arguably the second-best player in the NBA Draft, but personality issues caused him to slip to the fifth pick. Assuming the Kings can keep him under control (which they should), he'll end up being a huge steal. Dalembert was acquired in a trade with the 76ers, and brings much-needed interior defense, as well as a big expiring contract.
Between Dalembert, Cousins, Landry and Thompson, the Kings now have a deep frontcourt that collectively brings rebounding, scoring, toughness and shot blocking. SB Nation's Kings blog Sactown Royalty believes the frontcourt is now a major strength.
[h1]2010-11 Sacramento Kings Preview: Will They Make The Leap This Season?[/h1]
6 months ago: Sacramento Kings guard Tyreke Evans, center, attempts to get by Dallas Mavericks guard DeShawn Stevenson, left, and guard Jason Kidd on a drive to the basket in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, March 5, 2010, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
By Mike Prada - Editor
Read More: DeMarcus Cousins (C - SAC), Samuel Dalembert (C - SAC), Beno Udrih (G - SAC), Jason Thompson (F - SAC), Carl Landry (F - SAC), Tyreke Evans (G - SAC), Omri Casspi (F - SAC), LeBron James (F - MIA), Ricky Rubio (G - MIN), Donte Greene (F - SAC), Antoine Wright (F - SAC), Kevin Martin (G - HOU), Paul Westphal (H - SAC), Hassan Whiteside (C - SAC), Sacramento Kings, Philadelphia 76ers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Lakers
The Sacramento Kings have some great young talent, but are they too green to jump into the Western Conference playoff picture?
Sep 21, 2010 - Due to the success of the Oklahoma City Thunder last season, it's en vogue for everyone to look around to try to find the next young team to make the jump to playoff contention a year before everyone expects. Who is the team most suited for a similar turnaround next season? It's probably the Sacramento Kings.
The Kings went just 25-57 last season, but the record masks what was ultimately a promising season for the club. For one, General Manager Geoff Petrie clearly unearthed a future star in Tyreke Evans. Many criticized the Kings for choosing Evans, a player who many felt didn't have a position in the pros, over Spanish point guard prospect Ricky Rubio, but Evans made Petrie look like a genius last season, becoming just the fourth player in NBA history to average over 20 points, five rebounds and five assists in his rookie season. The other three? Michael Jordan, Oscar Robertson and LeBron James. Pretty nice company.
Evans still has to prove he can play well with his teammates -- his inability to mesh with shooting guard Kevin Martin caused the long-time Kings star to be shipped out of town -- but he's clearly a special, special talent.
For another, other Kings' youngsters such as Donte Greene, Omri Casspi and Jason Thompson showed promise. All three of them showed inconsistency too, but there's the makings of some decent complementary pieces around Evans. Throw in a bounce-back year for point guard Beno Udrih, who emerged late in the year as a good complement to Evans' ball-dominating style, and the midseason acquisition of interior scorer Carl Landry, and on paper, the Kings made strides. It didn't show up in the record right away, as a late-season swoon ruined a promising start, but the signs were there.
Now, the Kings will add DeMarcus Cousins and Samuel Dalembert to that mix. Cousins was arguably the second-best player in the NBA Draft, but personality issues caused him to slip to the fifth pick. Assuming the Kings can keep him under control (which they should), he'll end up being a huge steal. Dalembert was acquired in a trade with the 76ers, and brings much-needed interior defense, as well as a big expiring contract.
Between Dalembert, Cousins, Landry and Thompson, the Kings now have a deep frontcourt that collectively brings rebounding, scoring, toughness and shot blocking. SB Nation's Kings blog Sactown Royalty believes the frontcourt is now a major strength.
The Kings' biggest strength this season should be the glass, given the massive frontcourt upgrades. Carl Landry remains an issue on the boards, but Dalembert (a top-5 rebounder) and Cousins should more than make up for it, Jason Thompson does well in the area, and Hassan Whiteside shouldn't be too shabby. Omri Casspi and Tyreke Evans are also strong rebounders at their positions.
Finding minutes will be a challenge, and so will figuring out the right combination of players. But in a league where frontcourt depth is becoming more of a necessity to challenge teams like the Lakers, the Kings appear to be ahead of the curve.
