Video: Nicolas Batum Interview

Had a chance today to talk and walk a bit with Nicolas Batum in Paris. Nic had actually come straight from the airport after having spent the last few weeks training in Dallas in preparation for the European Championships. Nic, along with the likes of Tony Parker, Boris Diaw, Joakim Noah and Ronny Turiaf, plan on making a deep run in Poland in September. Nic even threw out the possibility of playing Rudy and Team Spain in the finals.

Nic, like Rudy, seems much more comfortable on his native soil. I was a little afraid that, after a few months removed from Portland, Nic's English might have regressed. Turns out the opposite was true. Nicolas was more forthright, direct, explanatory and understandable than I ever remember him being in Portland. Maybe a little time away did him good. Seems like it to me.

I pulled that LaMarcus Flip Cam out for part of the interview, and you can watch that video here. I'll have more from my conversations with Nicolas over the next few days.

In Paris

The third and final leg of the trailblazers.com European Tour brings me to Paris, supposedly the most romantic city in the world. I have to admit that, stepping out of the Gard du Nord train station, romance is hardly the first thing that comes to mind, as the smell of urine and vice-peddling isn't really my idea of a turn on. But one shouldn't judge a city by one location, let alone a heavily utilized transit center, so I'm keeping an open mind.

I finally found my hotel after walking about ten blocks in the wrong direction, something I was prepared for having spent some time in Paris about five years ago. The streets here branch off in every direction and signage is often impossible to find or nonexistent all together, but if you stay calm and keep your wits about you, navigating this city can be a fun adventure. Thus ends my Rick Steves impersonation.

I'm hear to see Nicolas Batum (natch), a task I've already accomplished less than 24 hours into my stay. We talked for a while at his agent's office, then walked around the city for a while. Posts, pictures and video of that on the way soon enough.

I set out for the subway this morning, only to find the trains weren't running as some poor soul had decided to commit suicide by laying down on the tracks. Things are tough all over.

So I ended up walking about two miles to the meet up spot, which gave me a chance to do a little sightseeing. Getting deeper into the city, I found the filth and debauchery I was greeted with out of the train station gives way to a vibrant and historic landscape, a tourists paradise. One might even call it romantic.

Bobby Medina: Internationally Known

Living in Portland and working for the Trail Blazers, I’ve become accustomed to people asking me if I know the players personally. Even though I get asked all the time, I’ve never quite certain how to answer.

On one hand, yes, I do know the players and, for the most part, they know me. But on the other hand, I don’t want to give people the impression that I’m hanging out at Brandon Roy’s house on a Saturday night playing Yahtzee and watching Simpson’s reruns (what, that’s not what you do on weekends?). My relationship with the players centers on my work, and I try to represent it as such when asked.

Here in Europe, I don’t have to worry about explaining those relationships, because as much as I’d like to report otherwise, I don’t get the sense that many on this side of the Atlantic even know the Trail Blazers are an NBA basketball team, let alone who the players are. I’m made a point of wearing Blazers gear out and about as much as possible and I’ve even tried to strike up a few conversations about the team, but so far I’ve been confronted with nothing but confused looks during those interactions, outside of Rudy’s and Sergio’s camps, that is.

But there was an inquiry about the team in Gran Canaria by Fernando, one of Sergio’s longtime friends from Tenerife, who wanted to know if I knew one particular member of the team. It wasn’t Brandon Roy or LaMarcus Aldridge or Greg Oden. It was a name that, up until then, I had never been asked about.

“Do you know Bob Medina?”

“Of course,” I replied, though he’s always been Bobby or Coach Medina to me.

Turns out Fernando, who works with Sergio on strength and conditioning in the offseason, is a longtime admirer of Coach Medina’s work, an admiration that predates Sergio’s arrival in Portland.

“I used to read a lot of Bob Medina,” said Fernando. “I have never speak with him but I think I have the same vision of (strength and conditioning) because I agree with a lot of the things that he says in his books and articles.”

Up until then I was unaware Coach Medina was a published author, and it’s rather embarrassing that I had to go thousands of miles away from Portland to be informed of that fact by Fernando. As fate would have it, a book co-authored by Coach Medina got Fernando, who is working on is doctorate in strength and conditioning, interested in field.

“The first I hear about Bob Medina was in a library years ago,” explained Fernando. “Since I began in basketball I have a clear idea and that idea was that strength and conditioning in the NBA must be special because you look at the players bodies and only see the structural view, they are different than Europeans.

“That’s the first time I start to have an interest about strength and conditioning coaches in the United States. I start to look in libraries if there were any books telling about strength and conditioning in the NBA and I find a book and Bob Medina is one of the writers. It’s NBA Power Conditioning. The first time I see him was in a photo when he was in Seattle SuperSonics with Gary Payton. That’s the first time I read about it.”

In speaking with Fernando, you can tell he has a passion for strength and conditioning in athletics, similar to that of Coach Medina. Fernando, pictured above, even bares a slight resemblance to Bobby. And both have a close relationship with Sergio.

“Sergio speaks very well of Bobby,” said Fernando. “He says he’s a great professional. Sometime maybe I will meet him.”

Video: Interview With Victor Claver

After Victor Claver was selected with the 22nd pick, a few of us in the office joked that Kevin Pritchard made the selection just so I would have someone else to track down while marauding through Western Europe. As luck would have it, that's exactly what happened.

Victor was in Gran Canaria for a few days to attend Sergio's camp (congrats, by the way, to Sergio for pulling some of the big names in Spanish basketball) and I had a chance to sit down with him for a bit to discuss the draft and his future as a Trail Blazer. Here's the video of that interview.

A few quick observations about Victor. First, his English, as you can hear from the video, is pretty dang good. Easily better than Sergio's or Rudy's when they came to the states (no offense guys). He didn't have any trouble understanding my questions, which is an accomplishment even for someone who's a native English speaker, and he was easily able to converse freely.

To my eyes, the kid looks like an NBA player. He's got much more muscle definition in his arms and legs that I'm accustomed to seeing from European players. I wouldn't go so far as to call him thick, but he's definitely got some bulk. Again, more so than a lot of European players who make the jump to the NBA. So in that respect, he's probably more NBA-ready than most of his European contemporaries, at least from a physical standpoint. He's still getting back into shape after breaking his ankle, an injury he assured me was almost fully healed, but he looked, again, like someone I could see on an NBA court.

