I like how cerebral Batum is. That will bode well for him long term. He's going to be an exceptional player. I have no doubts about it.
Thanks for the postings. Nic is gonna be a force. A lot of people want an upgrade at the 3, but I think Nic will be the perfect SF for us.
interview from a few days ago Nicolas Batum, how have you managed the trip to the US and back at your team's request, when the qualification campaign isn't even finished? First of all I'm relieved by the problem with my shoulder, which we're now pretty sure is benign, but also a little frustrated because I wanted to be at the game tonight (France takes on Finland for the last game of group B). But I have a lot of confidence in the team. What happened over there? When I arrived in Portland, the osteopath of the French team was waiting for me with the Blazers' doctor. From the airport, we left directly to the hospital for an MRI. While I was taking the tests, our osteopath showed the Blazers' doctor the video from my game against Italy and talked with him. Leaving the MRI, the just told me that I could go back the next morning. What was your reaction? I was a bit annoyed because they made me spend 14-15 hours in a plane to take a 15 minute MRI and tell me that it was good... We're you thinking you'd have to stay in Portland longer? Yes, I thought that I would have to stay there at least a week. And in fact, I only stayed 21 hours there... Patrick Beesley, the sporting director of the Bleus, explained that the video of your game against Italy had been very decisive (18 points, 8 rebounds, 6 steals for Batum)... Did you think about Portland while playing, telling yourself that you had to have a big game to show them that everything was fine? To be honest, yes. I told myself that I had to have a big game to show them that I could play, even with my shoulder problem. Do you understand the reaction of your club? Yes, the club wanted to make sure that it was fine. On one hand, it's normal because they invest a lot in us. But at the same time, it leads to some weird methods at times. The most important thing is that everything is good now. In the end, isn't it also a little gratifying to see that a team like Portland is counting on you that much after only one season in the NBA. We'll look at the positive side of things and say yes. It shows that they're really counting on me for the next few years. It's true that it makes me a bit happy as well. After your conclusive win over the Italians Friday night in Pau (81-61), you're already qualified for the final of the qualifiers, which will be played August 27th (away) and 30th (home). Between Bosnia and Belgium, who would you prefer to meet in the final? Let's say Belgium, it's not as far. It's also less dangerous? That too (laughs). When will you meet up with the Bleus? I'm going to watch the game (against Finland) tonight on TV. Next, we have a few days off; it starts up again on Friday. While waiting, I'm going to rest at home with my family.
Nicolas Batum on Brandon Roy Two time All-Star, Portland guard Brandon Roy is now playing among the greats. Nicolas Batum, sharing his daily routine, describes a player both introverted and generous. An ideal teammate for the French wing. Brandon Roy, the basketball player. Brandon has an extraordinary sense of composure. I want to call him “Iceman” because he always plays under control. He doesn't do or try anything without reason. He only has three years in the NBA behind him but he really is very mature. He's already been an All-Star twice, that's not bad... In Portland, Brandon has assumed leadership very naturally. He speaks when it is necessary. He does it during time outs, for example, after the coach has given his instructions. You sense that there is a real trust between Nate McMillan and him. The veterans of this team noticed that evolution with Brandon last season. He wasn't like that the year before. In fact, he's more confident in himself. His nickname Everyone calls him “B-Roy.” Even the coach! You always hear “Give the ball to B-Roy!” in moneytime or at an important moment in the game. I call him by his nickname, like the others. He addresses me by calling me “Nic” or “Frenchy.” From the beginning, we have had a good feeling between us. The boss Last season, I was his rookie. It's better to be Brandon Roy's rookie than Joel Przybilla's rookie. He chose Jerryd Bayless and I can assure you that Jerryd went through hell... Joel didn't stop asking him for different things. For me, I only had to take Brandon's bag and bring it up to his room when we got to a hotel. That's all. I knocked on his door to make sure that everything was fine and he would answer: “OK, Nic, thanks. Goodnight.” And then I could go. Bayless, however, had to go look for newspapers or different things for Przybilla. Rudy didn't do anything. At first, with Rudy, we were supposed to bring in breakfast for all the players. Brandon was the one who had established this rule with Travis. I worked out a little plan with Rudy: we never brought what they asked for... We took shelter behind the language barrier to justify the lack of understanding. After a week, Brandon told us: “OK, forget it guys...” (laughs). As a result, we were relaxed: no breakfast duty in Portland! Only Sergio Rodriguez was aware of our little game. The pre-game Brandon is in the middle of the locker room. He doesn't