But to get to a point where they can challenge the upper echelon of the West, the Kings will need to improve their on-court cohesion. As Sactown Royalty writes, organization was an issue last season.
The Kings don't execute well consistently. If it's not Tyreke barrelling to the rim or Beno Udrih running a pick-and-roll, the offense gets stagnant and boring. And sometime Tyreke's barrelling plays into the defense's hands, or Beno's picks-and-rolls look like snuff films.
Cowbell Kingdom adds that the Kings need to improve in two major offensive areas: outside shooting and drawing fouls.
The Kings finished 16th in the NBA in 3-point shooting at 34.9% and decided to upgrade the position with Antoine Wright - who had a career year with 33.5% last season in Toronto. At the charity stripe, the Kings had the 18th most attempts last season but finished 28th in free throw shooting in 2009-2010. With the attention Tyreke Evans will receive throughout each game (especially if that jumper is actually fixed) there will certainly be open shots on the perimeter and fouls on the interior to stop easy shots Evans creates. The Kings have to simply convert (especially in the fourth quarter) these easy chances to open things up for their star and create pressure on the opposing defense.
If Cousins is all that, he should help the team get to the free-throw line even more often. However, it's true that outside shooting will need to improve, especially because of how often Evans gets into the paint.
At the end of the day, both Sactown Royalty and Cowbell Kingdom are looking for progress, not playoffs. Here are their record predictions:
Me? Screw it, I'm riding the bandwagon. I think Cousins impresses, Dalembert plugs the middle enough and coach Paul Westphal figures out how to use Evans and Cousins effectively together. This might be the wackiest prediction I make, but I'll say 47-35 and the eighth seed.
- Sactown Royalty: 35-47
- Cowbell Kingdom: 37-45
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[h1]Kings' Cousins keeps it light back home[/h1]
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By Jason Jones
[email protected]
Published: Sunday, Sep. 26, 2010 - 12:00 am| Page 1C
Last Modified: Sunday, Sep. 26, 2010 - 12:22 am
MOBILE, Ala. – Sometimes it takes a mother to see the truth in her child's eyes, to hear the hurt in his voice. • Monique Cousins knows her oldest son, DeMarcus, well. • Even in casual conversation, she is comfortable standing. And she has stood up for her son enough to know the criticism he has heard doesn't fall on deaf ears. • The DeMarcus Cousins Monique knows is the one she sees in a slew of family pictures on the dinner table in her new home in Spanish Fort, a Mobile suburb.
Cousins, whom the Kings drafted No. 5 overall in June out of Kentucky, recently purchased her new home after signing his rookie contract.
There are photographs of Cousins playing with his five siblings – four sisters and a brother. Snapshots of Cousins as a toddler, with the familiar look that is now his game face.
Bad attitude? Lazy? Immature?
The criticism just doesn't mesh with the image she has of her son. And Monique, who raised him without his father in the picture, has watched how he has dealt with being told he has the kind of disruptive personality that can kill a team's chemistry.
Before the draft, pundits talked about him being uncoachable. All along, Cousins said the talk didn't bother him.
But mom usually knows better.
"Sometimes when you hear it so much you don't give yourself enough credit," Monique said. "Not that you act upon it, but it kind of gives you a low self-esteem in a way. So you make yourself OK by not worrying about it. So a lot of times you might hear him say 'I don't care' when he really does. … 'I don't care' is just a Band-Aid on that situation."
[h3]Hiding his playful side[/h3]Here in his hometown, Cousins isn't a problem child. He's considered quite childlike – a fun-loving kid in a man's 6-foot-11 body. This is where you see glimpses of the off-court persona that is the opposite of what the Kings want to see on the floor as they open training camp this week.
This 20-year-old "teddy bear" will sit on the gym floor at LeFlore High School and laugh when former classmates suggest he now has the money to treat them to McDonald's. He enjoys the banter with former teachers and administrators.
These are the same teachers who smile when discussing how well Cousins works with children, even playing duck, duck, goose with them.
Yes, this is a side of Cousins rarely seen. Perhaps you might call it the real Cousins. Just don't expect him to go out of his way to show you this side. He has grown accustomed to detractors who bring up past incidents while not citing the fact he hasn't had any major problems since he was in the 10th grade.