Overall, he seemed like a pretty nice kid. A little quiet at first, but that's to be expected. He signed tons of autographs and took lots of pictures with the kids at Sergio's camp, and he seemed rather comfortable in that element. The kids really seemed to take to him.

Oh, and he had pizza for dinner last night, so he's already accustomed to the diet of an NBA player.

Don't Thank Sergio For Being A Friend

Talk to Sergio Rodriguez about helping Rudy Fernandez through his first season and you may find that he gets a little annoyed. Not because he minds talking about his friend and fellow countryman, but because he doesn't understand why everyone thinks he's done something out the ordinary.

"He would do for me what I have done for him," says Sergio. "It is nothing special what I am doing. I am in Portland for three years, he comes from my country, he doesn’t speak English well, I have to help with everything. That’s normal. That’s not a big deal."

Maybe not to Sergio, but I know it was a big deal for Rudy. Being the humble, kind and good-natured guy that he is, Sergio doesn't like the idea that he's some kind of saint for helping out a friend.

"Like everyone says, ‘You are helping Rudy,’" he explains in a slightly sarcastic tone. "I mean, anybody would do that. If you have a person that comes from your country who is now far away from that country with the same circumstances, you’ve got to help him."

I know Sergio feels that way, and we in Portland are lucky for it, but I don't think it's necessarily something that "everyone would do." In a business that can often feel self-centered, it's actually somewhat rare to see someone put the needs of others on par with their own. The NBA is full of egos, and I don't think anyone would blame Sergio for being a little resentful of Rudy's popularity, but that's simply not who he is.

As for how Sergio thinks Rudy will get along without him, he's got no concerns. In fact, he thinks it will probably be a good thing.

"He’ll be totally fine," he said. I think after one year it’s better for him to be by himself because he’s going to learn more English. He won’t have everything easy. He will have to be independent. He will have to listen more. I think that will help him.

"I think Rudy loves Portland and Portland loves Rudy. He’ll be fine. He wants to play like every player. He wants to play, he wants to win and he wants to have fun. Those three things are principle factors for him and for everyone. He can play with everyone. He understands basketball. He will be fine. "

Video: Sergio Speaks From Gran Canaria

Click here to watch an interview with Sergio Rodriguez from Gran Canaria. Rodriguez discuses his three seasons with the Trail Blazers, the draft night trade that sent him to the Sacramento Kings, what is most important to him as a basketball player and what he'll miss about Portland.

In Gran Canaria

The trip from Mallorca to Gran Canaria proved much easier than the trip from the United States to Mallorca. The travel time is about five times shorter, but I was thankful nonetheless.

Only got about three hours of sleep last night thanks to the lingering effects of jet lag and a few loose ends at work, so I was hoping to catch some sleep on the short flight from Palma to Madrid, then even more sleep on the longer flight from Madrid to Las Palmas, Gran Canaria.

First plan worked perfectly. I crashed out before the fasten seat belt sign had turned off and awoke in the middle of decent into Madrid. I was hoping to repeat the performance on the next flight, but as soon as I saw 40 or so preteens all wearing the same shirt and standing in line for the flight to Gran Canaria, I knew my prospect of getting some solid air snooze was destined to be thwarted. I found no respite between the constant seat kicking and the overemphasized screaming ever time the plane hit the slightest bit of turbulence. No big deal though. I'd be doing the same thing if I were in their situation. Live it up ninos.

After a nap in the hotel, it was off to the lobby to meet up with Sergio Rodriguez. Serg, despite the fact that he's no long a Trail Blazer, has been very accommodating. As KP noted on draft night, Sergio has been a big part of our franchise over the last three years, and I feel like I owe it to him to tell his story here in Gran Canaria.

It's amazing how different life on one island (Mallorca) is from another (Gran Canaria), at least as it pertains to my pursuits. To my eyes, Mallorca was a sleepy, old world paradise. Gran Canaria? Far more industrial, a city of the world. Granted, I stayed in a small town in Mallorca, and currently I'm in Las Palmas, which is the hub of Gran Canaria, but the differences are valid nonetheless.

It's also worth noting the camps have a completely different feel as well. Rudy's was relatively small, about 100 or so kids. An intimate experience in a small town. Sergio's camp tops out at over 300 estudiantes, something Rodriguez is quite proud of. He's got corporate sponsors. Kids chant his name when he walks in. It's no better or worse than Rudy's camp, just different.

Audio: Rudy Fernandez From Spain

The following is a collection of audio clips collected during conversations with Rudy Fernandez during the last couple of days in Mallorca. I appologize in advance for the numerous moped drivebys.



Download the podcast (4 MB)

Saying 'Adios' To The Spanish Armada

When talking to Rudy about his first season in the NBA, Sergio Rodriguez’s name comes up a lot, and with good reason. He was Rudy’s closest friend on the team, his running buddy on and off the court, countrymen and teammates for the Trail Blazers and the Spanish national team. Sergio the lob-throwing half of the “Spanish Connection,” later dubbed the “Spanish Armada,” with Rudy playing the part of the easy gliding finisher.

But Sergio’s most important impact on Rudy likely came off the court. Sergio’s ability to help Rudy traverse his first year in the United States might have been Rodriguez’s best assist of his career. His guidance and friendship played a huge part in allowing Rudy to surpass expectations in his first foray into the NBA.

“In Portland, I think it’s important that Sergio helped me a lot with the transition for the first year,” said Rudy. “But LA, Brandon, Joel, Travis, everybody help me for the transition for the team.”

But while LA, Brandon, Joel and Travis are still Trail Blazers, Sergio is now gone, off to the Sacramento Kings in a draft night trade. The Spanish Armada, for the second time in history, was sunk, or at the very least, docked indefinitely. After having taught him so much in his first season, Sergio’s departure imparted a final lesson on Rudy: That the NBA, as they often say, is a business.

And even though he’ll readily admit he’s going to miss his compatriot, Rudy, true to form, is taking a positive approach to the situation.

“I think it’s an opportunity for him to play in Sacramento, play minutes,” said Rudy. “For me, for sure, I’m am not happy Sergio is going to another team, but it’s basketball. It’s sports. Right now I am focused. For me I’m happy right now because Sergio is happy.”

As for his life post-Sergio, Rudy says he’s ready for the challenge, with a little help from his friends.