speak. He's incredibly focused, with big headphones over his ears playing music that's for the others as much as for him, given the volume... He's already in his game, very concentrated. I think that he's like all the stars in the league: he is very pro and wants to focus on the game well before the warmup. The journalists know that and avoid bothering him. They leave him alone. I think that he needs that to prepare, it's his method. Others prefer to talk to reporters or other players, not “B-Roy.” Personally, I sit between Greg and LaMarcus. They adopt a different approach, talking a lot. The fact that Oden and Aldridge are so loud doesn't seem to bother Brandon. He's an introvert. He's not the one who will liven up the dressing room like Travis does. If it bothered him, I think that he would intervene. But that's not the case.” The DJ At practice, the rookies are often at work, in the weight room for example, when he arrives. We'd put on our music and worked. Brandon would immediately stop our mixes and put on his own... It's not an abuse of authority because that's not his style. He told us one day, laughing: “Rookies, you listen to what we give you...” He's into rap, so it doesn't bother me, even if R'n'B is more my thing. But it's good, I like his tastes. Though Rudy sure doesn't have the same opinion... You can't say that he's a big fan of rap. Roy knows it, so he plays even more rap. That's his little provocative side, with Travis and LaMarcus. They're like kids with their rap. As soon as one of them leaves, the other changes the CD and so on. But those are the sort of things that create a good atmosphere on a team. Brandon does it with a lot of tact and always while adding nice words. We don't even pay attention to it anymore. The bodyguard You could say that Brandon took me under his wing, both on and off the court. One time, we went out together after a game. A guy started bothering me, Roy came and got rid of him real quick. Let's say that we get along well. When I wasn't playing well in mid-December, he came to reassure me. We were in Denver a few days before Christmas. He invited me to dinner, face to face, because he saw that I was getting tired. He gave me confidence explaining to me that he also struggled with the “rookie wall” at that point of the season. When your franchise player takes interest in you like that, it's reassuring and encouraging. The phrase “Don't pay. A rookie doesn't have money.” That's what Brandon kept telling me when we went out together. So he paid for things. He paid the bill at restaurants, gave me little presents from time to time... He doesn't go too far though, he's not the sort to splash out money. He's a simple guy and it's obvious. For example, he only has one car. All the veterans have two or three. I've already seen him come to practice on a bike... We live in Portland, a very green city. But seeing your franchise player arrive on a bike, in this environment, is pretty funny... With Brandon, I'm in good hands. It's in my best interests to listen and follow him: his personal career is a total success, from every point of view. I doubted my arrival in Portland after the end of the summer league... Today, it's the complete opposite, I'm really happy to be with the Trail Blazers. A big part of that is thanks to Roy that I'm living this adventure so fully. Winning shots It's starting to become Brandon's specialty. There was Houston, New York, Phoenix... He catches on fire in the last four minutes. Each time, you sense that he's taking over. It's impressive. He's relaxed. When he scored 52 points December 18th 2008 against Phoenix, it was crazy. It was his new NBA record. And it was live on TNT. When we went back to the dressing room, he didn't stop repeating: “I scored 52 points on TNT!” We sensed that he was happy for himself as well as the team. We won yet another big game. 50 points is a mythical mark in the NBA. All the big stars have reached it at least once. He immediately realized that. It was really funny to see him talking all alone... We sensed that he was really happy. I think that he was the third best guard in the league this year behind Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade. You can't call him selfish though, he gives up the ball without a problem. OK, he is a little selfish, like all the stars, but he doesn't go overboard. Trash talking That was a bit new last season. As he was succeeding, he started to talk trash. In November, he wasn't like that on the court. Now, as soon as a player starts to make him sweat, he dishes it out. He doesn't hesitate to talk trash. It follows the evolution of his game: they go hand in hand. Brandon knows that he's playing better and better. He also knows that his opponent will play harder to stop him. So he tries to find something else to put a barrier between the others and him. He's becoming more and more vicious. Chalk it up to experience. Fouls come by more easily. It happens quickly when you have a status like he does... I saw this evolution in the space of several months because he's constantly making progress. He's really good at getting calls, something he didn't do in the same way at the start of the season. All the stars in the league know how to get calls. Some go too far. With Brandon, he hasn't yet but he knows that the whistle will be in his favor 95% of the time if he's up against a simple