http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/4490534.html Spanoulis struggles with lack of playing time Rockets rookie growing impatient with inactivity By FRAN BLINEBURY Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle Vassilis Spanoulis was right in the middle of the action that afternoon in Japan last summer, driving the lane, making slick passes, running the pick-and-roll, nailing 3-pointers to help Greece bring down Team USA at the World Basketball Championship. Now, on most nights, he loosens up before the national anthem, then sits on the Rockets' bench. Spanoulis left Athens and his hometown fans with Panathinaikos to make the step up to the NBA, figuring his emotion, his energy, his overwhelming confidence would carry him straight to the top on the game's biggest stage. Spanoulis came to Houston to join Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady and, in his mind, put the Rockets over the top. Now Yao is sidelined with a broken leg, and the rookie guard feels like he's hit bottom. "I came here to help my team, to put my talent on it and do many things," Spanoulis said. "I am a patient person. But I don't want to stay on the bench for the season. I came here to work hard and to play in the games." Spanoulis says he is puzzled why the Rockets drafted him and worked so hard to sign him to a three-year contract in the first place. He believes coach Jeff Van Gundy is trying to change him from a penetrating creator into a spot shooter. "It is like asking a doctor to be a lawyer," Spanoulis said, smiling and shaking his head at his own analogy. "Maybe they don't know what my strength is. Because every time I play, I don't play to my strength. I was used to playing good defense, pressing all over the court, running on offense, playing a lot of pick-and-rolls and creating. Now they want me to be a spot shooter, and this is a different experience. " He was quoted over the weekend in a Greek newspaper as saying: "There's always the possibility that I might leave. It doesn't depend on me, but they can't keep me a prisoner either." When asked in the Rockets' locker room, Spanoulis would not go that far. "It is far too early to say I want to leave," he said. "But I get a lot of calls. It is hard for me. I have 10 million people in Greece and people all over Europe — they expected me to play and to succeed." So, too, do the Rockets, who gave Spanoulis $3.7 million in guaranteed money for this season and next. But their timetable is different. The Rockets see him as someone who will be valuable in the future, and he wants to play right now. "This is what I've told him," said Van Gundy. "It is absolute naivete about how hard this league is to think that it's going to be an easy ride for any young player. Especially a young player who is going to a pretty good team with pretty good perimeter players. "What Billy's going through is exactly what I expected would happen when I spoke to him over the summer. His response was one that worried me. 'Basketball is basketball.' As I said to him, no, I played basketball. This is a whole different animal." Rockets general manager Carroll Dawson likely could trade Spanoulis to a handful of other NBA teams today, but he isn't looking to do that. "We like the player we signed," Dawson said. "But there's a process you go through. (Dirk) Nowitzki had to go through it. Look at guys like (Toronto's Jose) Calderon, (Orlando's Carlos) Arroyo. Even the late Drazen Petrovic, who they all look up to. It took him four years to make an impact. We want this kid here." Spanoulis has averaged just 10 minutes in 18 of the Rockets' first 41 games. He's shooting 31.1 percent and has 20 assists and 18 turnovers. He has been out of the regular rotation since Dec. 14, when he shot 0-for-5 in 17 minutes at Golden State. "I work to get better," he said. "But how do I get better if I do not play? I know I can play. I know what I can do. I can make great things here." Van Gundy nods his head. "(Spanoulis) says, 'I was McGrady back home.' Great. McGrady is McGrady here," Van Gundy said. "I feel badly for him. He feels he was misled. Frankly, he's been his own worst enemy in many ways. Some of it is excuses. His turnovers have been high; his fouls have been high; his shooting percentage has been low. I would rather anybody start out with self-evaluation — what can I do better? — versus lash out and blame. "Because I'm not playing him now doesn't mean he won't play in the future or we don't feel he could be a good player. I think he's allowed his disappointment to go to discouragement, which has, at times, stunted his improvement. We'll see. We'll see." <HR> Now, if V-Span actually said that, I think the World Championships got to his head. Whether you like V-Span or not, you have to be a little disappointed if he really said things like, "Basketball is basketball." No offense against the Greek team, because they play like a great team, but most of those guys wouldn't last half a season in the NBA.
I would be damn antsy too. he should be getting some minutes. Hell, look out our guards recent/entire season play. THEY SUCK.
Agreed, but the guy's a rookie playing in the NBA. I don't mind the bravado, but it seems like he's coming over here thinking he should be the 1st option off the bench or even starting. Then again, what did JVG "really" say to him? Who knows.
