Popovich frustrated with Udrih

[kmgospurs]

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b...h.8a9ae1d.html
Popovich frustrated with Udrih
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer

LYON, France — The Spurs had high hopes this would be the season Beno Udrih entrenched himself as the team's backup point guard.

Four days intro training camp, they now wonder if he deserves to even be No. 3.

Udrih has spent the first six practices on the sideline nursing a sore right hamstring. It's yet another in a list of nagging injuries that have slowed him in his two-plus seasons with the Spurs — and exhausted the patience of his coach.

“He's the fourth point guard on our team now,” Gregg Popovich said after Wednesday's workout. “Give me a break.”

Popovich said he's now counting on Brent Barry and newcomer Jacque Vaughn to back up Tony Parker.

“I'm not going to sit them just to play Beno because he's healthy again,” Popovich said. “The longer he's out, the longer he's going to wait for his shot to show us something.”

Popovich doesn't have a timetable for Udrih's return, but he doesn't plan on him playing in either of the Spurs' two exhibition games in France.

The Spurs have until the end of the month to pick up Udrih's fourth-year rookie option, which normally would be an easy decision given that it will cost only $1.75 million. But Popovich said Udrih's absence in camp has given him second thoughts.

Udrih has shown he has the talent to be a productive NBA player. It's his toughness the team questions.

Parker was sidelined by a right shin injury in March, but came back earlier than expected when Udrih tweaked his left ankle.

“This is the year where we wanted to see how he's going to come through defensively, if we're going to see the potential offensively,” Popovich said of Udrih. “We think he's a hell of a passer and a hell of a shooter. But can he do it consistently or is it a night here and a night there? This is the year he needs to show that to us.

“It's very unfortunate for him and for our team, but we have to move on and look at other people because we can't count on him because he's so injury-prone.”

[pressurez]

weak Beno. I wonder if they give him one more shot or send him to the pine, or packing.

[spurtime]

He was known to be fragile when we drafted him. He has lived up to that hype.

[Ducks]

WAY TO GO POP
YOU HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING
MAKE THE ***** STEP UP

Originally Posted by To be named later

Woah......that is some pretty harsh talk, IMO.

I can't recall Pop using the media to motivate a player.
I can't recall Pop using the media to light a fire under a player.

Not TP, not Rasho, not Nazr, not Hedo, not Ron Mercer, not Jaren Jackson, not Cherokee Parks, not even Dennis Rodman.

I may be wrong but this seems like a first.

pop has called out players before

well it is a good thing spurs still have barry
I like barry as backup point anyhow
if he knows that is what the spurs want he has all trainging camp to learn it
nice pop has made the decision now instead of later

[kyleo]

Whoa. That's some stark talk there. Good luck Beno, wherever you're going eventually.

[Ducks]

not to this degree but
pop has tried everything for this beno
THIS WAS HIS YEAR AND HE IS BLOWING IT

is he more injury prone then speedy

[Dark Deity]

I had no idea he was injury prone. Didn't he play like 80 games his rookie year? He did only play 54 last year but that was like 10 to injury and the rest to DNPs.

I support the Barry at PG role. He can play that position and he would get a chance to see more courtime.

[TRslick81]

agreed ill take barrys versatility over beno netime but this is a crucial year for beno he needs to play with some fire and act like he wants it

[e_93gsx]

Man those are some harsh words. I hope it does get Beno going. I think he has potential and would hate to see it wasted on the bench.

[Robinson50]

Actually Pop has never trusted Udrih again since his embarrassing performance during the playoffs 2 years ago. He's a goner in Pop's mind but they just can't find a way to trade him.

[bnwhuxley]

Pop simply doesn't trust Beno.

So what if Beno performs? Pop let NVE play all season despite Beno routinely outperforming him.

Perhaps we were naive in thinking Pop's attitude would change.

I say stop wasting everyone's time and just trade the guy. Go get Pietrus or something for him.

[Vito Corleone]

If Beno were truely injured I could not see Pop calling him out. My guess is this is Pop's way of letting the kid know that he needs to be tougher and take a more serious approach to his trade.

Beno has talent but he is not very tough.

[Dark Deity]

Can't find anyone to take Beno? There were teams that were contacting the Spurs this summer about him, specifically the 76ers. The only reason they kept him was because someone out there had faith in the kid.