“I think (I’m ready). I can tell for sure when I come back to Portland, but I think so. Right now I am focused in my work in Portland with my friends, because LA, Brandon, Travis, Martell, Greg, Bayless these are big friends with me, too.”

Rudy Demands Your Satisfaction

You can tell Rudy expects a lot of himself on the court. In the few days Ive been here I've seen him push himself to the brink of exhaustion during workouts, refusing to quit until he's made a satisfactory number of shots. He gets upset when he misses a few in a row, cursing his hands for not guiding the ball through the net, while he's emotionless after rattling off upwards of ten straight makes from three-point range.

His dedication to improving his game, as far as I'm concerned, is unquestioned, but I'm beginning to wonder if that dedication is matched or exceeded by his desire to provide a memorable experience for the kids at his summer camp. Throughout the course of my stay I've come to realize that, when it comes to showing these kids a good time, Rudy will accept nothing less than perfection.

To be honest, Rudy's dogged pursuit of the ultimate camp experience is starting to worry me. I can see the frustration and disappointment in his face when things don't go exactly as planned, which is admirable, but as far as I can tell, everyone is having the time of their lives. No child who approaches Rudy is turned away without a smile. He engages everyone in conversation and somehow knows all of their names. He's constantly moving, riding a bike or walking from group to group in an effort to spread his time as equally as possible. Everything that someone in his position would be expected to do, he's done, and yet he still worries that it's not enough.

Part of it has to do with Rudy seeing himself in the faces of the kids he's trying to entertain. Having been identified as somewhat of a prodigy at a young age, Rudy remembers attending camps that focused solely on improving skills, sometimes at the expense of a good time, which is why he's tried to gear his camp more toward providing a fun experience for children of all ages and skill levels.

"I remember when I go to the camps in a similar situation a lot of years ago," said Rudy. "I think it's the opportunity of a lifetime to be with one player, an NBA player. For the kids, this is incredible. It think it’s very important that the kids are happy. Only then am I happy."

Making sure the kids are enjoying themselves is part of it, but there's something else driving his efforts, something more personal. Rudy has noted on more than one occasion that interacting with the kids at his camp is preparing him for the day when he will becomes a father, so I think maybe he considers the camp a kind of pre-parenting workout, a practice in fatherhood. To Rudy, failure to provide anything less than a perfect experience for his campers would be akin failing his test as a prospective father, and that simply isn't going to cut it.

"I love kids," says Rudy. "For me, their happiness, it's an obligation. It’s satisfaction that the people go home with a smile, you know?"

Yes Rudy, I know. I know something else as well: If Rudy the father puts in as much work as Rudy the basketball player or Rudy the camp organizer, everyone is going to go home happy.

Random Thoughts: Mallorca

Today is my last day in Mallorca, so I thought it might be time to pass along a few peculiarities I've noticed during my stay. Nothing of any importance, just a few things to keep in mind should you ever decided to take a pilgrimage to Rudy's homeland.

• Banks are only open from 8 AM to 3 PM, which got me thinking one of the reasons the United States is one of the superpowers of the financial world could be due to longer bank hours. If you've got to spend money to make money and you've got to go to the bank to get money to spend, then having banks open until 6 PM gives Americans a leg up against the Mallorcans.

• While street signs are followed by the general populace as more of a suggestion than an edict, you will get yelled at in Catalan by police officers for going the wrong way down a one way street, regardless of how many times you've seen other people do the exact same thing.

• Older women have no problem cutting in front of you should the opportunity afford itself, though I hardly mind. I experienced this firsthand today while buying sunscreen.

• Speaking of sunscreen, you can, in fact, get a sunburn on your eyelids.

• Hamburgers here don't necessarily come on buns.

• It is impossible to find regular water here. Everything is mineral water or carbonated water.

• Don't bother bringing your electric razor. You're liable to trip the breaker in your hotel room, even if you have the proper power adapter.

• Feeding cats table scraps is sometimes permitted, but not always. I guess that's really no different than anywhere else.

The Reason For the Offseason

The first thing Rudy Fernandez said to me when I arrived at his camp assuaged any concerns I had regarding how I might have been received by someone who, to be perfectly honest, I didn’t know all that well.

“Welcome to my home,” he said, stretching out his arms in an attempt to present the landscape of Campanet as if it were a painting hanging in a museum.

But Rudy did not grow up in the small town of Campanet, the location of his youth camp. He spent his first twelve years in Palma, the largest city on the island of Mallorca, before moving to Barcelona to begin his professional basketball career with Joventut’s junior team. But to Rudy, home is more than the place where he lays his head at night. It’s a feeling determined more by the kinship of a people who share a common history than it is an address. And maybe most importantly, home is a place where he can finally get some respite.

“My family is here, my friends are here,” said Rudy. “I need to rest from basketball. No rest a lot because the camp is basketball, but be with my friends because in Portland, the first year, I stay in the USA. It was a big change for me, but right now I think I need to relax in my country with my food, with my friends. I think it’s very important.”

He couldn’t be more correct. Everyone was tired after the end of last season, but in regards to fatigue, no one had more to overcome than Rudy. Getting acclimated to the physical style of play, not to mention the schedule employed by the NBA, is tough for a rookie. So is leaving your family and friends for a foreign land. Denying yourself a midseason break so you can participate in All-Star weekend and playing an extra month or so worth of games so you can represent your country at the Olympics is difficult as well. And when you consider those singular circumstances as pieces of a whole season, it’s hard to imagine a more exhausting set of circumstances.

Which is why returning home after the end of the season was such a significant event for Rudy. Fans often lament that players don’t stick around to take in the wonders of an offseason in Oregon, but in many cases, such as Rudy’s, there’s good reason for that yearly exodus.

“I think it’s difficult the first year,” said Rudy. “Probably the people don’t see me in my house sometimes. I think all the time about my family when with the Portland Trail Blazers. I think it is important right now for me is to stay with my family. In Portland sometimes I stay with my friends, with my family, but not everyday. And this is difficult for me because I need the help of family, the help of friends.”

That shouldn’t be read as a declaration of discontent. Far from it. Rudy is quick to point out how satisfied he is with Portland, especially when it comes to the support of the fans in the Rose City and beyond, but the transition was understandably difficult for a man so family oriented and with such deep Iberian roots.