role player. That's also why the best players in the league have great games so often. If Brandon scores close to 23 points on average all while getting assists, there's a reason... The refs call the game differently because he is an All-Star. The positive attitude Brandon doesn't often criticize his teammates. He's constantly encouraging us. He is very positive in his manner of tackling things. When I was down, he found the right words so that I rebounded. It's especially on a psychological level that Brandon excelled. He took me aside, we talked just the two of us, he didn't do it in front of the whole team. I think it's good to do it like that. Put you in your place in front of the whole group, especially when you're a rookie, is hard. Roy doesn't make fun of you. Unlike Travis or LaMarcus, who don't hesitate to tease you. Only once I saw Brandon visibly shaken after a game. He wasn't negative, because he didn't talk, but he was desolate in his corner, close to crying. We had just gotten beat by at home at the buzzer by Orlando, on a three pointer from Turkoglu. He was mad at himself because just before, he had missed a free throw. He was yelling at himself, it was pretty impressive. I went to see him, adopting a positive attitude like he had the habit of doing. That's when I saw that he needed the support of others. Private life Brandon is very discrete. We know his wife and Brandon Jr., who is two. For the rest, not a word. We don't go have dinner at his place. I find it normal. We have lots of young single guys in the team and he's married pretty early. At 25 years old, he already has a full family life. I think that's also why he's already so mature. He doesn't have a “show off” side, no bling, like some. He keeps his head on his shoulders. Red Brandon often wears red. I've deduced that it's his favorite color. Red jackets, red shirts, big red hoodies... You can't miss it! At the same time, it's also the color of the Trail Blazers. Maybe that explains it. I'm not going to hesitate to tell him about it because personally, I hate red clothes... (laughs). Something annoying about him? It's something related only to basketball... He penetrates, drives to his left and dunks with his left hand when he's right handed. Look at his game: 70% of the time, he drives to the left even though he shoots with his right hand. If he really wants to dunk it, he goes with his right hand, but on the fast-break, he drives to his left. We asked him why and he doesn't have an answer. He says that it's natural, that it's always been like that... At the same time, it's pretty disruptive for the opponent. It's one of those things that makes him so good. The anecdote I found it a bit odd that he was hurt when his daughter Maria was born... During that week, he didn't play! The doting father at home... I thought it was a funny coincidence. What's more, we had big games against Boston, New Orleans, the Lakers, and Detroit. The day his baby was born, we beat Boston at home. He prepared a party for us in the locker room to celebrate that arrival of Maria, it was really nice. What else? Brandon is always the last to show up when we meet. Along with Travis, you get the impression that it's a contest... We're meeting at 2:45? Brandon turns up at 3:00 without a problem. Always late. Yet another “star” thing...
Best read I have read in a long time! I love it. Repped. So I wonder if it's Joels fault that Bayless has a chip on his shoulder!!! And I don't know if this just gave me a B-Roy woody right now, but as long as he is on the team, I am not worried about our team. If we happen to lose LMA, I wouldn't worry about it. Brandon will carry us. Like LeBron carries the Cavs.
the blog was obviously written PRE injury . It's a bit of a loose translation, but I don't think anything got distorted. I'll try to post updates later as I'm sure there's going to be plenty of new interviews coming in (and is there any way for mere mortals like myself to update the title of the thread?). "If we're not playing for the title, what are we playing for?" Hello everyone, it's been a while since I've posted, but after the difficult loss against Spain, everything has happened very quickly. Training camp started a week after the end of the Euros. We started on Monday and I had arrived in Portland on Friday, just to be able to get over the time difference and to rest before attacking. Monday was media day. There were photos, interviews, videos, photo sessions, clips for the pregame intro or the ones that are played in the stadium. It was pretty long. It lasted two, two and a half hours. In the interviews, pretty much two thirds of the questions were about the Eurobasket. They were really interested over there. I was a little surprised but apparently they followed what Rudy and I did and the France-Spain game was live on TV in Portland. Even our teammates followed a little, they were happy for me. I also talked about it with Rudy. But it's good, he's cool, he doesn't brag too much... Well, a little bit. The worst was during the Fanfest, in front of 17-18,000 people. We were sitting in chairs in the middle of the court and they asked us each two or three questions in front of everyone. And he was ahead of me and they basically asked him "You're the champion of Europe, what does that mean to you?" He was like: "The best thing isn't being the champion of Europe, it's scoring 20 points on France." 