[TRslick81]

young pg cheap salary shooting ability hell yeah some teams r intrested pops tired of waiting lets c if he can put IT together this season and become a consistant #2 pg

[alpineballer]

two weeks ago i wrote about Beno in another thread.
(the one about potential breakout players)
thought it fits this thread better.

Originally Posted by alpineballer

Beno is a player who absolutly makes me wonder how to classify him.

(and i guess i know him longer and better than most on SR, except our Slovenian friends)

when Beno was 18, he looked like an outstanding talent when he played for OLIMPIJA. i mean that kind of talent who makes you think like: "wow, this is NBA all-star material". in 2000-01 he played a good regular season and had great moments in the PO when Olimpja Ljubljana gave Bologna (then the best team in europe with Manu and Jaric) a heroic fight and lost in two games only by 1 and 2 points.

the next season, at 19 he was even better and again performed best in the PO (top 16)

2002-03, at 20 with Maccabi, he had a quiet regular season, but again steped up in the PO.
but in this year, in my personal perception, he didn't look like a player who undoubtfull will make it.
and the season after this was an up and down in Russia and Italy. in this year he looked like a young talented player who is badly adviced and has lost focus (and also some bad luck with an injury)

2001 is was absolutly sure, that Beno will once be a lottery pick.
2004 is was sure that he will be a late second rounder at best.

i was really happy when the Spurs drafted him, even when i hoped that they will pick Khryapa (which likely would have happened if he still would have been on the board)

i thought the Spurs environment will be great for Beno and he did look good as a rookie.
then again, the expected next step didn't happen. (and it can't be just blamed at the NvE signing, the Spurs tried to trade him in this summer anyhow).
Pop obviously has lost the confidence, that Beno can develope into a dependable player and it for sure was not only the bad series against the Pistons.
we know that Pop would not drop a rookie because he failed in the NBA finals. noone thought Beno will be like Magic. Tony also failed in his first finals. did Pop drop him?

so what's up with Beno? afterr 6 years of watching him i still don't know.
he is obviously a talent, that should be able to be a decent player in the NBA. but there is something about his focus i guess. it's not that he can't stand any pressure, because he performed very well under pressure in the euroleague.
i also don't know if Beno's work ethic is good or not.
it's not just one season, the up and down story goes for almost 5 years now.

again, IMO the problem was not his poor play in the finals 2005.
the reason that drives Pop crazy must be the same that also caused problems in the past in Europe.
i guess there is nothing a coach hates more than a talented player, who refuses to dedicate himself to the game and the team.
as mentioned, if it was just because of the current injury, Pop would not call him out. this injuries happen. Pop must be very unhappy with what Beno did during the offseason. if Beno had worked hard during the summer, Pop would not act like this right now.

the problem about trading Beno is, what team still wants him? (better: what teams offers us a decent player for him)
teams that could use a player like Beno are numerous. (Sixers, Rockets, Cavs, Lakers)
Sixers still would be a good fit for Beno. maybe the price the Spurs set for Beno was to high in the summer. Sixers have three players who would be very interesting for the Spurs.
Igoudala (impossible to get him)
Carney (maybe for Beno+future 1st rounder+/or Scola rights)
Bobby Jones (for Beno + a second rounder of the Sixers)

[Dark Deity]

Like the article said. At one point Beno was heralded to be the back up PG and would get the contract extension, but now both those things are up in the air. Preferably the Spurs might look into acquiring another back up PG who like Beno is fairly young.

[MARIO]

Originally Posted by Dark Deity

Can't find anyone to take Beno? There were teams that were contacting the Spurs this summer about him, specifically the 76ers. The only reason they kept him was because someone out there had faith in the kid.

Actually that report was false. The Sixers never contacted the Spurs about Udrih.

http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/sports/15003898.htm

Sixers not chasing Udrih
July 10
Philadelphia Daily News "A Daily News note that the Sixers had contacted San Antonio about guard Beno Udrih was incorrect."

[Dark Deity]

Oh well in that case forget them.

[Silver Samurai]

Originally Posted by JamesR

Beno for Pietrus would be a major coup. I would pull the trigger on that if Pop had stars in his eyes when talking about Beno.

bnw, we all know that if you are old and have talcum powder knees then you start the season off with an A+ in Pop's Book.

Is that possible? If so we may have found our backup/successor to Bruce

[spurssheriff]

Beno... As good as traded?

Certainly several GM's would love to have him running their squads.

But why would Popovich bad mouth him and lower his trade value?

Is it just a motivation tactic?