"It does bother me, but at the same time it really doesn't," Cousins said. "I know what type of person I am. Everybody makes mistakes. Nobody's perfect. But to hold something like that over somebody's head when they was such a young age, that's crazy – that's petty, really. But it really doesn't bother me."
To better understand why Cousins takes this approach, you first have to understand his early high school years.
He wasn't big on the Amateur Athletic Union circuit in middle school. But by the end of his freshman season at Erwin High School in Birmingham, Ala., some were already rating him the top player in his class.
"That was the crazy," Cousins said.
[h3]Attitude adjustment[/h3]Monique Cousins said the family was private and close-knit. But raising one of the best high school players in the country without his father around changed things.
Cousins said that was the start of adults taking credit for his oncourt success. Some promised to "deliver" him to schools in exchange for favors.
Then during his sophomore year at Erwin, there was an altercation on a school bus with a faculty member. Cousins was suspended for the rest of his sophomore season.
He enrolled at Clay-Chalkville High in Pinson, Ala., as a junior but was ruled ineligible when state school officials said coach Robi Coker recruited Cousins. Coker and Cousins deny any recruitment.
Monique said she was told her son could attend school anywhere in Alabama but couldn't play for Clay.
So Monique moved her family back to Mobile, where Cousins was born and Monique was raised.
And it's where things began to change for Cousins.
"After making my mistakes in Birmingham, I knew I really had to change if I'm trying to make it," Cousins said. "I started listening a lot more, surrounding myself with better people, better role models if you want to say that. Just changed my whole mind-set on life and tried to be a better person."
LeFlore had the right people in the right places to help Cousins begin to change.
[h3]Getting on track[/h3]Sitting in her office adjacent to the gym, LeFlore physical education teacher and former athletic director Sherry McDade recalled the first time she met Cousins.
It was homecoming, and McDade was in charge of the motorcade. Along the route, the motorcade was blocked by Monique Cousins' truck while she registered Cousins for school.
McDade still smiles when she recalls walking into the school office, where Cousins told her it was his mother's truck that was blocking the path and that he was an incoming junior who wanted to play on the basketball team.
"I said, 'Well, bend down,' " McDade recalled. "And he bent down, and I hit him upside his head and said, 'I'm Sherri McDade, I'm the athletic director here at LeFlore, and we want to welcome you.' "
LeFlore was already a basketball power in Alabama. The school had won a state championship the season before Cousins arrived.
And after the drama in Birmingham, LeFlore proved to be the perfect landing spot.
Eric Lovett was an assistant basketball coach. He was also Cousins' algebra 2 and precalculus/trigonometry teacher.
Lovett had heard plenty of negatives about LeFlore's newest player. And when Cousins ducked his head to enter his math class, Lovett recalled seeing a teenager who had been worn down by the rumors and attacks on his character.
"You only hear so many negative accounts, so it seemed like a situation where they were forcing his back up against the wall," Lovett said. "So it's a 'who can I trust?' kind of thing.
"I don't think people realized you're talking to a 16-year-old kid. He has a talent, and I think they were putting the expectations on him because of his talent and not realizing this is a 16-year-old kid that has to grow up."
So the plan at LeFlore was to treat Cousins like a kid. The coaching staff was cautious not to jump at every rumor and not to hold the past over his head.
"You hear some stories, and you get concerned, but once I met his mom and met him, it didn't reconcile," said then-LeFlore head basketball coach Otis Hughley. "I would have taken him 10 out of 10 times."
[h3]Managing his emotions[/h3]When he wasn't getting bombarded by allegations off the court, Cousins took a physical beating on it. Smaller players would hit him, and because of his size, officials allowed the rough play.
But instead of fighting back, Cousins learned to let Hughley and the staff fight for him. They dealt with the officials while teaching Cousins how to control his anger.
"If someone inflicts pain on you, what do you do?" Monique said. "So it's also a discipline to feel pain and not to retaliate and put the energy in its right place. No (previous coach) was teaching him that. (They) were like, 'Just suck it up.' … Eventually (his anger has) got to go somewhere."
Cousins wanted the discipline Hughley and his staff provided. He liked the fact Hughley treated him no differently than he did other players.
