Translated by Juliano Medeiros

Original Version (in portuguese) – Published on 07/06/2011

Tiago Splitter reported in last Monday (July 4th) to the Brazilian National Team, coached by Rúben Magnano. The squad will start its preparations for the Mar Del Plata Pre-Olympic Tourney that will take place in September. Last Tuesday, the players had to take routine medical exams, and Spurs Brasil used the opportunity to interview the young center.

He talked about his first season with the San Antonio Spurs, the lockout and the expectations for the tourney in Argentina, which can put Brazil back in the Olympics after a 16 year drought.

Spurs Brasil – What can you say about your first season with the San Antonio Spurs?

Tiago Splitter – I started the season with an injury and was feeling worn out after my last season in Spain. After that I played in the World Championship, and I couldn´t perform at 100%. That had a big impact in my preseason and my injury got worse right before the start of my career in the NBA. Fortunately I could recover and was able to help the team at some points during the season. Maybe I didn´t have the minutes I wanted, but it´s understandable in my role as a rookie, playing for a conservative team, being coached by Popovich. I think it´s a pretty normal situation and I respect his decision. I hope I can keep improving. I learned many things on and off the court and I hope I can become a better player next season, be more active in games and help the Spurs win more games.

SB – How does it feel to work with Popovich? How is your relationship with him on and off the court?

TS – On the court he demands a lot. He´s relentless when it comes to basketball. I think that´s normal and needed, having a leader like him on the team. Off the court, he´s awesome. Everyone treated me very well, not just him, they´ve been great to me since day one and I feel very happy in San Antonio. Feels like home. I hope I can live there for many more years.

SB – How is your relationship with Tim Duncan? Does he try to teach you something? What did you learn from him this season?

TS – He´s one of the great players in NBA History, there´s no arguing that. For me, it was a pleasure to play with him and learn from the way he carries himself on and off the court. I think we´re even similar when it comes to the way we approach the game. I hope I can count on him at least for one more year, before his contract ends. He´s obviously not a 22 year old anymore, and he may be past his prime, but he´s still got a lot of game, has one of the highest basketball IQ I´ve ever seen and I hope he can help us this year with all his experience. Help not just me, but the whole team.

SB – What about Manu Ginobili? He will most likely play in the Pre-Olympic Tourney and you will have to face-off against a teammate. How do you feel about it?

TS – He´s a really special player. I think he´s the only player in the world to have won the Euroleague, the NBA and the Olympics. So he´s very tough to stop. But me and Rúben (Magnano) have worked a lot with him and other Argentinian players, so we know what we´re up against and how hard it will be to beat them on their home floor.

SB – How can this experience with the national team help in San Antonio? Did the Spurs try to change your mind? How does the organization handle a situation in which one of their players wants to play for his national team?

TS – I think nobody really likes it when their players go play with their national teams. But they respected my decision, they know I have a strong desire to play for my country. I think everybody is aware of the situation we have there with the lockout, so this is also a way for me to keep playing, which is much better than just training alone in some court. So playing in important, tough games will also help in my career.

SB – With the lockout been declared, one polemic question was the players’ insurance. How did you solve the situation regarding your insurance to be here with your national team?

TS – Well… I won´t talk about the way it was solved, but everything´s ok now. That´s what matters and that´s why I´m here. We’ve been a long time looking for and the problem was solved.

SB – With the lockout, no one knows what will happen next. Is there any chance players will really go play overseas? What do the players know about this?

TS – We really don´t know when the owners and players will settle things. There´s no certainty. Everything´s up in the air. Of course it´s possible for guys to go play in Europe, in Brazil, in China or wherever. But my intentions, as of now, is to continue being a player for the San Antonio Spurs. I think they waited a lot for me after they drafted me and I want to respect that, I want to keep playing there. I will work on my own, after the Pre-Olympics, to remain in shape for the next season, whenever it starts.

SB – In the Pre-Olympic Tourney, what are your expectations for your own performance? You and Marcelinho Huertas will probably be the main players in the team, and will have the responsibility of leading the squad. How will you cope with that pressure? Is there still some chemistry remaining between you guys from the time you were teammates in Spain?

TS – Absolutely. I think we have a lot of chemistry on the court. About the pressure of leading the team, I think it´s natural. As you get older, it happens. In the past I was like the 12th man on the team, but now there´s a different weight on my shoulders when it comes to the National Team and I try to be cool about it. We play in a team sport, but it´s obvious every player know his role on the court, and I know what mine will be. So we will work together with our coach to develop a capable team and get in a good shape for the Pre-Olympics, and have everybody knowing their roles on the court.

