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By Steve Hunt/FoxSportsSouthwest.com
When James Anderson was drafted 20th overall in Thursday’s 2010 NBA Draft by San Antonio, the reigning Big 12 Conference Player of the Year had to be beaming from ear to ear. Now only was the Oklahoma State product the school’s first player to go in the first round since Joey Graham in 2005, but he was headed to the Spurs, considered one of the Association’s model franchises. All in all, it’s a pretty great situation for him to head into for several reasons.
GREAT COACHING
Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich is widely considered one of the best head coaches in the entire league. He and his staff have a great eye for talent and Pop, who has led the Spurs to four NBA titles, clearly sees much to like in Anderson.
Last year, San Antonio took Joseph Blair, an ex-Pitt big man who many considered damaged goods because of a history of knee injuries, in the second round. Blair proved to be a huge find for the Spurs in the second round. He played in all 82 games and averaged 7.8 points per game off the bench.
Anderson isn’t exactly a steal since everyone knew he would go in the first round, but now that he will get some top-notch coaching from Popovich, who is known for getting the most out of his players, he should make big strides in fairly short order.
SOLID VETERANS TO LEARN FROM
San Antonio already has Manu Ginobili in place at the two spot, which is where Anderson played at OSU. Last year’s backup, Roger Mason, is a free agent and he and the Spurs are likely to part ways. However, some feel Anderson’s most value could come on the wing, where he might eventually replace Richard Jefferson after his contract expires at the end of this year. Ginobili’s durability has been an issue over the last few years, so there is a chance that Anderson could get a fair share of starts as a rookie
Jefferson underachieved for much of last year and did finally wake up a bit in the playoffs. However, if Anderson’s learning curve is short and many feel it could be, it could serve notice that a changing of the guard is imminent.
Anderson will clearly absorb all he can from Ginobili and Mason. But he can also learn a great deal from other vets like Tim Duncan and Tony Parker, who not only have won more than a few titles but also can give him some valuable insight into what it takes to play for a coach as demanding as Popovich can be.
The Spurs might be regarded as one of the oldest teams in the NBA but that is clearly a great situation for any rookie to come into. Anderson has to consider himself pretty lucky to be heading to the Alamo City.
HIS GAME FITS WELL WITH THE SPURS
Popovich is a devoted disciple of the pick-and-roll, something Anderson knows a thing or two about. In fact, the ex-Cowboy’s high comfort level with the pick and roll, which is a staple of the Spurs’ offensive sets, is one reason why many teams had him rated so highly heading into the draft. Another big plus is that Anderson can already create his own shot off the dribble. He is also adept at getting to the free throw line, something he did at a clip of about eight times per contest last year.
One big difference that Anderson will notice with the Spurs is that he has several solid point guards to get him the ball. Of course, Tony Parker remains the man in the Alamo City but the performance of George Hill in the playoffs last year served notice that once again, Popovich and Company might have found yet another diamond in the rough.
Anderson got the ball a lot during his time in Stillwater as a Cowboy, who weren’t known for having a great point guard. Now that he has two able distributors in Parker and Hill, he should clearly benefit.