Hughley will continue to play a major role in Cousins' career. He will join his former star in Sacramento as an assistant coach on Paul Westphal's staff this season.
" 'Marc' is misunderstood in a lot of different ways," Hughley said. "And he's like a lot of good kids. He wants discipline, and he wants a good environment. I think it was just a good fit. He was with someone who was going to care for him as much as the last guy on the bench."
The challenge for Cousins in high school was how to channel his emotions. Hughley's approach helped. No one wanted to see Cousins become meek on the floor. But it wasn't easy for Cousins to manage those emotions in the face of constant criticism.
"We were walking down this hallway," Cousins said, referring to the hallway outside his former driver's education class. "And I said (to assistant coach Dion Lawson), 'Lawson, I'm going to stop playing the way I play. I'm just going to be quiet.' He said, 'Marc, you can't lose that fire. That fire is what's going to get you to the next level. You're going to have to learn how to tame it, but you can't lose that fire because a lot of people don't have it.' "
Cousins showed some of that fire during the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. He channeled that into an impressive spin move and dunk, not a technical foul.
It's now part of his persona. He didn't lose the fire at Kentucky, where he was the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year, and he doesn't plan to lose it with the Kings.
"When I get going, I zone out," Cousins said. "So somebody might start talking trash, and I'll be like, 'Yeah, let's go.' I'm fired up, and I guess you can say that gets me in a little trouble, but I've just got to control it. Then again, anytime I play with no emotion, it feels like I'm going through the motions and I'm just another player on the floor."
[h3]Finding motivation[/h3]The fire is usually out away from the court.
As he made his way through the hallways of LeFlore earlier this month, Cousins was greeted with hugs by faculty. He shook hands and told jokes to anyone he bumped into.
If not for the uniforms worn by LeFlore students, Cousins would blend in on campus. Dressed in a baseball hat (before a trip to the barber), a white T-shirt and basketball shorts and shoes, Cousins enjoys being part of the crowd.
There were countless stories of how "Big Marc" or "Big Cuz" took time to play or speak with children in his hometown.
It's a contrast to what many have heard about Cousins. And even though she probably knows this side of Cousins as well as anyone, Monique admits that sometimes she has heard so much negativity, the positive stories can catch her off guard.
Cousins calls himself "a family-oriented guy" and says, "I just like kids." It's not something Cousins goes out of his way to disclose, even for his critics.
"I care, but if you just go by what you read, that's not really getting to know a person," Cousins said. "Me going out my way (to show a different side) is pointless because they're not trying to see it anyways. Because the people that want to get to know me, they're going to go the extra mile to get to know me."
Cousins isn't shy about his goals for his NBA rookie season. He wants to play well and be recognized.
Cousins won't beg his detractors to like him. But he won't completely tune them out, either.
They are part of his motivation.
"When I'm on the court, I'm trying to show you – especially the people that doubted my basketball skills," Cousins said. "I want to be the Rookie of the Year. I didn't get a chance to be the Player of the Year in college. I need my own individual award. I want mine."
Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/09/26/3057175/kings-cousins-keeps-it-light-back.html#ixzz10ffCWQc6
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By Jason Jones
[email protected]
Published: Sunday, Sep. 26, 2010 - 12:00 am| Page 1C
Last Modified: Sunday, Sep. 26, 2010 - 12:22 am
MOBILE, Ala. – Sometimes it takes a mother to see the truth in her child's eyes, to hear the hurt in his voice. • Monique Cousins knows her oldest son, DeMarcus, well. • Even in casual conversation, she is comfortable standing. And she has stood up for her son enough to know the criticism he has heard doesn't fall on deaf ears. • The DeMarcus Cousins Monique knows is the one she sees in a slew of family pictures on the dinner table in her new home in Spanish Fort, a Mobile suburb.
Cousins, whom the Kings drafted No. 5 overall in June out of Kentucky, recently purchased her new home after signing his rookie contract.
There are photographs of Cousins playing with his five siblings – four sisters and a brother. Snapshots of Cousins as a toddler, with the familiar look that is now his game face.
Bad attitude? Lazy? Immature?
The criticism just doesn't mesh with the image she has of her son. And Monique, who raised him without his father in the picture, has watched how he has dealt with being told he has the kind of disruptive personality that can kill a team's chemistry.