18,000 people, everyone laughing, everyone looking at me, everyone teasing. But I can't say anything... Now, in retrospect, that fact that I came back without anything around my neck bothers me a bit. At first, in the heat of the moment, I was more positive. But now that I'm thinking about it, it pisses me off to have not won a medal. Being 5th, with only one loss, is just...crap. After media day, going back to basketball went well enough. I was fairly well in rhythm. I tried to attack like last year and to be at practice at 7:30 or 8:00, to train before team practice. In fact, coming back to Portland pretty late, three days before we started, let me go to sleep really early because I hadn't gotten over the time difference. So I was up at 6:30 and I could go to practice awake. So I took some shots and lifted weights before the start of practice, because they had warned us, me and Rudy, that it was going to be soft the first week. It has to be said that we had only had 7 days between the end of the Euros and the start of training camp. So we trained normally, except that, when we played games, Rudy and I were on the same team, and we rotated. Sometimes we didn't even participate in parts of the game. The other thing was that we didn't do the conditioning test that I talked about last year, with 4 series of 5 sprints cross-court. At the same time, it's to test your fitness, and as we had just been at the Euros, were were fortunately in shape. But, even if we had a lighter regime, we still practiced hard because you have to earn your place, there are a lot of people. Notably Webster who is back. So coming to the gym early, it's also a way of showing that I was there and that I was working. So weights and shooting. At the end of the season, they told me that I should take just shots in the corner anymore, not be just a Bruce Bowen. So for my shooting sessions, I no longer take just set shots, feet on the ground like before. Now, with Monty Williams, I work more on coming off screens, on the dribble, one on one. I think that it has been fruitful, even if I can't really see it in the preseason games because, like Rudy, I'm not playing much. Nate told us that he was going to rest us during the preseason. Webster is playing a lot. With his ability and knowing that Travis is also going to play the 4 sometimes, we'll be able to rotate because we have lots of quality wings who can bring a lot of different things to the table: Roy, Rudy, Bayless, Travis, Webster, and me. Ordinarily, I should still be in the starting five. McMillan wants to keep me there, but still it's up to me to keep my place. If I play like shit, I'm not going to stay there But he said that for the moment the best combination, the one that worked best for him, is between me and Roy. First of all, he doesn't defend, I do. No I'm joking: in fact, it's just that I Take the best opposing attacker, and Brandon doesn't have to deal with that. And [Nate] also told me that my game combines perfectly with Roy. He brought up the example of Pippen who was able to adapt to Jordan's game. And me, a fan of Pippen, when he tells me that, I'm obviously happy... So my game has to improve in that sense. In attack, now, Nate told me: "As soon as you sense an opening, a possibility, take it." And so in preseason, I'm trying to be more aggressive, to attack the paint more. I've even had the remark: "alright, not too much..." The coach told me that sometimes I attacked too much, that I attacked all the time. Sometimes, I go too far. I have to do what I did last year, but adding a few things on offense, but not completely changing. Whereas every time I had the ball in the preseason, I attacked immediately and saw the possible passes afterwards. It's also an adjustment period, because I'm trying to be more aggressive, but I'm doing it a little too much. That's what they tell me: "You're coming off a big summer, you're full of confidence, you think you can do everything. Don't forget that you're in the League. You're not playing against European players, it's Carmelo Anthony or Kobe Bryant." So I have to add more variation to my game. And we have a team that has great expectations this season. So we need to have a coherent and structured game. Our goal is pretty much to win the title! That's what they told us from the very first day. First day of practice, we had a notebook, and under the cover of the notebook, nothing was written, just a photo of the trophy. Some laughed. The coach said "Why are you laughing? Everyone in this room who isn't playing for that, leave! Why are you in the NBA? To do what? You're coming off a big season, you made the playoffs, we know that you can do something special. So, what are you playing for this season? To make the playoffs? Nobody cares." And it's true, if you're in the playoffs, it's to be champions. It's not to tell yourself "I hope that we'll only reach the first round." So it's not going to be easy, we know that we're going to have to make a lot of sacrifices, work hard, but we're telling ourselves that he do have a chance. It'll make a lot of people laugh, people are going to say «sure they're talented, but they're still young, it's not their time." But we know that we have a chance, and we owe it to ourselves to have this goal when go out on to the court. If we aren't playing for that, what are we playing for?
