Lathrop grad signs with Spurs

[Eddy from Austin]

Lathrop grad signs with Spurs

By DANNY MARTIN, Staff Writer

Bill Bailey said his younger brother, Kyle, has dreamed of playing in the National Basketball Association since he was 8 years old.
Kyle Bailey's dream took a giant step on Tuesday when the former standout point guard for Lathrop High School and Santa Clara University signed a contract with the defending NBA champions, San Antonio Spurs.

"It's real great, obviously, to have the opportunity to play," Kyle Bailey said from San Antonio on Tuesday. "But at the same time, I haven't fully realized it yet."

Bailey, who spent four weeks in tryout sessions with the Spurs in San Antonio, said he signed a standard-scale, one-year contract for a free agent who is in his first year out of college. He didn't disclose the terms of the deal, but he said, "I won't be pressed for money."

The money, though, will be reality if the 6-foot-2, 200-pounder makes the Spurs' final roster, as his contract isn't guaranteed.

"It's a very unstable situation, as far as they can cut me anytime between now and the start of the regular season," he said. "It doesn't mean I'm on the team."

It does mean he'll be in training camp with the Spurs when it opens Oct. 4 at the St. Thomas campus of the University of the Virgin Islands, and that he may get the opportunity to play in the preseason opener against the Miami Heat in Florida on Oct. 10.

"Going to the Virgin Islands, playing the Miami Heat in an exhibition game and getting to see American Airlines Arena and (Heat guard) D. Wade and (center) Shaquille O'Neal," Bailey said. "It's going to be crazy."

The contract with the Spurs also means the 23-year-old is in rare company, as he's the first player from the Interior to sign an NBA contract, and only the third Alaskan to do so.

Former Duke University stars Trajan Langdon of Anchorage and Carlos Boozer of Juneau were respective draft picks of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The 29-year-old Langdon, an East Anchorage graduate and 11th overall pick in the 1999 draft, spent three seasons with Cleveland and the last three seasons with pro teams in Italy, Turkey and Moscow. The 6-4 guard is entering his first season with CSKA Moscow.

Boozer, 6-8 and 258 pounds, was selected 35th overall in the second round in 2002. He spent two seasons with the Cavaliers and signed a free-agent contract in July 2004 with the Utah Jazz, with whom he's entering his second season.

Bailey admits it's overwhelming to be practicing with Spurs stars like forward Tim Duncan and guard Michael Finley, but he's battling for a roster spot among four other point guards. He said the team is expected to carry only two point guards on guaranteed contracts during the regular season.

"I can't be intimidated by the fact that these are NBA players,'' Bailey said. "I still have to go out and perform. But at the same time, playing with all those guys is unbelievable.''

Bailey was in another NBA city--Seattle--when he got a tryout with the Spurs.

Bailey said he tried out for a pro team in Japan but didn't get called back. On Aug. 31, he was on his way to Fairbanks to visit his family when he had a layover at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. A scout with the Spurs, who had seen him play for Santa Clara, contacted him there on his cell phone and invited him to try out with the Spurs in San Antonio.

About a week after visiting with his family, he headed to Texas for his first tryout.

Spurs officials were impressed and invited him back a week later for another tryout. A third followed and then a fourth, during which he was offered the contract.

Bailey said a Spurs assistant coach told him San Antonio's coaching staff was impressed with his work ethic and character as much as his athletic ability.

Bailey finished his career at Santa Clara as the Broncos all-time leader in games played (127), minutes played (3,897) and three-point attempts (679). He ranks second all-time in three-point field goals (225), third in steals (196) and fourth for assists (452). He was a first-team All-West Coast Conference selection in 2001-02 and an honorable-mention selection last season, when he was the team's assists leader with 4.2 per game and second in scoring (14.8), less than a point a game behind team leader and then-senior guard Doron Perkins, a Bartlett graduate.

"There's good people on this team," Bailey said of the Spurs. "All the players speak to you and there's no prima donnas. They're all pretty much jeans and T-shirts type of guys and the coaches are the same way--down to earth.

"Being from Fairbanks, Alaska, I fit in with that mode."

He hopes, too, to fit in playing wise and earn a final roster spot.

Bailey said that even if he's cut, he'll cherish the opportunity to fulfill a dream.

"So many people have big dreams and not everybody pursues them or gets an opportunity to pursue them," he said. "Whether I made it or I didn't make it, when I'm an old man and I can't walk, I look back on this and know that I had the opportunity, I had a dream and I went for it."



Player Bio: Kyle Bailey :: Men's Basketball

[parkers_babe#9]

A new spur? i hope that is a good thing.

[doozie]

Another PG?