Before the draft, pundits talked about him being uncoachable. All along, Cousins said the talk didn't bother him.
But mom usually knows better.
"Sometimes when you hear it so much you don't give yourself enough credit," Monique said. "Not that you act upon it, but it kind of gives you a low self-esteem in a way. So you make yourself OK by not worrying about it. So a lot of times you might hear him say 'I don't care' when he really does. … 'I don't care' is just a Band-Aid on that situation."
[h3]Hiding his playful side[/h3]Here in his hometown, Cousins isn't a problem child. He's considered quite childlike – a fun-loving kid in a man's 6-foot-11 body. This is where you see glimpses of the off-court persona that is the opposite of what the Kings want to see on the floor as they open training camp this week.
This 20-year-old "teddy bear" will sit on the gym floor at LeFlore High School and laugh when former classmates suggest he now has the money to treat them to McDonald's. He enjoys the banter with former teachers and administrators.
These are the same teachers who smile when discussing how well Cousins works with children, even playing duck, duck, goose with them.
Yes, this is a side of Cousins rarely seen. Perhaps you might call it the real Cousins. Just don't expect him to go out of his way to show you this side. He has grown accustomed to detractors who bring up past incidents while not citing the fact he hasn't had any major problems since he was in the 10th grade.
"It does bother me, but at the same time it really doesn't," Cousins said. "I know what type of person I am. Everybody makes mistakes. Nobody's perfect. But to hold something like that over somebody's head when they was such a young age, that's crazy – that's petty, really. But it really doesn't bother me."
To better understand why Cousins takes this approach, you first have to understand his early high school years.
He wasn't big on the Amateur Athletic Union circuit in middle school. But by the end of his freshman season at Erwin High School in Birmingham, Ala., some were already rating him the top player in his class.
"That was the crazy," Cousins said.
[h3]Attitude adjustment[/h3]Monique Cousins said the family was private and close-knit. But raising one of the best high school players in the country without his father around changed things.
Cousins said that was the start of adults taking credit for his oncourt success. Some promised to "deliver" him to schools in exchange for favors.
Then during his sophomore year at Erwin, there was an altercation on a school bus with a faculty member. Cousins was suspended for the rest of his sophomore season.
He enrolled at Clay-Chalkville High in Pinson, Ala., as a junior but was ruled ineligible when state school officials said coach Robi Coker recruited Cousins. Coker and Cousins deny any recruitment.
Monique said she was told her son could attend school anywhere in Alabama but couldn't play for Clay.
So Monique moved her family back to Mobile, where Cousins was born and Monique was raised.
And it's where things began to change for Cousins.
"After making my mistakes in Birmingham, I knew I really had to change if I'm trying to make it," Cousins said. "I started listening a lot more, surrounding myself with better people, better role models if you want to say that. Just changed my whole mind-set on life and tried to be a better person."
LeFlore had the right people in the right places to help Cousins begin to change.
[h3]Getting on track[/h3]Sitting in her office adjacent to the gym, LeFlore physical education teacher and former athletic director Sherry McDade recalled the first time she met Cousins.
It was homecoming, and McDade was in charge of the motorcade. Along the route, the motorcade was blocked by Monique Cousins' truck while she registered Cousins for school.
McDade still smiles when she recalls walking into the school office, where Cousins told her it was his mother's truck that was blocking the path and that he was an incoming junior who wanted to play on the basketball team.
"I said, 'Well, bend down,' " McDade recalled. "And he bent down, and I hit him upside his head and said, 'I'm Sherri McDade, I'm the athletic director here at LeFlore, and we want to welcome you.' "
LeFlore was already a basketball power in Alabama. The school had won a state championship the season before Cousins arrived.
And after the drama in Birmingham, LeFlore proved to be the perfect landing spot.
Eric Lovett was an assistant basketball coach. He was also Cousins' algebra 2 and precalculus/trigonometry teacher.
Lovett had heard plenty of negatives about LeFlore's newest player. And when Cousins ducked his head to enter his math class, Lovett recalled seeing a teenager who had been worn down by the rumors and attacks on his character.
"You only hear so many negative accounts, so it seemed like a situation where they were forcing his back up against the wall," Lovett said. "So it's a 'who can I trust?' kind of thing.