and a blog POST injury As you perhaps know, on Friday I'm going to go get my shoulder operated on. For two weeks I've felt more and more pain inside. It was more and more frequent and the pain more and more intense. And it's true that in the end, you can't stand it, because it hurts; and I continued to play with it. And so on Sunday, I took a screen from Greg Oden. A good screen... and that was the last straw. I left running towards the doctor's office. It was the first time I had left running like that, I was nervous. J’ai mis un chassé dans le ballon. I was fed up with my shoulder. It's been seven months with this problem, it bothered me more and more during the last three months, and the last two weeks, the shocks were more and more frequent and the pain even worse. So I was sick of it. When I took that blow, I knew that it was dead and just two days from the start of the season... it sucks! But I can't play 82 games like that. Even with all the willpower in the world, I wouldn't have been able to be at 100%. With the role that I have on this team, guarding Kobe, LeBron, etc..., getting hit on screens every night, that would've been even worse. So it's wiser to get operated on now. In fact, at first, I didn't want to have surgery. Kevin Pritchard joined us in the doctor's office, we spoke and he told me “Are you sure that you can really play the whole season like that?” And I kept saying yes. I didn't want to be out for three months at the start of the season. But I can't continue. They told me: “We don't want you to be out, but it's not just the player we're talking to, it's also you, the person and you're health above all. We don't want you to be out, but...” Even if at first I didn't want the surgery, I changed my mind after thinking about it. Play 82 games, with a bum shoulder, with the goals we have, it's useless. And then if I'm not at 100%, I'll lose playing time, I'll lose credibility, I'll lose the coach's confidence, the staff... it wouldn't have been good for me. And it would've aggravated my health. So it's better for me to have surgery. Even if I don't want to... I want to call them and tell them “No, it's good, it's over, I'm not going to have surgery and I'm playing tomorrow.” I'm dying to do that. But a moment comes when you have to be clear and judicious for the rest of my career. Maybe it will make me miss 5 months, but I'm not 30 either, I'm only 20, it's ok. And at my age, I hope that I'll be able to come back even faster. I'm going to have a hard time being out 3-5 months. The operation will be in Los Angeles on Friday. I'm going to be operated on by the doctor ElAttrache. He's a shoulder specialist, one of the best in the US and the world. He's the official doctor of the Los Angeles Dodgers. And given the specifics of baseball, he has lots of experience with shoulders. He's the one who operates on 75% of NBA players who have shoulder problems. Notably, he operated on Blake and Aldridge. I saw this doctor two weeks ago when we played the Clippers. He told me that I should get surgery but if I managed to play with it, I could continue. But after practice yesterday, we called him and he said “I have an opening every Friday, he just has to come then.” McMillan is crazy pissed off. He came after practice and told me: “It bothers me because you're now a big, big part of this organization. You're my starter at that position, I have confidence in you. But if that's what you have to do, do it. I don't like it, but do it anyway. But come back quickly. Because like I told you, I want to see you on the court with Brandon, I want to see you on the court every night. We'll miss you a lot.” It really made me happy that he said that. So voila, the official starting 5 will be Blake, Roy, Webster, Aldridge, and Oden. This morning, McMillan talked to me in his office and told me: “When you come back, you have to be ready, because I'm going to put you back in the starting lineup on your return.” I was happy to hear that as well. Personally, it's alright, but I have a hard time imagining that I won't be on a court for three, four months. This morning, I was at practice, I stayed to the side and I didn't do anything. And voila, that's what's going to happen for at least three months. And f***, it sucks! It's hard to tell yourself that I'm going to be in a suit on the bench for three months. During the next weeks, I won't be doing nothing either, but I'll only be able to work on my legs, do situps and dorsal exercises. I'm going to reinforce my back and abdominal muscles. For the moment, I haven't had the time to start this program yet, because we're talking more about the operation, but basically that's all I'll be able to do in the coming days.
Nic says, "... And so on Sunday, I took a screen from Greg Oden. A good screen... and that was the last straw." So, Greg, QUIT BREAKING YOUR FUCKING TEAMMATES! Bummer for Nic and the team.
Well, Nate, there you go again. I love Nico. I think it's great we have him in the starting lineup to guard the other teams' best wing players. But how the hell can Nate know that in 5 months, after surgery, after the layoff, Nico is still going to be the best option at that position? I just don't get why he talks out his ass then has to change his mind later so often. Seriously, that is my only Nate complaint. Hey Nico, remember the time Nate promised you the start opening night against the Lakers, then started Travis instead? Good times. Good times.
