JS: Healthier elbow lets Bogut get ready in case lockout ends
Andrew Bogut hasn't been saying much about his surgically repaired elbow this summer, which after all the drama of last summer is actually a good thing. Still, we're all curious to know a little more about the world's most important elbow, aren't we?
"I will have limitations my whole life, but compared to where I was this time last year, it's night-and-day better," Bogut said in an email response to a question about his elbow. "I am shooting every day and lifting weights four times a week."My elbow still gets very achy if I overdo training (too many shots in one day), so I still have to be a little bit careful."
Obviously we'd all love to hear Bogut say he's "100%," but at this point we should probably know better than to expect that. Part of that is just the nature of the frightening injury itself, but part of it is also Bogut's no-nonsense style to managing expectations. No one can question Bogut's toughness after watching him battle through a litany of ailments last season, but he's also not the type to sugarcoat his frustrations. That's why I'll take the glass half full approach to these comments, though some will no doubt play up the "I will have limitations my whole life" comment as well. So it goes.
CBS Sports: Tobias Harris scores team-high 24 in win over Jimmer Fredette and co.
The incoming rookie class has been put in a rather precarious position by the lockout, unable to work with their teams' coaching staffs or earn their first professional paychecks. So you can imagine that Jimmer Fredette didn't have too hard of a time convincing a bunch of his fellow rookies-to-be to sign up for a rookie exhibition game in Provo, Utah on Thursday night. Among the participants was Bucks first rounder Tobias Harris, who acquitted himself rather nicely with 24 points (11/20 fg) and six boards in a win over Fredette's team. You can catch a video recap of the game here--though unfortunately not much to see of Tobias.
UPDATE: You can now stream the whole game at BYUTV.org. Defense is obviously not much of a priority in these games, but it was still encouraging to see Harris show off his diverse if not flashy offensive skillset, scoring inside and out while showing a bit more off-the-dribble and post offense than he typically did at Tennessee. The crafty, in-between stuff Harris is known for was also there as he tied Kemba Walker for his team's scoring lead despite his PGs Walker and Isaiah Thomas looking mostly for their own shots.
Tough to say much about his defense, especially given that Chris Singleton seemed mostly interested in jacking up threes while Harris was on him to start both halves. He also looked a bit svelter than he was at UT, which wasn't surprising given the body fat he shed leading up to the draft, but he still doesn't jump out at you athletically. Though he gets up and down the court well, he still shuffles a bit when he sprints and was swatted by Kenneth Faried going for a transition dunk in the first half. Either way, all the usual sample size caveats apply--if you haven't seen Harris play I'd definitely suggest giving it a look, if only to get some sense of what he looks like on the court.
A Stern Warning: Sydney Kings & Gold Coast Blaze campaign to attract Andrew Bogut
Still no word from Bogut on where he'll be playing if the lockout rolls on--insurance policies apparently take a long time, in part because teams are waiting on FIBA to weigh in on insurance for all the NBA stars considering their overseas options. If the insurance can be resolved, the latest rumblings have the Gold Coast Blaze as the new favorites, with Sydney and Adelaide still in the mix as well.
BALLISLIFE: Brandon Jennings & Kemba Walker putting work in
Just in case you were concerned Brandon Jennings was having too much fun this summer, Under Armour offers up another video to the contrary. This time it's Jennings being put through the paces with friend and fellow Under Armour endorser Kemba Walker.
ESPN Los Angeles: Drew-Goodman rematch set for October in LA
Still no word if Kobe Bryant will join in, though you can imagine Jennings will be there.
NECN: Stephen Jackson expected to play in Atlanta exhibition
Contain your excitement, folks.