"I don't think people realized you're talking to a 16-year-old kid. He has a talent, and I think they were putting the expectations on him because of his talent and not realizing this is a 16-year-old kid that has to grow up."
So the plan at LeFlore was to treat Cousins like a kid. The coaching staff was cautious not to jump at every rumor and not to hold the past over his head.
"You hear some stories, and you get concerned, but once I met his mom and met him, it didn't reconcile," said then-LeFlore head basketball coach Otis Hughley. "I would have taken him 10 out of 10 times."
[h3]Managing his emotions[/h3]When he wasn't getting bombarded by allegations off the court, Cousins took a physical beating on it. Smaller players would hit him, and because of his size, officials allowed the rough play.
But instead of fighting back, Cousins learned to let Hughley and the staff fight for him. They dealt with the officials while teaching Cousins how to control his anger.
"If someone inflicts pain on you, what do you do?" Monique said. "So it's also a discipline to feel pain and not to retaliate and put the energy in its right place. No (previous coach) was teaching him that. (They) were like, 'Just suck it up.' … Eventually (his anger has) got to go somewhere."
Cousins wanted the discipline Hughley and his staff provided. He liked the fact Hughley treated him no differently than he did other players.
Hughley will continue to play a major role in Cousins' career. He will join his former star in Sacramento as an assistant coach on Paul Westphal's staff this season.
" 'Marc' is misunderstood in a lot of different ways," Hughley said. "And he's like a lot of good kids. He wants discipline, and he wants a good environment. I think it was just a good fit. He was with someone who was going to care for him as much as the last guy on the bench."
The challenge for Cousins in high school was how to channel his emotions. Hughley's approach helped. No one wanted to see Cousins become meek on the floor. But it wasn't easy for Cousins to manage those emotions in the face of constant criticism.
"We were walking down this hallway," Cousins said, referring to the hallway outside his former driver's education class. "And I said (to assistant coach Dion Lawson), 'Lawson, I'm going to stop playing the way I play. I'm just going to be quiet.' He said, 'Marc, you can't lose that fire. That fire is what's going to get you to the next level. You're going to have to learn how to tame it, but you can't lose that fire because a lot of people don't have it.' "
Cousins showed some of that fire during the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. He channeled that into an impressive spin move and dunk, not a technical foul.
It's now part of his persona. He didn't lose the fire at Kentucky, where he was the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year, and he doesn't plan to lose it with the Kings.
"When I get going, I zone out," Cousins said. "So somebody might start talking trash, and I'll be like, 'Yeah, let's go.' I'm fired up, and I guess you can say that gets me in a little trouble, but I've just got to control it. Then again, anytime I play with no emotion, it feels like I'm going through the motions and I'm just another player on the floor."
[h3]Finding motivation[/h3]The fire is usually out away from the court.
As he made his way through the hallways of LeFlore earlier this month, Cousins was greeted with hugs by faculty. He shook hands and told jokes to anyone he bumped into.
If not for the uniforms worn by LeFlore students, Cousins would blend in on campus. Dressed in a baseball hat (before a trip to the barber), a white T-shirt and basketball shorts and shoes, Cousins enjoys being part of the crowd.
There were countless stories of how "Big Marc" or "Big Cuz" took time to play or speak with children in his hometown.
It's a contrast to what many have heard about Cousins. And even though she probably knows this side of Cousins as well as anyone, Monique admits that sometimes she has heard so much negativity, the positive stories can catch her off guard.
Cousins calls himself "a family-oriented guy" and says, "I just like kids." It's not something Cousins goes out of his way to disclose, even for his critics.
"I care, but if you just go by what you read, that's not really getting to know a person," Cousins said. "Me going out my way (to show a different side) is pointless because they're not trying to see it anyways. Because the people that want to get to know me, they're going to go the extra mile to get to know me."
Cousins isn't shy about his goals for his NBA rookie season. He wants to play well and be recognized.
Cousins won't beg his detractors to like him. But he won't completely tune them out, either.
They are part of his motivation.
"When I'm on the court, I'm trying to show you – especially the people that doubted my basketball skills," Cousins said. "I want to be the Rookie of the Year. I didn't get a chance to be the Player of the Year in college. I need my own individual award. I want mine."
Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/09/26/3057175/kings-cousins-keeps-it-light-back.html#ixzz10ffCWQc6
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[h2]Kings Media Day: Impressions [/h2]
by Aykis16 on Sep 27, 2010 6:41 PM PDT in Events
I had the good fortune of attending the Media Day Fracas at ARCO Arena today, along with Tom Ziller (or rather the person carrying the computer that calls itself T0M Z1ll3R), and our very own jjham15. A lot of other people were there as well, Rob Small (aka rc360) of Sacramento Press, Zach Harper from Cowbell Kingdom, and of course Jason Jones. All of them are great guys and it was nice meeting them in person finally.
The setup was a little annoying, as it was hard to get to talk to the players unless you noticed them really quickly. Tyreke was surrounded really quickly, and knowing Tyreke, we didn't even bother to stick our cameras or voice recorders in there because we knew we'd barely hear anything anyway. Still, I did get to talk to and hear from a lot of players so here are some of my impressions after the jump. I have some video I shot as well that I'll probably post sometime later.
http://
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PrintI had the good fortune of attending the Media Day Fracas at ARCO Arena today, along with Tom Ziller (or rather the person carrying the computer that calls itself T0M Z1ll3R), and our very own jjham15. A lot of other people were there as well, Rob Small (aka rc360) of Sacramento Press, Zach Harper from Cowbell Kingdom, and of course Jason Jones. All of them are great guys and it was nice meeting them in person finally.
The setup was a little annoying, as it was hard to get to talk to the players unless you noticed them really quickly. Tyreke was surrounded really quickly, and knowing Tyreke, we didn't even bother to stick our cameras or voice recorders in there because we knew we'd barely hear anything anyway. Still, I did get to talk to and hear from a lot of players so here are some of my impressions after the jump. I have some video I shot as well that I'll probably post sometime later.
http://
- Marty McNeal is hilarious. I could spend this whole article just talking about watching him at Media Day. Imagine in your mind the most stereotypical caricature of Marty Mac that you can think of, and you probably were more conservative than him in real life. He's a good guy though, and as I said, hilarious. He asked JT about the new technical foul rules, which got big laughs. JT said he's gonna work on that by the way.
- The Rookie Photoshoot lied. The Kings have not centered the numbers on the front of the jersey, they are still like they have been for the past few years.
- I didn't get a chance to speak to Omri, but I did have to turn around to hide my laughter when he walked by and she-who-shall-not-be-named locked on to him like a heat-seeking missile.
- Speaking of JT, the guy looks and sounds like a veteran and leader. He says all the right things about working together as a team and that youth won't be able to be an excuse for lack of success forever. He mentioned that the team had a lot of close losses last year that were a result of inexperience, and he feels that this year they can win those games. No excuses was the theme coming from JT. He's also growing these badass mutton chops to go with goatee.
- Donté doesn't feel that he grew taller over the summer like everyone said, and mostly attributes that to people just not seeing him for a while. He also mentioned that he views his competition with Omri as good-natured, and that it will help the both of them grow as players.
- Hassan Whiteside has gone from stringbean to the Incredible Hulk. He said he's gained 25(!) pounds since Summer League, just by eating everything he can and lifting a lot of weights, and it really shows in a good way. Its good too, because he knows he still has a lot of work to do, as once again his answer on what he needed to improve on was "everything". Hassan looks and acts like a big kid, so I can see where some question his maturity, but I think its a good thing, and believe he'll quickly become a fan favorite. He's showing he's a hard worker (he's been working all offseason on his game, especially with Shareef Abdur-Rahim) and he wears the #33 as reminder of where he was drafted and how he'll prove the doubters wrong. I see a bright future ahead for Hassan. It also looks like he's getting along with all his new teammates and he mentioned how he loves Sacramento, especially the weather.
- Beno Udrih must have some sort of teleportation device or know how to apparate, because I would see him one moment, blink, and he'd be gone. I don't know if anybody got a chance to speak with him. I can confirm that he is not 5'11 though (sorry Kelly)
- Pooh Jeter, however, is. I felt weird that I was the same height as a Kings player. I didn't get a chance to speak to him, but Donté was asked to give an impression of him and the first word that came out of his mouth was "Fast. Really Fast". He also mentioned that its rare to see Pooh make a mistake on the court. I have a good feeling about him, he could be exactly the type of sparkplug at the guard position we need.