Listen here the original audio (in Portuguese) of the interview

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Versão em português (Portuguese version)

Credit: http://www.albakosar.hu

The San Antonio Spurs had four picks in the last Draft. Naturally, the 59^th – second to last of all the Draft – was the more mysterious one. With this pick, the franchise selected the Hungarian shooting-guard Adam Hanga, a 6-7 foot and 200 pounds swingman. With 22 years old, the prospect still haven’t played in a big center – at this offseason, he was transferred from Albacomp-UPC Szekesfehervar, from Hungary, to the Assignia Manresa, from Spain.

On the domestic league, he was on the spotlights. On last season, he played 39 matches, and his averages were 17,6 points, 4,4 rebounds, 3,4 assists and 2,8 steals per game. Now, playing at the ACB League – probably the strongest national league on Europe – he will be able to test his skills on a higher level.

In touch with the Assignia Manresa media crew, the Spurs Brasil managed to talk with Hanga via e-mail. Among other quotes, he revealed that he sees himself playing at Manu Ginobili’s role at the Spurs. He also said that his speed and his power jumps are the strengths of his game, but he have to improve his defense. Read the whole interview:

Spurs Brasil – This looks like a big summer for you. Being drafted for the San Antonio Spurs and transferred to the ACB League, to play for the Assignia Manresa. Are you happy with these changes in your career?

Adam Hanga – I’m very happy to play Assignia Manresa next year. I hope to provide all that I can for this club.

AH – Obviously, play in ACB League is a challenge for me and my career. I know that I’ll improve like a player.

Credit: http://content.draftexpress.com/gallery/AdamHanga/1308790798.jpg

SB – Have you already met the installations of you new team? Are you looking forward to play for Assignia Manresa?

AH – Yes, I stayed in Manresa only two days for my medical revision, and I have to say that the installations and the technical team are very comfortable.

AH – Erazem Lorbek is an exceptional player, and I hope to speak with him, play against him and win.

AH – I don’t know what my future will be, now I’m a player of Assignia Manresa and I’ll try exploit and enjoy this moment.

AH – Gregg Popovich is a very good coach, and of course I’ll see myself playing in his team. I’m more like Manu Ginobili, I have to improve my defense.

AH – My strengths are speed and power jumps, and a weakness is the defense, in special with a player smaller than me.

AH – A basketball player always have to improve more things. In my case, defense and technical play.

AH – I will like to play with Hungary, but now I’m thinking of my new team.

Versão em português (Portuguese version)

Marcus Denmon is another late second round Draft pick for the San Antonio Spurs. The shooting-guard, who came from the Missouri University, had 17,7 points (46% FG, 40,7% 3 PT, 89,6% FT) and five rebounds per game last season.

Marcus Denmon at the Summer League (Shep McAllister/Spurs.com)

Selected at the 59^th pick on the last Draft, Denmon, who is 22 years old, had the chance to play for the Spurs on the last Summer League. At Las Vegas, he had 5,4 points and 1,8 rebounds per game.

The Spurs rooster is full of guards. That’s the main reason why Denmon became a project for the franchise’s future. He will play the next season for the French team Elan Chalon.

Thanks to the PR team of his new club, Denmon answered questions sent by the Spurs Brasil. He said that he learnt quickly the Spurs system and he wants to learn to play the point guard position. See the full interview below:

Spurs Brasil – How the ideia to join Chalon came up? SG seems to be one of the needs of the team. The team contacted you? The Spurs helped with the negotiations? 

Marcus Denmon – Yes, the team contacted my agent and both sides thought that Chalon would be a great fit.

SB – Other NBA players, such as Thabo Sefolosha and Udonis Haslem, have already played for Chalon. This information makes you more comfortable to play for the team? 

MD – Yes, because this way I know that other good players have been successful playing in Chalon.

Denmon at the Summer League (Shep McAllister/Spurs.com)

SB – How do you think that your game will translate do the Euroleague level? Do you feel confident to maintain your university level of play? 

MD – Yes I do, I work really hard, and hopefully I am fortunate enough to stay healthy and play well.

SB – What do you felt when the Spurs selected you at the Draft? The franchise had already talked to you about recruiting you or was a surprise on the Draft night? 

MD – I knew that the Spurs were interested in me, I felt anxious because I wanted to see what team would pick me.

SB – On the Summer League, you had the chance to learn a little bit about the Spurs system, right? Is it difficult to learn?

MD – Yes, I did play with some of the younger Spurs players and learned from their good coaching staff. I picked up the system quickly in the short time that I was there.

SB – Someone from the Spurs remain in touch with you after you signed with Chalon? What parts of your game does the franchise want you to develop in this European stint? 

MD – Yes, my entire time here the Spurs will maintain contact. Continue to develop all around is important but, mainly, running a team and being efficient at the 1 position.

SB – What parts of your game do you think you need to develop before playing at the NBA? 

MD – Playing in a system running the one position.

