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Bumpy road behind, García looks ahead
Sacramento's first-round draft pick says the way he plays fits into the high-energy, pass-oriented style used by the Kings
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT Friday, July 1, 2005
No matter the viewpoint utilized, the journey to Thursday afternoon's news conference for Kings rookie guard Francisco García was a long one.
He had one flight Wednesday from New York canceled and then another delayed. There was about a four-hour layover in Las Vegas beginning at 3 a.m. and then a quick nap at a local hotel before the early-morning flight to Sacramento. Of course, that does not compare to the life trip from his native Dominican Republic to the Bronx, N.Y., as a teenager.
Or the year that followed at Taft High. Then there were two years at Cheshire Academy in Connecticut and another at Winchendon Prep in Massachusetts before three years at Louisville playing for coach Rick Pitino that culminated in a trip to the 2005 NCAA Final Four.
But on this day, García was looking to the future.
"I'm excited about playing with the Kings and starting to play next week in the summer league (in Las Vegas)," the 6-foot-7, 190-pound García said.
Pitino also was excited to learn that his player had been selected by the Kings, García said.
"He showed me a lot of things, and he's like a father to me," García said of Pitino. "He was really excited because he thinks the Kings are a good team for the way I play the game. I thanked him for all the things he did for me, and he told me to keep working hard and to stay humble and hungry."
García already has the approval of one former Kings star, Mitch Richmond, who now is scouting and working in player development for the Golden State Warriors.
"He's a good pick," Richmond said Tuesday of García. "We worked him out, and he's talented. But the thing I liked about him the most is he works hard."
García has been working out since the end of the season to prepare for his professional career, and he says he's dedicated to helping the Kings improve.
"Now that I have the opportunity to play in the league, I'm grateful and I'll be up the challenge," said García, who has been living in New Jersey. "I want to get into the weight room and bulk up."
García is well-aware of his team's need to improve defensively and says he plans to do what he can.
"I'm going to be looking at film every day to learn about the players I'll have to play," he said.
Kings coach Rick Adelman said that approach is one that can only help.
"Defensively, if a guy has an attitude that he is going to work hard and he is going to try and learn about who he is guarding, he can become a good defender," Adelman said. "And I think as a team defender, he's going to be good, because that's how they played at Louisville. They relied on helping each other.
"And the key is he played at an extremely high level for a very good program. I'm glad he is going to be here in the summer so he can get to know the coaching staff and we can get to know him."
What they'll find out about García is that he's a tough 23-year-old who dealt with the death of his brother, Hector Lopez, in 2003. The 18-year-old was shot in the Bronx by two assailants. García said Lopez was his best friend and that learning one night after playing a game that his brother had been killed was "shocking."
"(The police) did arrest the guys," García said. "I had talked to (Lopez) that night. I talked to him every day. It was tough, and it was a surprise, but, you know, living in the Bronx, you never know what can happen."
García soon will sign a two-year contract with the Kings. He'll be represented by Goodwin Sports Management and agent Jerome Lewis. One of the first duties for the pair will be to find a new home for García's mother, Miguelina, who lives in the Bronx.
"We've been talking about it and where it's going to be," he said with a laugh. "I wanted her to go to the Dominican, but she doesn't want to be that far from me." Moms knows how long some trips can take.
http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/13160009p-14003609c.html
Sacramento's first-round draft pick says the way he plays fits into the high-energy, pass-oriented style used by the Kings
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT Friday, July 1, 2005
No matter the viewpoint utilized, the journey to Thursday afternoon's news conference for Kings rookie guard Francisco García was a long one.
He had one flight Wednesday from New York canceled and then another delayed. There was about a four-hour layover in Las Vegas beginning at 3 a.m. and then a quick nap at a local hotel before the early-morning flight to Sacramento. Of course, that does not compare to the life trip from his native Dominican Republic to the Bronx, N.Y., as a teenager.
Or the year that followed at Taft High. Then there were two years at Cheshire Academy in Connecticut and another at Winchendon Prep in Massachusetts before three years at Louisville playing for coach Rick Pitino that culminated in a trip to the 2005 NCAA Final Four.
But on this day, García was looking to the future.
"I'm excited about playing with the Kings and starting to play next week in the summer league (in Las Vegas)," the 6-foot-7, 190-pound García said.
Pitino also was excited to learn that his player had been selected by the Kings, García said.
"He showed me a lot of things, and he's like a father to me," García said of Pitino. "He was really excited because he thinks the Kings are a good team for the way I play the game. I thanked him for all the things he did for me, and he told me to keep working hard and to stay humble and hungry."
García already has the approval of one former Kings star, Mitch Richmond, who now is scouting and working in player development for the Golden State Warriors.
"He's a good pick," Richmond said Tuesday of García. "We worked him out, and he's talented. But the thing I liked about him the most is he works hard."
García has been working out since the end of the season to prepare for his professional career, and he says he's dedicated to helping the Kings improve.
"Now that I have the opportunity to play in the league, I'm grateful and I'll be up the challenge," said García, who has been living in New Jersey. "I want to get into the weight room and bulk up."
García is well-aware of his team's need to improve defensively and says he plans to do what he can.
"I'm going to be looking at film every day to learn about the players I'll have to play," he said.
Kings coach Rick Adelman said that approach is one that can only help.
"Defensively, if a guy has an attitude that he is going to work hard and he is going to try and learn about who he is guarding, he can become a good defender," Adelman said. "And I think as a team defender, he's going to be good, because that's how they played at Louisville. They relied on helping each other.
"And the key is he played at an extremely high level for a very good program. I'm glad he is going to be here in the summer so he can get to know the coaching staff and we can get to know him."
What they'll find out about García is that he's a tough 23-year-old who dealt with the death of his brother, Hector Lopez, in 2003. The 18-year-old was shot in the Bronx by two assailants. García said Lopez was his best friend and that learning one night after playing a game that his brother had been killed was "shocking."
"(The police) did arrest the guys," García said. "I had talked to (Lopez) that night. I talked to him every day. It was tough, and it was a surprise, but, you know, living in the Bronx, you never know what can happen."
García soon will sign a two-year contract with the Kings. He'll be represented by Goodwin Sports Management and agent Jerome Lewis. One of the first duties for the pair will be to find a new home for García's mother, Miguelina, who lives in the Bronx.
"We've been talking about it and where it's going to be," he said with a laugh. "I wanted her to go to the Dominican, but she doesn't want to be that far from me." Moms knows how long some trips can take.
http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/13160009p-14003609c.html