- I only saw him walk by, but Darnell Jackson is a big, scary looking man. I would not want to mess with him.
- Carl is really excited about having the chance to play with his brother finally, as growing up they'd always be in a competition. He also mentioned that he spent a lot of this summer trying to work on his defense, getting into the right stance and staying low rather than trying to defend with his arms. He said that if he had to play the Small Forward position, his offensive game likely wouldn't change, but he'd need to become a better perimeter defender, because defensively is where position truly matters, so that's why he worked more on his perimeter defense. He was also asked about his expiring contract, and he said it was too soon to go into details about that and re-signing, but he loves Sacramento.
- Samuel Dalembert is huge (this is a running theme with our team this year, these guys do the City of Trees justice) and I didn't get a chance to speak with him as he was being led around for photo ops, but he did seem to have a funny sense of humor, as he jokingly grabbed the back of his escort and ducked down while saying "Linebacker, Linebacker!" dodging through the media scrum.
- Geoff Petrie likes the direction the team is going, and while he didn't go into specifics, he did mention that the team does have assets in their cap space and future picks to make moves in the future.
- Antoine Wright mentioned that he had worked on his three point shot this offseason, so as to hopefully not be a liability on that end of the court this year, and also that he feels like he can be a leader for this team, especially on the defensive end.
- I talked to Francisco briefly, and when asked about his wrist he mentioned that it was feeling really good and that he was ready to be a leader on the court this season. He also said that he'd be playing for the Dominican Republic next summer.
- J.R. Giddens was very engaging to talk to, and mentioned that his time in Boston helped him grow as a player, especially with his work ethic from watching guys like Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett everyday. He felt that the Kings were a good opportunity for him to showcase his game, as they need a player who can hit threes and also defend. He wants to be that kind of sparkplug off the bench.
- Donald Sloan was disappointed with his Summer League showing, but feels he can really improve. He says he'll bring toughness when he's on the floor and he wants to be the type of guy who when he's in the game will dive for the loose balls and just play hard. He also said that he'd beat Donté in a dunk contest if they ever went at it.
- Luther Head and Joe Crawford continued with the theme of the Kings needing outside shooting. I didn't get to hear much from them outside of that. Connor Atchley was also interviewed and mentioned that he was different than the other bigs on the team in that he feels he can be a floor spacer with his outside shot.
- DeMarcus was being led all over the place. He looks slimmer than he did in Summer League. I feel like a lot of the question marks with DMC were blown way out of proportion. Dude is massive, but this isn't Oliver Miller. Not even close.
- A guy with a news camera came up to me while we were talking to Jason Thompson and asked me if that was Tyreke Evans. I paused a second before saying no, but I sort of wanted to say yes, just to see if he'd ask him any questions that would relate to Tyreke. But come on man, Tyreke is plastered 100 feet tall on the side of the arena! (Although on the mural leading to the media entrance, he looks exactly like Kenny Thomas, no joke)
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Good news?
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I feel a little better, but still nothing for sure until March 2011 passes and the deadline to file for relocation for 2011-12 is gone. Then you got 2012-13 to dread about. Lol.
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Yeah, this sucks. I feel that Sacramento has 2 years tops to get their arena situation together before the Kings finally have enough and leave.
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Omri Casspi Nike banner in Isreal.
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AINT NOBODY DE-FACING THAT.!!Originally Posted by Mister916
Omri Casspi Nike banner in Isreal.
D
Deleted member 38182
Guest
Anybody goin to open practice today?
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I missed it. Sounded like fun.
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I didn't go but they uploaded the whole thing on Youtube.
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wheres hassan at in the video?
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Thanks for the upload.
Oh, Hassan sat out the scrimmage because of an injury. Strained left patellar tendon...
Oh, Hassan sat out the scrimmage because of an injury. Strained left patellar tendon...
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Anyone get the free tickets for the Kings vs GS preseason game? I did
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sect 244
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207 for me, my friend got lower level seats. What the !*@!.
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Howd ya get the free tickets?