“Every day I think about Mallorca,” said Rudy, “I think about Barcelona. But my dream is to play in the NBA. You can see behind you, you can see in front of you. Right now my new goal is to play a lot of yesrs in the NBA. Sure I think of Mallorca, for sure I think about my friends, but right now I focus on my dream, I focus on my work. That’s playing basketball.”

Camp Out, Workout

Rudy Fernandez isn't one those guys who uses his name to attract kids to a camp, only to show up for a few abbreviated appearances. He's working all the time. He's giving instruction and breaking up scuffles. He's doing his best to enforce peace and quiet at night, going so far as bunking down on a dormitory cot (while lowly bloggers stay at artisan hotels). He's throwing kids in the pool and conducting interviews with local politicians and posing for pictures with anyone who asks. This is el campo de Rudy Fernandez, whose namesake is dead set on giving these kids their money's worth.

But while Rudy is one heck of a camp counselor, he's also an NBA basketball player, and that means nary a day goes by when he's not working on his game. Playing a little pickup ball with a bunch of preteens can help work up a sweat, but it's not going to get you ready for the rigors of an 82-game season.

So that's why Rudy was in a stuffy one court gym with a rubber floor in Campanet today working out with assistant coach Kaleb Canales. For over an hour Rudy worked on a series of shooting drills designed to keep his skills sharp for the upcoming season. Pump fakes, one-dribble pullups, floaters in the lane, baseline shots from behind the backboard, jumpers off of screens, jumpers off dribble hand offs, three's from every part of the floor. Rudy, with the help of Coach Kaleb, pushed himself through the workout despite being in a gym with no ventilation (my guess would be the temperature was somewhere in the mid 90's).

I assumed Rudy would take a little time off afterward, but I saw him head back to where the kids were at as Coach Kaleb and I left for the hotel. That's dedication, both to his kids and the Trail Blazers.

Horseplay Is Permitted In Mallorca

Quite a bit of Rudy's camp is conducted in the pool. They spend a lot of time working on basketball skills, but it's well over 90 degrees here in Campanet, so frequent dunks in the pool are necessary and welcomed by all, including Mr. Fernandez.

As you can see in the picture, many of the rules we Americans are accustomed to when it comes to hanging out the municipal pool fly by the wayside here in Spain.

Off to a workout. More later today!

Rudy At Camp

Twenty four hours and one temporarily missing bag later, I am finally in Campanet, Spain for Rudy’s camp, or “campo” as they say here. As you can see, my grasp of Spanish grows by the minute. Que bueno, no?

All of the frustration of getting from Portland to Mallorca melted away as Coach Kaleb and I drove into Campanet. I can’t say for sure just what I was expecting, but I know it wasn’t this, and I say that in the best way possible. The city is like something out of a postcard. Narrow streets, old sun baked women in scarves waving from screenless windows, goats, sheep, centuries old olive groves, cobblestone streets. The whole old-world vibe. It’s not exactly the place you would expect an NBA player to conduct a camp, but that’s a testament to how much Rudy identifies with his homeland.

Life moves at a slower pace out here, which I suspect is one of the reasons Rudy has chosen to hold camp here. After doing nothing but playing basketball for almost a whole calendar year, it must be nice for Rudy to relax in a place where he’s almost completely anonymous.

That’s not to say the people here don’t know who he is. Far from it, but aside from the occasional handshake or friendly pat on the back, people let Rudy be. He sits by the side of the public pool like any other local. He eats what the campers eat and sleeps where the campers sleep. Here, he’s not Rudy Fernandez the NBA player. He’s just plain old Rudy.

You can see the difference in his appearance. He seems looser, freer. He speaks freely with anyone who comes within earshot. He’s animated as he tells stories and jokes. And he’s having a great time doing it.

Of Legroom, Luis And Luggage

(This is Luis, who, as far as I know, is still due a lunch break)
Seventeen hours into my western European barnstorming tour and I’ve already experienced the highs and lows of international travel.

The trip started out better than I could have expected. The itinerary is Portland to Philadelphia to Madrid to Mallorca, with plenty of time between stops to transfer. I arrived at PDX a little later than intended, but with plenty of time to take care of all the necessary tasks associated with air travel. When you travel as much as I do, you learn the paranoia which drives people to arrive in upwards of two hours before their departure time, is completely unwarranted. You should leave a cushion, but an hour is plenty, at least that’s what I’ve found.

And I know I’m not alone in this opinion, as when I arrived in line I recognized a familiar face. Kaleb Canales, one of our assistant coaches, was pushing a luggage cart through the same line. It was at this time that I discovered Kaleb was also going to Mallorca to put Rudy through a week’s worth of workouts. This was unexpected, but incredibly exciting, as not only is Kaleb an all-around great guy who I look forward to hanging out with over the next four days, but he also speaks fluent Spanish. Granted, they primarily speak Catalan in Mallorca, but Spanish is a lot closer to that dialect than English.

So I say goodbye to my girlfriend and shuffle off through security. There’s still about 40 minutes until the flight to Philadelphia, so I decided to order a breakfast sandwich from one of the delis in the concourse. I figure I’ve still got plenty of time to spare, but that's assuming the woman in the kitchen, who I could clearly see from the dinning area, would actually commence cooking food.

My mistake.

Said cook proceeds to strike up conversation with any and anyone passing by, be they interested or not, while I and three other customers wait patiently for simple orders to be prepared. I wait, and wait, and pace, and wait, and check the time and wait some more. With 10 minutes left before my flight is scheduled to depart, I inform the fellow at the counter that, as much as I enjoy fried egg sandwiches, I can’t justify missing my flight for one. I tell him to enjoy my breakfast and walk down the concourse with nothing but a Snapple, which I purchased for the sole purpose of washing down the sandwich. As I’m hurry away, I wonder if I’m allowed to expense meals I don’t ever get a chance to eat.

Side bar: Lately I seem to be on a streak where all of my flights are at the last possible gate in the terminal. This happened numerous times during my trips to and from Houston during the playoffs, and it’s happened again today, twice. End sidebar.

The flight is scheduled to depart from the last gate in terminal. I make it in time, thanks in part to a large tour group that is taking a bit of extra time to work through the line. I notice that Kaleb is sitting at the gate waiting for everyone else to board before doing so himself. This is another trick that those who travel regularly eventually learn: there’s no reason to wait in line at the gate. You’re going to be sitting in that seat for the next however many hours, so what’s the rush to plop down with expediency? You’ve got an assigned seat and they’re not going to leave without you, so chillax for Pete’s sake.

