http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/story/13747014p-14588771c.html
By Joe Davidson
He's a 6-foot-8 leaper, solid in build at 225 pounds, with a soft shot and a penchant for throwing down some of the most emphatic dunks in Kings practice this month.
Eric Sandrin has "player" written all over his potential page. But for all of his outlandish ability, he's fighting a numbers game. He's a forward on a team chock full of them. He has survived two rounds of cuts already, and for a fellow who attended tiny Seattle Pacific, that already qualifies as a quantum leap.
"(Camp) has been the greatest experience," the 26-year old Sandrin said. "Every single day has been the best day. Making the team, it's up to coach (Rick) Adelman and Mr. (Geoff) Petrie. If they think I can help this team, I'll stay. If it's a numbers game and they have too many forwards... it's out of my hands."
Sandrin has drawn rave reviews from teammates. He even has made Bonzi Wells wonder what sort of blood runs through his veins.
"He plays so hard," said Wells. "I get tired and ask him, 'You tired yet? No, I'm fine.' He's a great athlete with great bounce in his legs. All he needs is some time."
And that's not easy when the Kings are trying to figure out a rotation with forwards Peja Stojakovic, Kenny Thomas, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Corliss Williamson, Francisco García and Jamal Sampson. Too many bodies, not enough room.
"He's been working hard, but it's been hard to get him in," Adelman said. "We're pretty loaded. He just needs more experience."
Sandrin's bouncing career - Sandrin played professionally in Luxembourg and Brazil and minor-league ball with the Bellevue, Wash., franchise of the American Basketball Association. He also logged some spring and summer run with the Harlem Globetrotters.
Price is right? - With Jason Hart likely to sit out Saturday's game at Portland and Sunday's game against the Phoenix Suns in Fresno, expect a lot more of Ronnie Price.
And he can hardly wait. Price, a 6-2 point guard who has been solid with the dribble and on defense, is a rookie from Utah Valley State. He was on the floor in the final seconds Tuesday against the Denver Nuggets at Arco Arena when Hart suddenly winced and went to the floor in agony with a hip pointer.
While going down, Hart dumped the ball to Price, who immediately took a three-pointer at the top of the key as time ran out. He missed everything. "It was hard to concentrate because we had a guy go down," Price said. "That was strange."
By Joe Davidson
He's a 6-foot-8 leaper, solid in build at 225 pounds, with a soft shot and a penchant for throwing down some of the most emphatic dunks in Kings practice this month.
Eric Sandrin has "player" written all over his potential page. But for all of his outlandish ability, he's fighting a numbers game. He's a forward on a team chock full of them. He has survived two rounds of cuts already, and for a fellow who attended tiny Seattle Pacific, that already qualifies as a quantum leap.
"(Camp) has been the greatest experience," the 26-year old Sandrin said. "Every single day has been the best day. Making the team, it's up to coach (Rick) Adelman and Mr. (Geoff) Petrie. If they think I can help this team, I'll stay. If it's a numbers game and they have too many forwards... it's out of my hands."
Sandrin has drawn rave reviews from teammates. He even has made Bonzi Wells wonder what sort of blood runs through his veins.
"He plays so hard," said Wells. "I get tired and ask him, 'You tired yet? No, I'm fine.' He's a great athlete with great bounce in his legs. All he needs is some time."
And that's not easy when the Kings are trying to figure out a rotation with forwards Peja Stojakovic, Kenny Thomas, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Corliss Williamson, Francisco García and Jamal Sampson. Too many bodies, not enough room.
"He's been working hard, but it's been hard to get him in," Adelman said. "We're pretty loaded. He just needs more experience."
Sandrin's bouncing career - Sandrin played professionally in Luxembourg and Brazil and minor-league ball with the Bellevue, Wash., franchise of the American Basketball Association. He also logged some spring and summer run with the Harlem Globetrotters.
Price is right? - With Jason Hart likely to sit out Saturday's game at Portland and Sunday's game against the Phoenix Suns in Fresno, expect a lot more of Ronnie Price.
And he can hardly wait. Price, a 6-2 point guard who has been solid with the dribble and on defense, is a rookie from Utah Valley State. He was on the floor in the final seconds Tuesday against the Denver Nuggets at Arco Arena when Hart suddenly winced and went to the floor in agony with a hip pointer.
While going down, Hart dumped the ball to Price, who immediately took a three-pointer at the top of the key as time ran out. He missed everything. "It was hard to concentrate because we had a guy go down," Price said. "That was strange."
