Recent Stories with tag spencer hawes

One of the few knocks against Lorenzo Romar during his wildly successful tenure as head coach of the University of Washington basketball team has been his inability to recruit a dominant big man. There's a reason for that--talented big men are as rare on college campuses as Lawrence Welk records. Even Arizona coach Lute Olson, who took the Wildcats to four Final Fours, had just one in 25 years.

But it looks like Romar scared one up, via Senegal, an Illinois prep school, and the College of Southern Idaho. Meet seven-footer Aziz N'Diaye. You and I will have our first chance to see N'Diaye Saturday afternoon, when the Huskies play Saint Martin's in a exhibition game. From what I've been hearing about him, I can't wait.

Why?

His conditioning: N'Diaye, who, let me repeat, is seven feet tall, ran the mile in 5:21. (Try that pace for even a quarter-mile next time you're on the treadmill.) He finished first of all Husky players in Romar's annual mile run.

His intensity: Abdul Gaddy says of N'Diaye's defense: "He's kind of like a Venoy, but he's a big guy in the middle." Venoy being Venoy Overton, the disruptive defender who led the Huskies in steals last season.

His work ethic: "If we had a workout at 6 in the morning, he'd be there at 5," says N'Diaye's prep school coach. "He knows this is his chance and he's just working his butt off every day."... (more)

You may have missed it, but last night was the first of NBA season. And though Seattle doesn't have a team, the 206 was represented. Three Seattle high-school grads--of the 12 on NBA rosters--showed their stuff on opening night.

Nate Robinson (Rainier Beach, Boston Celtics) played just 10 minutes in the Celtics' win over the Threet, but he did have a suh-weet play where he pumped-faked a three, drove left around his defender to the baseline, elevated, switched hands in mid-air, twisted, and scooped a shot behind his head off the glass and in. Nate Robinson is an absolute marvel.

Brandon Roy (Garfield, Portland Trail Blazers) led the Blazers with 24 points in their win over Phoenix. The Suns didn't ever find a player who could guard Roy, who made Josh Childress look especially silly. Roy's layup with 5:05 left began a 16-1 Blazers' run to close the game. The Blazers have gotten younger and faster with the additions of guards Wes Matthews and Armon Johnson. Look out.

Aaron Brooks (Franklin, Houston Rockets) had an 18-point first-half from his starting point guard spot, but it's the shot he didn't make in the second-half that's haunting him this morning. Rockets down two, Brooks drove baseline and got to the basket, but Lamar Odom blocked his last-second shot. Rockets lost.

So what's up with the nine other Seattle-area guys? Here's a quick rundown.... (more)