I would at least think I should have some minutes. Even if they are spotty and here and there. SOME MINUTES. He's been an automatic DNP! And it SUCKS! The way Rafer has been playing, at least give the man a try! And when I say try, I don't mean throw him out there for a few minutes ONE time. he needs to get the feel of the game back, give him a few minutes EVERY game. Same goes for Novak! I've always been a supporter of JVG. but...ugh... DAMNIT JVG! You are making it damn hard to support you! I guess he knows best, he is the coach right now.
Luffy for being relatively new you seem to have a handle on what is going down. What is your opinion on the Vspan story.
I hope he forces a trade and does well elsewhere to expose JVG for the fool he is. He complains about vspan's shooting when rafer has been building houses all season. JVG is the biggest hypocrite around.
Vspan is getting screwed by JVG, plain and simple. JVG didn't want him from the start. Anyways, I don't really need to respond to you. They bash you in the chat channel and say all you do is attack other posters here.
here is the deal. If van gundy thinks of spanoulis as a SG, he apparently doesn't really grasp his game. I'm not saying he should play or is ready, but the guy is a pure pg all the way. That is evident anytime you watch him play. The only reason I could think he would consider him a SG right now is because it keeps the ball out of his hands less=less turnovers.
haha, as we all predicted, Chron picked up the Greek newspaper stuff that clutchfans brought to us first and then ran it. I guess it had to happen, but it's still funny to see
No, he's pointing out about the turnovers and the fouls and the shooting. For all of Rafer's shooting woes, he does a decent job of not picking up fouls and not turning the ball over. Also, I think that it might be V-Span's attitude is bothering JVG. We just don't know- you know, coaches will hint at players who think they're better than the game, but we rarely see them being called out for it. Maybe JVG tries to work with him and V-Span isn't willing to listen. Or maybe JVG is not telling us the whole story. I agree, I think he should get some minutes.
I will agree 100% with JVG if the other guards will be doing close to acceptable. But the problem is that our other options suck, so I don't see why don't give VSpan a "real" chance and try something else. Don't give the guy 10 minutes in a position he is going to fail. Give him a honest chance in his original position (at the point).
JVG was already exposed as a liar during the whole bonzi fiasco. You can't trust anything he says. Don't think the rockets don't realize some of this, since they have yet to offer JVG a contract extension. If rockets flame out in the playoffs, then JVG is as good as gone.
He tore Paul and Hinrich a new one in the WCs. He's already proven he can play with them. It's not bravado, he should get his shot. It's the same players and most of the players he would be going up against in the NBA are not as good as those 2. "This is what I've told him," said Van Gundy. "It is absolute naivete about how hard this league is to think that it's going to be an easy ride for any young player. Especially a young player who is going to a pretty good team with pretty good perimeter players. Wonder why Van Gundy didn't say, "Especially a young player who is going to a pretty good team with pretty good point guards."??????? Come on JVG, you are in denial. Sure we've got good 2s and 3s. VSpan is neither. He's a 1. We ain't got pretty good point guards. I think if I hear the word "teardrop" one more time from those TV commentators or if I see Luther Head do a 360 while dribbling with one hand in a little circle playing keep away from the defender while he watches the ball bounce off the floor every dribble to make sure his hand stays on top of it, I am going to puke.
Like saturday when he fouled not one but TWO three point shots. Especially the first one on AI, which got the nuggets 8-0 run started that sent the game to OT.
First of all, props to the guy that said the Chronicle would jump all over this story within the next couple of days. I can't remember who that was. Secondly, this is sig material : "(Spanoulis) says, 'I was McGrady back home.' Great. McGrady is McGrady here," Van Gundy said. Lastly, I'm starting to understand why VSpan isn't getting playing time. His ego needs to be checked if he's thinks he's another TMac. No wonder the guy was spitting up turnovers early on... he probably thought he really was on TMac's level. lol. Ok, that wasn't lastly... this is lastly. My bet is that we will see a lot of VSpan if he checks his ego and puts the team first by the end of the season. By "a lot", I'm guessing 20-25 mpg at least. I'm pulling for the guy, but I'm not sacrificing the team so we can help EuroMac realize his fantasies of being a great NBA player.
But JVG ruins young European players. The list began with unparalleled Mirsad Turkcan, then Nachbar, then Maciej Lampe. Who knows who will be next? Can we put the pretend CD/JVG conflict to rest? Anyone playing around TMac/Yao has to hit the spot up jumpers. Rafer's not very good at it either, but he's done better than Spanoulis so far, is safer with the ball, and gets the defensive concepts. You build your team around the superstars, and mold the team to them. Again, Carlos Arroyo ripped up Team USA as well - and look at how many minutes he was getting his first couple years. Spanoulis has gotten the same shot as John Lucas III.
