<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Two years is a long time to wait to do anything, let alone something you like to do. It might seem even longer if that same activity is your job. This is the case for Pavel Podkolzin, a former first-round draft pick who only recently started playing basketball on a consistent basis for the first time since 2004. Injuries and lack of opportunity have kept the Russia native from seeing much time with the Dallas Mavericks. Despite his 7-foot-5 frame, Podkolzin hasn't played with the Mavs this season and has only seen time in five career games for a combined 10 minutes. The NBA Development League, where players are allocated to affiliates to develop or fine-tune skills, has benefited players such as Podkolzin. Currently, 10 players are on assignment in the D-League, while 30 from 19 NBA teams have been assigned to affiliates this season. The most recent is Portland center Ha Seung-Jin, who was assigned to the Flyers on Tuesday and is expected to join the team today. "Right now, it's tough for me," said Podkolzin, who has missed much of the season because of a stress fracture in his right foot. "I had a bad injury, and I have not been playing in two years. I'm getting ready and I'm working, getting my stuff done." Podkolzin has played in five games since he was sent down on March 7. He has moved into the starting lineup and is averaging 6.4 points and 6.4 rebounds in 17.6 minutes per game. After two games with the Flyers, Podkolzin had already played three times as many minutes as he had in the past two years with the Mavs. "This is an important time for Pavel," Flyers coach Sam Vincent said. "They want to see him play. He's anxious to get on the floor and he's had a lot of time where he's been inactive, so he's got some rust on his game. "From my standpoint, all I'm trying to do is get him minutes, get him familiar with what we do and how we play, so that we can best give him an opportunity to shine and give the Mavericks a chance to see him." The Mavericks have kept their eye on Podkolzin, who was drafted in 2004 as a player they knew would need some work. Team officials hoped he would be a reliable center in the NBA, but since the draft, hurdles have continued to pile in front of Podkolzin. Dallas traded for Erick Dampier in 2004, then signed DeSagana Diop, who has started 35 games and developed into a reliable post presence, before this season. The Mavericks also signed center DJ Mbenga before the 2004-05 season. Another project, Mbenga has come along faster than Podkolzin and found a niche with the Mavs. Podkolzin's two-year absence from a regular basketball routine has set him back. Greg Dreiling, one of the Mavs' development coaches, has helped with Podkolzin's progress, which includes observing him in real-game action. Early on, Dreiling said it looked as though Podkolzin was simply trying to get up to speed in the smaller, faster D-League. "The pace of the developmental games is a little different in that the players in positions one-through-four really attack the basket every time, or stop and shoot a 3," Dreiling said. "It's so much end-to-end game that it's something he's going to have to get used to, and that's one of the reasons we've got him down there -- to get him running up and down the floor." Vincent has increased Podkolzin's minutes, and that playing time is a major reason for the affiliate system of the D-League. It's given young players at the bottom of NBA depth charts consistent minutes they otherwise wouldn't see. It's already benefited the Mavericks this season, as rookie Rawle Marshall spent 21 games in Fort Worth, averaging 30.2 minutes per game. Marshall has shown promise since being called up on Feb. 26. "I needed this playing time." Podkolzin said. "My coach understands that I haven't been playing for two years. There isn't going to be time for me with the Mavericks right now because they have three centers. "It would be crazy for me to get 10, 15 minutes with the Mavericks right now. You just have to sit there and work hard to get yourself ready."</div> Source
I can only imagine what a foot on a 7'5" man who plays professional basketball must go through. Aren't there like 30 bones in the foot? His feet aren't like tired puppies after a game or practice; more like the Hounds of Baskerville after a hard night of mayhem on the moor. Seriously, unless you are Shaquille O'Neal, that kind of size more often than not leads to a short run of healthy joints, particularly the knees, ankles, achilles tendons, stressed toe bones and hip joints. Hope the big guy makes it.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting TDoug:</div><div class="quote_post"> Aren't there like 30 bones in the foot?</div> 16 bones in each foot. Calcanius, Navicular, 1st tarsal, metatarsal, 4-Proximal, Middle and Distal metatarsals.
Having broken the proximal phalanges on my right foot (my big toe) I can assure you there are alot of ways to hurt one of the most under-appreciated parts of the body. You are right, but the metatarsals are the name for a set of bones making up the lower third of the foot (toes). Each metatarsal except for the first (big toe) has 4 bones, and the big toe has 3. That's 19 bones, plus 5 small tarsals (3 cuneiforms, navicular & cuboid) and 2 large tarsals (talus & Os calcaneum) for 26 bones. There is one more oddity. The 2 sesamoid bones beneath the junction of the 1st metatarsal and the 1st cuneiform which gives our friend Pavel 28 pieces in each ped.