As far as seats on a plane go, I’ve hit the jackpot on the first flight. Window seat, exit row with no one sitting in the seat next to mine. That’s mad legroom, on a cross-country flight no less. And as it turns out, extra legroom really takes the sting out of forgoing an already purchased breakfast sandwich.

The flight to Philly is easily the most comfortable trip I’ve ever taken on a commercial airline. I read, take a nap, read some more, enjoy a couple cups of ginger ale, and before I know it, I’m in the City Of Brotherly Love, or at least in the airport which serves the City of Brotherly Love.

Kaleb and I de-board. We’ve got different itineraries from Philly, as he’s connecting through Barcelona. I find it somewhat curious that we’d be taking different routes but pay it little mind. Since we’ve both got a little more than an hour before our flights we decide to grab a bit to eat.

Interesting fact about Kaleb: The guy loves Chick-fil-a. Loves it. I eaten alone twice with Kaleb, once in Houston and once today at the Philadelphia airport, and both times we’ve dined at Chick-fil-a. And both times Kaleb ordered and gleefully consumed quantities of chicken sufficient to feed two grown men. I don’t know if the fact that we don’t have Chick-fil-a in Oregon which compels Kaleb to gorge on it whenever he gets the chance or if that’s just how much chicken it takes to fill the guy up, but either way, the man can down some fried bird.

We discuss our plans to meet up at the airport in Mallorca before heading to our respective flights for destinations in Spain. My flight from Madrid to Mallorca is scheduled to get in about an hour before Kaleb’s, but I figure I’ll wait for him to arrive so we can head to Rudy’s camp together. Best laid plans.

While haggling at the ticket counter over whether or not I paid extra for a window seat (which I did), I overhear some discussion regarding one of the cardinal sins as it pertains to the airport, that of leaving a bag unattended. A guy who definitely works for the airline is talking to someone at the counter about a bag, which was seemingly without owner and had since disappeared. Evidently the police had been called, and I heard mention of a bomb-sniffing dog, but again, I paid it little mind. I boarded the plane after sorting out with window seat situation.

But the plane sits on the tarmac. Supposedly the pilot is waiting for some maintenance to be completed, but I notice numerous airline officials are walking through the plane opening up all of the overhead compartments. It’s at this point that I figure they’re looking for the unattended bag. I guess maybe I should worry about these sort of things, but I don’t. We wait for about 45 minutes; the pilot comes on the PA again, swearing he’s just waiting for paperwork to be delivered. I figure this is a cock and bull story to keep people from freaking out, but maybe that’s just my imagination. Then again, you don’t want to tell a plane full of people who are about to fly over the Atlantic that there may be suspicious luggage on board.

Regardless, the flight goes off without a hitch. I have the chicken dish, watch Gran Torino, an episode of Flight Of The Concords and two episodes of Entourage before getting some shuteye. I awake as they’re handing out something that resembles cheese Danish for breakfast, and about an hour later we’re on the ground in Madrid.

I wasn’t able to get my boarding pass in Portland for the flight from Madrid to Mallorca. I was told this was no big deal, as all I would have to do is go to the Spanair ticket counter, show my documents and collect my boarding pass. I only had about an hour between flights, but I was assured it would be plenty of time.

And it was, but the only problem is that Spanair flight 5538 from Madrid to Mallorca doesn’t exist. The man at the Spanair counter, Luis, is on the phone as I walk up to the desk. He’s agitated. I don’t know much Spanish, but I hear the word “comida” and can tell he’s pissed, so I figure he’s probably due for a lunch break which I surmise by the end of the call, isn’t coming. I show him my travel itinerary, which he goes over for a few minutes before informing me that my flight is actually on AirEuropa, a few gates down the line. I set off for AirEuropa’s gate with the clock ticking.

There is a 10:15 flight to Mallorca on AirEuropa, but I ain’t getting on it. They don’t know who I am, don’t have a seat for me, and are quite perplexed why Luis would direct me to their airline when my documentation clearly states my flight is booked on Spanair. At this point it’s becoming quite clear that something is amiss.

So I head back to Luis with more determination. I explain that, while AirEuropa might indeed have a 10:15 to Mallorca, it’s not my flight. Luis is more focused this time around. He puts in my name again, nothing. Passport number, nothing. Rechecks the flight number, nothing. I don’t exist, at least not according to Spanair. Luckily for me, my luggage does.

My luggage has a number. It can be tracked, and in this instance, it’s proof that I am supposed to be on my way from Madrid to Mallorca on Spanair. I’m just along for the ride; my black suitcase is now calling the shots. I’m the accessory to its travel plans.

Luis, hungry as he is, spends another 15 minutes on the phone sorting things out. As it happens, my connecting flight, while paid for, was never booked by the airline. I won’t say which airline dropped the ball, but suffice to say, someone will be listening to the agitated and possibly curse-filled rantings of yours truly before the day is done.

So now it’s noon in Spain, 2:58 AM in Portland, and I’m waiting for the 1:30 Spanair to Mallorca. It could have turned out a lot worse, all things considered, but then again, I’m not yet on that plane.

Transcript: KP, McMillan Address The Media

The following is a transcript of Kevin Pritchard and Nate McMillan's remarks to the media after the 2009 NBA Draft. The podcast of this interview is available here.

Kevin Pritchard: It’s getting a little busier around here! Thanks for coming out. We feel really good about what we did today, and a lot of credit goes to Tom (Penn), Chad (Buchanan), Mike (Born), but specifically to Jason Fillipi, our international scout. Doc (Martin) Joe Cronin - you know, they really get us to this point and I’m really proud because sometimes at the draft, it’s not just about what happens in the draft, it’s your preparation before. We felt like going in today, we had a good handle on some things.

We always have a pre-dinner the night before, and Mr. Allen comes in, Nate, myself, and the things we thought were going to happen happened today, which is a little unusual. Usually, there’s a little more audible-calling as we call it. Very happy with the draft.

Q: How did the pick for Victor Claver come about?