[Dave McNulla]

Bailey admits it's overwhelming to be practicing with Spurs stars like forward Tim Duncan and guard Michael Finley, but he's battling for a roster spot among four other point guards. He said the team is expected to carry only two point guards on guaranteed contracts during the regular season.

this kid has to beat out two players with guaranteed contracts? who is the third? i see tony and beno, brent barry, nick van exel, and manu ginobili. i think that's two point guards. nick and barry are part-timers or fill-ins, although i've heard a lot about nick being tony's main backup this coming season. i guess the poor kid will be cut.

dave

[Spurs Brazil]

Bailey admits it's overwhelming to be practicing with Spurs stars like forward Tim Duncan and guard Michael Finley, but he's battling for a roster spot among four other point guards. He said the team is expected to carry only two point guards on guaranteed contracts during the regular season.

Two?, TP, NVE and Beno

[Manuac]

Nice vacation. Maybe the son of an old friend of Popovich? Anyway, not bad for a player who has yet to reach a FG% of 40%.

[stuffedmushroomz]

I think POP is really worried about TP's summer playin.

These are a few scenerios I've thought of POP could be considering:

1. Give TP less min. but still start
2. Use TP off the bench
3. Not play TP in the Preseason

Which in turn will allow NVE, Beno, Bailey to compete for TP's Backup.
This guy Bailey seems very Humbled by the invite, reminds me of Devin
when he first joined the Spurs.

[DizzG]

I can guarantee TP is in no way coming off the bench

lets not even start that

[Uwe Blab]

He'll be cut, unless Beno's injury is worse than expected. There is really no need for 4 pg's on this team, especially when you have two other guards that can play pg as well. They are probably giving him a chance to show his stuff so other teams will get a good look at him.

[seanb]

Originally Posted by DizzG

I can guarantee TP is in no way coming off the bench

lets not even start that

AMEN!

The Spurs are not the New York Knicks, they can't afford to be. We dont pay 66 million for a backup point guard...plain and simple. If Tony ever gets to that point expect the trade rumours to heat up big time!

Tony Parker is your starting PG for the next half decade and he is only going to get better. You have to realize that Parker may have been trying a little too hard when playing for France. Maybe he fealt like he had to lead the team in every facet. We have seen that Tony is not the greatest leader on the court by his occasional dissapearing act in crunch time. Given that, he is still easily top 10 PG in the league and worth starting.

This new kid seems to have agreat head on his shoulders. I doubt he makes the final roster but you have to see the big picture. Maybe Pop likes his style of play and thinks of him as the perfect type of player to send down to the NBDL. Remember we can send two players up to Austin to develop. They might not be sold on Beno or the injury might be worse than expected. If so the Spurs, especially since they are going to be over the cap in the future, might not take Benos option in the third year? It is food for thought at least.

[SPUROFTHAMOMENT]

Who? Never heard of him. Maybe, we'll send him down to the D-League team.

[Spurs Brazil]

I think POP is really worried about TP's summer playin.

I think Pop is worried about Beno's knee

[texan in domerland 1]

All three of the PT guards are coming in at less than 100%. This could be rest for all the pt guards.

[doozie]

This is definitely a suspect signing even if unguaranteed. There must be some concerns somewhere with the injuries of the currents PG and their durability. My guess was the Spurs would have brought in a young athletic swingman in case injuries occur at the SF or SG position throughout the regular season.

[texan in domerland 1]

Originally Posted by doozie

This is definitely a suspect signing even if unguaranteed. There must be some concerns somewhere with the injuries of the currents PG and their durability. My guess was the Spurs would have brought in a young athletic swingman in case injuries occur at the SF or SG position throughout the regular season.

I would bet they bring in a SF and SG for training camp too but cut 2 or all of them when the season starts. Just in case.

[Ducks]

training camp fooder

[nanumanu]

Bailey said a Spurs assistant coach told him San Antonio's coaching staff was impressed with his work ethic and character as much as his athletic ability.

Nice to see that even our fourth string PG has to meet our Spurs' high standards. Hope this guy the best as a Spur and possibly somewhere else.

[spurs4lyf]

With Beno's knee hurt and Parker being tired from a long summer that just leaves NVE and Baily playing preseason games. I would think he's just a filler and maybe someone to look at for the far future.

[Brooklyn Dave]

The Spurs usually go into camp with around 18 players. The signing isn't unusual.

What would be unusual is if he were to make the team.

[Negotiator]

Yeah sounds like a D-league candidate to me.... Hey, I wish him luck anyway..

[NashvilleSpur]

Hopefully he'll get some time in Austin.

[Dave McNulla]

i don't think it's so suspect. spurs bring in character d-league quality guys in case they need somebody (jason hart) or want a good look at somebody for the future (devin brown).

dave

[monkeyboy]

Send him on up to Austin, we'll watch him!