SB – Some Pre-Draft analysts told that your game is similar to Eddie Houses’. Do you agree with this?

MD – We have similar abilities in shooting the ball, but I think I am different in a lot of ways and that is not a good comparison.

SB – What are your idols in basketball? Who inspired you to play the game?

MD – Michael Jordan was my idol growing up as a young player, and my uncle and brother inspired me at a young age to play.

Versão em português (Portuguese version)

The SF position is one of the main mysteries of the San Antonio Spurs rotation for the next season. The franchise’s main bet of the Draft, Kawhi Leonard seems to be talented. More famous, Richard Jefferson still couldn’t fit into the team’s system, while young players, like Da’Sean Butler, Lance Thomas and Leo Lyons dream of some minutes at the rotation. Also young, the SG James Anderson also can be used at the 3. In the middle of all this guys, one name can be a surprise: Danny Green.

Green played against the Grizzlies

Defensive specialist, the 24 years old SF was one of the few names from this list who played at the last season playoffs – the other, of course, was Jefferson, the starter. It’s true that Green only played for seven minutes, but this puts him in a situation better than Anderson and Butler, who already were part of the roster at the time. These facts and his defensive qualities make Green confident for the next season.

While the lockout doesn’t ends, the player has chosen a different way. He’s in Slovenia, playing for the Union Olimpija – same team where Davis Bertans plays. Green played three games at the Euroligue, averaging 15,3 points (44,4% FG, 33,3% 3 PT, 90% FT), 3,7 rebounds and two assists per game. Despite the big numbers, he only won one game.

With the help of Union Olimpija’s media crew, Green answered some questions from Spurs Brasil via e-mail. Read the full interview bellow:

Spurs Brasil ­– After playing you first official game with Union Olimpija, do you think that the game in Europe is very different from the NBA? What are the main differences?

Danny Green – Yes, I do think it is different, has it’s similarities but, at the same time, different style of play with different rules. No defensive 3 seconds, so the paint is more crowded, and you have to be able to work in spaces. A lot of pick and roll game and moving the ball, in the states similar systems but usually based around one or two guys, not so much here. Not so much more physical, but you have to be smarter defensively because you never know how the refs are going to call it.

SB – What about the life outside the USA? Is it hard to life in another country, with another culture and another language?

DG – Life outside the USA isn’t too hard, especially here because everyone here speaks English, so that helps. The food is pretty good and the club provides us with everything we need, so they’ve done a great job with helping us adjust.

SB – How the team did contact you at offseason? Another European teams made proposes?

DG – The team contacted me through my agent and yes, I did have other offers from other teams, but none as good as this one, where they allow me to play until the lockout ends and go back when it was over if I wanted to.

SB – If you weren’t playing in Europe, what aspects of your game you would be working out right now? Are you able to work them at your new team?

DG – I try to work on every aspect of my game, from shooting, dribbling, ball handling, foot work and foot speed for defensive purposes and everything else that comes along with the game. Here I am very much able to work on those things, that’s why it’s such a great situation.

Green's defense made him useful in big games

SB – Last season, you were one of the few Spurs young players who played at the playoffs. Do you feel ready to be relevant at the rotation? Do you think that this is going to happen?

DG – Yeah, last year I felt lucky to be able to even get in the game in the playoffs, which I was. Coach Pop didn’t have to do that. Next year I hope to be a part of that rotation and expect to be fully prepared for it when the time comes. That’s the reason I am working on my game now all the things the organization told me to work on.

SB – Since Bruce Bowen, the Spurs had problems to find a defensive swingman, a player to stop other team’s stars. You can be this player?

DG – Bruce Bowen is the ideal wingman everyone speaks of when you talk about the Spurs organization, for many reasons but, mainly, because he was very successful in their system. He is someone I have gotten a chance to watch play when I was younger and study his game. I hope to be able to become that player they are looking for, especially defensively.

Green with his new team

SB – The SG and SF positions are full of young players at the Spurs roster and full of prospects around the world, such as Nando De Colo and Davis Bertans. Do you think that this is good for the team?

DG – Yes I do. It allows us to work with each other and push each other to be better. Also to be able to learn from our veteran wing players, so that when they are gone we are able to carry out the winning tradition there.

SB – Before the lockout, you had a chance to speak with Gregg Popovich about next season? What did he told you to do?

DG – I’ve had the chance to talk to coach on multiple occasions, his biggest thing for me is to work on my ‘motor’ and have more of a sense of urgency. We really hadn’t talked much about next season, just wanted us young guys to continue to work hard and on our weaknesses to give ourselves a chance to get playing time and be prepared for the lockout, was the main focus before everything happened.

SB – Do you talk with Bertans about playing for the Spurs?

DG – No, I’ve never talked to him about it.