Pritchard: Victor Claver is a guy we’ve targeted for a long time. 6-10, athletic swing guy, can really shoot it. Really skilled. High talent guy. I really thought that he had a chance to go pretty high in this draft and as we were looking at it, him falling back to where we were at we were really happy to get him.

Overall, with Pendergraph and Cunningham, four year college players, guys that know how to play, but also bring a whole lot of toughness. As we saw in the playoffs last year, you’ve got to have some toughness. I would expect those guys battling for minutes. Now, whether they can crack it, I don’t know, but they’ve been through the wars in college, successful programs, I think that they can help us. And then, Patty Mills, Nate and I talked a little bit about it, talked a lot about it, his experience in the Olympics with the Australian team was a factor in us drafting him. He’s played against the best, he’s a tough kid. He’s really quick north and south and he can shoot it, so he’s got a chance for the 55th pick, he’s got a chance in our league.

Q: What is the plan for Claver in regards to coming to the NBA?

Pritchard: I expect Victor to stay overseas for a couple of years. I don’t want to put a timetable on it, what I will tell you is that he’s going to improve. We hope that he makes the Spanish national team. He was the last cut the previous year going into the Olympics. We think that experience will be great for him. You know, he’s 6-10, he can shoot it. We like size. We think that makes a difference in our league. He’s athletic. In a couple of years we hope to have him over.

Q: Do you expect the other draftees to make the team this season?


Pritchard: On Pendergraph and Cunningham, I certainly do (expect them in camp) and it’s gonna be – we were just talking about practices. Pendergraph and Cunningham, in our workout here, they were both at the same workout along with a couple of other kids. It was war. It was at the tail end of the workouts, and those guys get tired during those times, it was all-out war. We need to bring that to our team, we need to bring that toughness. Guys that aren’t scared to play, they’re not scared to play in big games, they’ve been part of successful programs. Then Patty Mills, he’s got a chance. He does have an international passport, we hope to have him on the summer league team. Then we will see.

Q: How have the events during the draft set you up for free agency?

Pritchard: We’re going to be active in free agency, no doubt about it. We want to add the right pieces, not just be out there. We’ve talked a lot about it, we’re going to target some guys, we’re going to talk to people and we’re going to try to help our team with free agents, but we do feel that we’ve helped ourselves today in the draft.

Nate does a great job of developing, but with this group of draftees – Victor going overseas, Pendergraph and Cunningham having four years of college experience, there’s not that teaching curve. Those guys can step in and contribute. Now whether they do, we don’t know, but they certainly have a chance.

Q: Talk about trading Sergio Rodriguez.


Pritchard: First of all, Sergio is a great kid and we appreciate everything he has done. He’s been an amazing part of this turnaround, so I want to compliment him and honor that. That’s the biggest thing. But I felt like, and we all felt like, it was Sergio’s time. He struggled with his role. I don’t think there’s a doubt about that. We never faulted Sergio for wanting to play more, we want guys to play. We had a lot of conversations, Nate and I had conversations with him at the end of the year. It was just his time.

Q: Does shedding some salary in this draft help when it comes to free agency?

Pritchard: It helps, especially this summer when you don’t know where the cap will come in. It could come in lower, it could come in the same, it could come in higher. We don’t know is my point. We want that flexibility for sure.

Q: What is the status of Claver’s buyout?


Pritchard: It’s significant, but it also decreases. As he plays overseas, he’ll have a better opportunity to come over. I can’t really say right now, but we expect him to be over in a couple of years. I don’t want to put a time frame on when he comes. That’s not what we like to do. He won’t play in the summer (league). He’s going to be trying to probably play in the European Championships this summer.

Q: Nate, talk about Sergio’s situation

Nate McMillan: The one thing, he wanted a larger role. I thought he did some good things for us. I tried to put him in a situation where he could help us. And I thought he did some good things for us. When he came in, he backed up Blake. We wanted a spread offense and allow him to create. I thought he did that when Blake was out. He did a nice job of filling in that starting role, but he wanted a larger role on this team and it just wasn’t possible. He talked about wanting to be moved and having an opportunity to have a larger role. I thought he did some good things for us, now Bayless will slot into that position and we’ll look to give him a ton of minutes at the point guard position in summer league and develop him and get him ready for this season.

Q: Did you try to move up farther in the draft?

Pritchard: Anytime you make a trade and you’re looking to move up, you have to give away, or give up pieces. We’ve worked so hard to get where we’re at and we don’t feel like that’s the right thing to do. If there’s a good one available, we’d have done it. We have no problem picking. We like adding talent, but we like this team. This team, although being young, they did an unbelievable job. They won 54 games, they can still grow and now we have some cap space. It wasn’t as important as it has been in the past to be aggressive to move up, but we moved up because Victor was being talked about in that area. If we see a player we’re not afraid to do it, we did it with Victor and we did it with Jeff and Cunningham.


We wanted Victor. We think very highly of Victor. He fits into that Rudy, Nicolas, best European player we could get at that time. Jason Fillipi has done an amazing job of identifying talent over there. Those guys seem to be more ready than you think too. He’s young, but he has a very high ceiling.

Q: Where you surprised Mills was still available that late in the second round?

Pritchard: We didn’t think Mills would be there at 55. It got to be in the late 30s and 40s and he was pretty high on our board and we were really hoping he would get there because as we go through our process, he was the highest watermark for us. We feel pretty lucky to get him.

I don’t want to get too excited about the 55th pick in the draft, but it’s really not where you get picked, it’s how you feel about a kid. This kid is going to come in and compete. We know that. He’s competed at an international level; he had success at the Olympics. He broke his hand and that probably hurt him in the draft. Nate knows him as well as anybody. Nate had a lot of input on him.

Q: Nate, you must be familiar with Pendergraph considering he played with your son at ASU.

McMillan: I think Kevin and Mike and Chad and our scouting team do a great job. They prepare themselves for any scenario possible. As Kevin mentioned, last night we went into our meeting and we had guys that we targeted that we wanted in this draft and it pretty much unfolded the way that it would for us. Pendergraph was a big guy that was available in the second round that filled a need. I have seen him. He played with my son. I think he’s a solid player. I think he’ll be a guy that will come in and work to get out on the floor. He’s a big body that can play the 4 position and, as Kevin mentioned, has been in school for four years. This draft was about taking the best talent at the position we were drafting in, and I felt like we did that. I felt like our guys were ready again this year, and what we set out to do.


