Rudy Fernandez versus Juan Carlos Navarro
This was taken from a quick Q&A I had with Raul Jimenez. I’ll post the rest in the near future.
Pete: Why is Rudy Fernandez doing so well in such a short time in the NBA? Why didn’t Juan Carlos Navarro reach the same level of success?
Raul: Rudy is a much more physical player. He can play above the rim as everyone saw in the Olympics final. He’s younger and hungrier than Navarro was. I think that Navarro’s goal was to be in the NBA and show everybody he could play there. Rudy wants to be a star. He’s a more complete player, because he can shoot, he can dunk and he can play better defense. His former team (Joventut Badalona) is a defense-oriented team, and in the last years they have played a lot of press defenses, traps … developing Rudy’s defensive game. Both Rudy and Navarro have a deep knowledge of the game, but when you add Rudy’s physical side, you have a true diamond. He’s doing well, but you’ll see even better as time goes by.
(Photo by Mark J. Terrill/AP)
Related reading: Navarro dumps the NBA (Kelly Dwyer, Ball Don’t Lie)
November 20th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
Thanks for the insights on Rudy.
What a steal he was for the Trail Blazers.
I think that’s how you built a team following the Spurs model. Draft stars and add other key elements by having people in your scouting department who search out the hidden gems.
I think the Trail Blazers were onto Fernandez early enough for him to qualify as a hidden gem even though he was far from hidden after his Olympics performance.
By then Kings management had big grins on their faces.
November 20th, 2008 at 5:22 pm
Bill – thanks should go to Raul. I’m lucky to be in contact with him.
Stay tuned for more NBA and Euro insight from Raul. As for me, I hope to do some Photoshopping and other wackiness in the near future.