http://www.sacbee.com/kings/story/249893.html
The purple politician
Newest King says he is prepared to work and become a fan favorite
By Sam Amick - Bee Staff Writer
Last Updated 12:18 am PDT Saturday, June 30, 2007
Story appeared in SPORTS section, Page C1
Spencer Hawes arrived onto the Sacramento scene Friday, the 7-footer out of the University of Washington being introduced as the Kings' draft pick while the skeptics from an anxious fan base could almost be heard banging down the door to the team's practice facility.
For all the discussion of his offensive repertoire, his ability to engage in political debates could wind up serving him most of all. In the realm of hoops politics, the 19-year-old Hawes -- who's known as a staunch and passionate Republican -- was way behind in the Gallup Poll of NBA draft prospects even before his plane from New York City landed in the morning.
The debate, however, is just beginning.
His offensive abilities, clearly, are not in doubt. Hawes is a post presence the likes of which the Kings do not have, alone in his ability to shoot, post up and pass from the high post and below. There is the allure of the basketball lineage, too. His father, Jeff, played at Washington and professionally in Europe, and his uncle, Steve, also was a Husky before enjoying a 10-year NBA career.
But as Hawes knows, it's his defense, size and rebounding ability that were questioned almost immediately after he was selected, mainly because his addition seemingly does little to aid the Kings' glaring weaknesses.
"I think I have the potential defensively to really make some strides, and I don't think now that I'm as bad as everyone may be saying," he said while donning a tan suit and a Kings hat.
The fact that Hawes remained to the right in the leftist Seattle area is proof plenty that he's not one to back down from arguments. It wasn't, however, the first sign. There was the time in middle school when he yelled at a girl during some intense recess competition, losing his cool a bit because, well, he didn't want to lose.
"Ooh, he got in trouble for that," said his mother, Lisa, who was at the news conference. "It was this girl who was a very good athlete -- Christine -- and they used to butt heads all the time."
Hawes, who turned sheepish when the story resurfaced, said he has learned to control his competitiveness.
"That's my nature, especially when people come at me," Hawes said. "I'm going to want to prove them wrong. I've matured a little bit since that thing on the playground, but that fire and that drive is still there."
Apparently, the hoops gene isn't the only quality passed down. Jeff Hawes was quick to combat the label that his son can't run the floor, promising those who haven't seen his son up close that they will be pleasantly surprised.
"Just because you're a big white guy, it means you're not athletic and you can't run the floor?" Jeff Hawes said. "He can run the floor with anybody. He can get up and down. He can go side to side. You'll see."
For the second day in a row, Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie explained the chance to nab a potential top-tier center was too good to pass up. Although Florida's Joakim Noah would have been a nice fit, he was gone to Chicago at No. 9, and all attempts to move up in the draft fell short. As for Florida State small forward Al Thornton, the consensus was that it was time to go for the tall timber rather than continue stockpiling wing players.
"The strength of our team is in our wing players right now," Petrie said. "On balance, if you want to have an all 6-(foot)-5 team, that's one way to go, but I don't know that there's a real strong future in that. It's a piece of a larger puzzle that you have to have. That's a big part of the thinking."
New Kings coach Reggie Theus lauded Hawes' advanced abilities in the post and said he has no doubt Hawes can play the up-tempo style he hopes to implement. As it stands, center Brad Miller is the only big man officially on his roster. Second-year center Justin Williams has received a qualifying offer and is expected to play on the Kings' summer-league squad, but his return isn't a certainty.
And whereas last year's draft pick, guard Quincy Douby, rarely saw playing time under former coach Eric Musselman, Theus scoffed at the notion that Hawes rarely will see the floor.
"Oh, he's going to play," he said with a laugh. "We don't have any magic bullets here. He's going to play. We still have to get more athletic, and we still have to get better defensively. But we have the makings of what I think is a very good up-and-down team. We have big men who can pass the basketball, and that's big when you're trying to have an open game."
Hawes is eager to start building his case to become a Kings fan favorite. At 245 pounds, he said the immediate goal of getting stronger doesn't mean he wants to get heavier. The process already has begun, as Kings strength and conditioning coach Daniel Shapiro grabbed Hawes after his media time was over to discuss his workout program.
"Get ready to work," he said. "We're going to get that body fat down."
About the writer: The Bee's Sam Amick can be reached at samick@sacbee.com.