Q: Talk about how satisfied you are with the results of the draft.

McMillan: I think as far as this draft and what we got out of the draft, I think we got some very tough guys in Cunningham and Pendergraph. Both of those guys, as Kevin mentioned, worked out with Hansbrough. It was our best workout of the summer when they came in. Dante is a guy that can play the three and the four, very physical at that position. Pendergraph at the 4 position, doesn’t mind giving up his body, banging and getting on the boards. I like what we did today.

Q: Have you decided who you’re going to target in free agency?

Pritchard: Obviously, we can’t comment specifically on players. We’re going to talk to a lot of people. We’re one of multiple teams with cap space, and were a desired team now because of that, but also because free agents want to play with Brandon Roy, LaMarcus, Oden, Blake, Przybilla. We’re starting to become a good destination for free agents. If the right situation is there for both sides, we’ll pull the trigger.


Q: Now that Sergio is gone, Bayless slides into the backup point guard position?

McMillan: That’s the way we’re going for right now. Those are the two guys at the guard position.

Q: Are you worried at all about Claver’s injuries?

Pritchard: The one thing we’ve always been very lucky with, Dr. Roberts and Dr. Reis, our two team doctors have been spot on everything, including our own guys and evaluating the rest of the league. We feel very comfortable with that.

Q: Where you surprised by the way the draft played out? Did it go the way you expected?


Pritchard: There’s always surprises in every draft. I guess what I was trying to say is that we targeted guys and we got the guys we were looking for. We were active we got to where we need to go and we got those guys.

Q: Talk about some of the trades for veterans that have taken place over the last few days.

Pritchard: It’s an arms race. It always is an arms race. It feels like now that it’s moved a little to the East. Hopefully it continues that way. But we know what we have, we know that we need to make some improvements, but we know our guys internally have to improve. We’ll look to improve our team. We’re not afraid to do that. We’ll sit down this summer, be active in those talks and also in free agency.

Q: Nate, What do you think about the Shaq trade?


McMillan: Good. Get him to the East. I was happy about that. It’s a good move.



Q: Are you contemplating any trades?

Pritchard: There’s nothing. We have our guys. That doesn’t mean something can’t happen in the future, but there’s not going to be a major surprise right now.

Q: Can you start targeting free agents before you know what the salary cap is going to be set at?

Pritchard: Well, What you can do is start talking to free agents on the first. The moratorium begins on the 7th and you can sign guys on the 8th so … no, it’s too tough. You gotta know what that number is first before you know what you can offer free agents.


Q: Nate, what are your thoughts on Claver?

McMillan: He worked out last year. On tape, I’ve seen him. Our guys, again, I think they’ve done a great job over the years, you just learn to trust their feel on guys. They were really high on him, so I really feel good about him.

Pritchard: You can tell that too. Nate’s first draft, I think he asked 5 million questions. He’s down to about 2 million. I really have to give credit to Jason Filippi. He’s finding these Euro gems. We feel great about it. We feel we have a high talented kid in Claver and we feel we got some toughness.

Q: Do you integrate advanced statistics in your talent evaluation or is it more of a decision based on scouting?


Pritchard: I would say it’s a blend. A lot of teams are using it more and more. Everybody feels like they have a secret sauce, so it’s more important. It’s not the whole thing. It is a part of the process and what it allows you to do is identify players you need to look deeper at, or you need to eliminate. It’s part of the process.

Q: This wasn’t as busy a night trade wise as we’re used to seeing over the last few years.

Pritchard: You know what’s funny is we have an owner who is ready to go. Combine that with my eagerness to do things, sometimes it’s great; sometimes it needs to be controlled a little bit. That’s where Tom, Nate, the rest of our scouts control us a little bit. We’re not afraid if we see a guy out there, If Mr. Allen feels like it’s the right thing, he’s willing to go for it. That is as unique as it gets. In this cost-cutting time, he’s willing to figure out how to make this team better.

06.24.09 Trailblazers.com Podcast

The draft is almost exactly a day away and Kevin Pritchard has already pulled off his first trade, meaning we might be in for quite a show over the next 24 hours. But we've already got a show for you, or to be more specific, a podcast. Gavin Dawson of 95.5 The Game, Dave Deckard of Blazer's Edge.com and I, Casey Holdahl of Trailblazers.com record a day early in anticipation of the 2009 NBA Draft.

As you might expect, this week's show is draft heavy. We each give our predictions as to what we expect will happen tomorrow (fyi: no one pegged the Dallas pick trade), who might be a Trail Blazer before the weekend, whether Richard Jefferson makes the Spurs a contender, if trading up for a point guard makes sense, discuss Twitter pros and cons, find out what Dave eats for breakfast and briefly discuss my upcoming trip to Europe. Dig that!



Download the podcast (54.9 MB)

(And before you ask, Courtside didn't air on Monday due to the draft on Thursday, so that's why there's no podcast.)

Buchanan Pre-Draft Quotes: June 23

The Trail Blazers held their final pre-draft workout Tuesday at the practice featuring Nando De Colo (Cholet, France), Paul Delaney (Alabama-Birmingham), Tywon Lawson (North Carolina), Taylor Griffin (Oklahoma) and Goran Suton (Michigan State). Three guards and two forwards, all of whom are probably about sick of running three-man weave and defensive recovery drills. But that's life when you're trying to make it in the pros.

And while the players are tired, at least they get to take a breather. Same can't be said for the front office staff, who have their work cut out for them over the course of the next 48 hours. Now the debates and the bartering really begin, and in this draft, with seemingly no consensus after the first pick, anything can happen.

"I feel like this draft is like an audible," said Kevin Pritchard. "You have to be prepared for everything. You’ve got to be thinking on your feet, ready for anything. So we’ll prepare and do the best we can do look at every option."

Those options run from standing pat with the No. 24 pick to trading completely out of the draft. Everything is on the table at this point, which makes the task of deciphering what Pritchard characterized today as the "truly real" all the more important.

So even though the workouts have now concluded, the real work has only just begun.

"You just got to be prepared for anything that comes your way up until when you’re on the clock to draft," said Chad Buchanan. "It’s our job to be prepared for every possible scenario and that’s what we’re trying to do right now."

So for the skinny on each players workout we turn one final time to Buchanan, Trail Blazers Director of College Scouting.

Nando De Colo, 6-5, Guard, Cholet Basket (France)
Buchanan: "Creative kind of combo guard. Played a lot off the ball with Cholet over in France. Was a teammate of Rodrigue Beaubois. Saw him over in the Eurocamp, Mike, Jason and I did and Coach Bayno. Very creative. He’s got some flair to his game. He’s got good size. Probably going to have to be a point at our level. He needs to get stronger, but he’s got a really good feel for the game and can make some plays for other people around him, which is appealing, especially for a guy his size.

"I think he gets drafted. I don’t know, depending on what you want from him, if you feel like he’s ready or not. I would say physically he’s probably not quite ready, but basketball feel, IQ, skill level, he’s probably pretty close. It’s just going to depend on what you want from him. If you’ve got a spot for him maybe you consider bringing him over. But most teams would probably leave him overseas, if I had to guess."

Paul Delaney, 6-2, Guard, University of Alabama-Birmingham
Buchanan: "Paul had a rough trip getting here. He had an emergency landing last night in Montana in the middle of the night last night, so he ended up getting to his hotel after 3 AM. He’s coming off an injury too.

"Great on-ball defender. He’s got good length. Plays with a lot of emotion and passion. Offensively is the area of his game where he’s going to have to sharpen up if he’s ever going to play in this league. But he could guard a lot of players in our league right now today with his feet and his length and his toughness. He’s got to sharpen up himself on the other end."

Taylor Griffin, 6-7, Forward, Oklahoma
Buchanan: "Very physical, as you can see. Powerful, explosive athlete. He’s got a good feel for the game. He knows what he is as a player, which you like and respect from a kid. That’s the sign of a guy who has some good basketball IQ. Defends, plays physical, plays winning basketball. A little undersized height-wise, but he’s got some toughness and grit to him that’s pretty admirable.

"He’s got to be a 4 because I don’t think he’s got small forward ball skills and shooting the ball from any sort of range, he’ll have to improve that if he’s going to move away from the power forward spot."

Ty Lawson, 5-11, Guard, North Carolina
Buchanan: "Obviously he’s got great speed. He’s got some physicality despite being kind of undersized height-wise. Obviously had a tremendous season. He’s improved his shooting, improved his decision-making, really matured as a player over the last year. And it shows out here in setting like this. Definitely an NBA player for sure.

"I think he went back for the right reasons. He knew he had some areas of his game he wanted to shore up and I think he did that. Definitely a good move for him.

"All these point guards in the first round are a little different in their own little way. He’s got as much speed, if not more speed, north/south than any of the other point guards. That’s kind of what his niche is amongst those point guards. Improved shooter, decent defender. I think for me his speed, if you want to play fast, he’s going to be pretty effective in our league."

Goran Suton, 6-10, Forward, Michigan State
Buchanan: "Really likable kid; loves to play. You can tell he loves to play. He’s got typical European power forward game: he faces up, can shoot it, can really pass. He’s got a little bit of offense around the hole. Very below average athlete for his position in the NBA, but basketball IQ and smarts get him onto a floor probably someday. Whether it’s our level? Probably a high-league Euro level for sure.

"But definitely comes from a great program, a great coach obviously. He’s had a lot of success. Four-year guy. Those guys usually have a chance. I would think that he probably has a good shot of being picked somewhere in the second round."

What Do We Need?

With the draft only a few days away, members of the media are starting to solidify their opinions on what the Trail Blazers should do in the draft and beyond. I don't know if you, as intelligent Blazers fans, have come up with what you feel is Kevin Pritchard's best course of action, but maybe the ideas of these three writers will help you better understand your own opinions.

Chad Ford, ESPN.com

Team Needs: Point guard, small forward

The Skinny: The Blazers come into the summer still searching for their point guard of the future. Steve Blake is good. Sergio Rodriguez is OK. Last year's lottery pick, Jerryd Bayless, might be able to play the point someday. But they really lack that guy who can pull everything together.

The team also could use more help at the 3. Travis Outlaw is still getting better and Martell Webster is coming back from injury. But if the Blazers could land a solid 3 who could also play some 4, I think they'd grab him.

I'm a bit perplexed by the second part. Nicolas Batum is the "help" at the 3 and Travis Outlaw is a solid 3 who can play some 4. There are legitimate arguments to be made regarding our situation at small forward, but I don't think Ford's qualify.

Kyle Nelson, Draft Express

There are some question marks, however, most notably in terms of their perimeter depth, as they lack a set rotation at the point guard and small forward positions, and could still stand to get tougher in the post. Brandon Roy desperately needs some help on the perimeter, as he is the focal point of the Blazers offense and was exposed at times by opposing defenses who took advantage of how heavy a role he’s forced to shoulder in one on one situations at the end of games.

If Webster gets healthy and Batum gets a year older, both of which are solid assumptions, depth at the 3 is squared away.

Now perimeter defense? That's another story.

Jason Fleming, HoopsWorld

Immediate Needs in the Draft
Since we don't know yet what General Manager Kevin Pritchard is going to pull off, let's assume Portland keeps the picks. Can they address a reserve big man, perhaps another swing scorer/defender, and another center?

The only player that looks remotely like a fit at #24 is Taj Gibson from USC – all the other top big men are off the board by then and none of the remaining scorers look like they could crack the rotation. When you make the commitment to a first-round pick, you better hope he can be in the group that gets regular run, otherwise why bother?

[snip]

Immediate Needs in Free Agency
There are two places Portland could address in free agency: power forward (reserve) and point guard. Why say "could"? Because this writer thinks you need to be patient and let Jerryd Bayless grow. There has been no indication Portland is willing to move him, so if they bring in someone like Andre Miller (who is reportedly tops on their free agent wish list), what does that mean? Miller will likely command at least a three-year contract at decent money and Bayless not only won't be content to sit back and wait, his growth will be stunted.

Jason takes a different approach to the "What do they need?" argument, which, in my opinion, does a better job of addressing the reality of the situation. That said, whoever gets picked at No. 24 doesn't seem likely to end up a Trail Blazer. And I've started to lose count of all the point guards KP is supposedly targeting.

But back to you. I'd really like to know what it is you think the Trail Blazers should do throughout the course of the offseason, starting with Thursday's draft. Trade up? Trade out? Save cash for free agency? Go the trade route? Plenty of options, so let's hear 'em.