The purple politician
Newest King says he is prepared to work and become a fan favorite
By Sam Amick - Bee Staff Writer
Last Updated 12:18 am PDT Saturday, June 30, 2007
Story appeared in SPORTS section, Page C1
Spencer Hawes arrived onto the Sacramento scene Friday, the 7-footer out of the University of Washington being introduced as the Kings' draft pick while the skeptics from an anxious fan base could almost be heard banging down the door to the team's practice facility.
For all the discussion of his offensive repertoire, his ability to engage in political debates could wind up serving him most of all. In the realm of hoops politics, the 19-year-old Hawes -- who's known as a staunch and passionate Republican -- was way behind in the Gallup Poll of NBA draft prospects even before his plane from New York City landed in the morning.
The debate, however, is just beginning.
His offensive abilities, clearly, are not in doubt. Hawes is a post presence the likes of which the Kings do not have, alone in his ability to shoot, post up and pass from the high post and below. There is the allure of the basketball lineage, too. His father, Jeff, played at Washington and professionally in Europe, and his uncle, Steve, also was a Husky before enjoying a 10-year NBA career.
But as Hawes knows, it's his defense, size and rebounding ability that were questioned almost immediately after he was selected, mainly because his addition seemingly does little to aid the Kings' glaring weaknesses.
"I think I have the potential defensively to really make some strides, and I don't think now that I'm as bad as everyone may be saying," he said while donning a tan suit and a Kings hat.
The fact that Hawes remained to the right in the leftist Seattle area is proof plenty that he's not one to back down from arguments. It wasn't, however, the first sign. There was the time in middle school when he yelled at a girl during some intense recess competition, losing his cool a bit because, well, he didn't want to lose.
"Ooh, he got in trouble for that," said his mother, Lisa, who was at the news conference. "It was this girl who was a very good athlete -- Christine -- and they used to butt heads all the time."
Hawes, who turned sheepish when the story resurfaced, said he has learned to control his competitiveness.
"That's my nature, especially when people come at me," Hawes said. "I'm going to want to prove them wrong. I've matured a little bit since that thing on the playground, but that fire and that drive is still there."
Apparently, the hoops gene isn't the only quality passed down. Jeff Hawes was quick to combat the label that his son can't run the floor, promising those who haven't seen his son up close that they will be pleasantly surprised.
"Just because you're a big white guy, it means you're not athletic and you can't run the floor?" Jeff Hawes said. "He can run the floor with anybody. He can get up and down. He can go side to side. You'll see."
For the second day in a row, Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie explained the chance to nab a potential top-tier center was too good to pass up. Although Florida's Joakim Noah would have been a nice fit, he was gone to Chicago at No. 9, and all attempts to move up in the draft fell short. As for Florida State small forward Al Thornton, the consensus was that it was time to go for the tall timber rather than continue stockpiling wing players.
"The strength of our team is in our wing players right now," Petrie said. "On balance, if you want to have an all 6-(foot)-5 team, that's one way to go, but I don't know that there's a real strong future in that. It's a piece of a larger puzzle that you have to have. That's a big part of the thinking."
New Kings coach Reggie Theus lauded Hawes' advanced abilities in the post and said he has no doubt Hawes can play the up-tempo style he hopes to implement. As it stands, center Brad Miller is the only big man officially on his roster. Second-year center Justin Williams has received a qualifying offer and is expected to play on the Kings' summer-league squad, but his return isn't a certainty.
And whereas last year's draft pick, guard Quincy Douby, rarely saw playing time under former coach Eric Musselman, Theus scoffed at the notion that Hawes rarely will see the floor.
"Oh, he's going to play," he said with a laugh. "We don't have any magic bullets here. He's going to play. We still have to get more athletic, and we still have to get better defensively. But we have the makings of what I think is a very good up-and-down team. We have big men who can pass the basketball, and that's big when you're trying to have an open game."
Hawes is eager to start building his case to become a Kings fan favorite. At 245 pounds, he said the immediate goal of getting stronger doesn't mean he wants to get heavier. The process already has begun, as Kings strength and conditioning coach Daniel Shapiro grabbed Hawes after his media time was over to discuss his workout program.
"Get ready to work," he said. "We're going to get that body fat down."
About the writer: The Bee's Sam Amick can be reached at samick@sacbee.com.
