<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Media day notebook Here's an online-only notebook from media day: By Ross Siler Staff Writer EL SEGUNDO--Whether he realized it or not, Lakers guard Sasha Vujacic was rubbing the newfound muscles on his arms as he talked Monday about his off-season. Vujacic weighed in for his third season at 205 pounds, looking considerably thicker in his arms and upper body, up from his listed weight of 193 pounds as a skinny rookie in October 2004. He spent part of his summer training with his old coach in the mountains outside of Belgrade, Serbia, and said his goal for this season was to simply ``bring more than I did last year,?? when Vujacic regained his confidence after a lowly rookie season. Vujacic played in all 82 games last season and averaged 3.9 points while shooting 34.6 percent. The Lakers have until Oct. 31 to exercise the fourth-year option in his rookie contract; Vujacic admitted this is a big season for him even though he is only 22. ``I had two seasons to see how the NBA works,?? Vujacic said. ``I think with putting a little bit extra muscle on me, it?s going to help me out in the next season.?? Vujacic?s size could give him an edge in matching up against bigger guards on defense. The Lakers have four ball-handling guards competing for minutes in Smush Parker, Shammond Williams, Jordan Farmar and Vujacic. Still hurting: It has been nearly seven months since Chris Mihm severely sprained his right ankle in the final minute of the Lakers? March 12 game. Only recently has Mihm been able to say ``it?s finally starting to feel like an ankle again.?? After a summer of setbacks, Mihm underwent surgery to clean up the ankle on July 26. He was told by doctors it would be two months until he was able to run again and three months before he could play full speed. If Mihm followed that timetable, he wouldn?t resume playing until Oct. 26, five days before the season opener against Phoenix. ``I don?t want to have this be something that?s really killing me already in the preseason,?? Mihm said, ``and then have to limp through it the whole season.?? Mihm was having a career season, averaging 10.2 points and 6.3 rebounds, as the Lakers? starting center before he was injured. Kwame Brown has since supplanted him, leaving Mihm uncertain where he will play once he is healthy. One option would be for Mihm to play the power forward spot on the wing. Mihm played the position alongside Zydrunas Ilgauskas in Cleveland and said he thought he had the jumper to make the move work. ``The most important thing for me is that we keep this team building and improve on what we did last year,?? Mihm said. ``If it?s asked of me that I have to move to the 4, I?m going to do whatever it takes to be a big factor for this team.?? The kid: Lakers coach Phil Jackson would not guarantee anything when it came to 18-year-old center Andrew Bynum and his role this season. Bynum played in 46 games as a rookie after the Lakers selected him No. 10 overall. ``There?s a wonderful opportunity with Chris being out of the first few exhibition games,?? Jackson said, ``for him to really get an opportunity to see if he can fit in and find a role to play on this team, and do the best job he can to develop that skill that he?s learned this summer.?? Jackson said Bynum had an encouraging summer-league season and was looking more like a man instead of a boy. The true test, Jackson said, will come for Bynum in making successive moves like grabbing a rebound and putting it back. Looking west: Jackson was asked how the Western Conference was shaping up. He mentioned Houston and Minnesota as the two teams most likely to move into the top eight playoff spots. Jackson also mentioned Dallas, San Antonio and Phoenix as being a cut above. He answered yes when asked if 45 wins - - the Lakers? total last season - - would be enough for a team to get into the playoffs. ``The rest of us are all down here fighting in that pack that?s going to be chasing after that group of guys,?? Jackson said. Also: The Lakers signed center Mamadou N?Diaye and forward Marcus Douthit to non-guaranteed contracts. N'Diaye has played in parts of five seasons for Toronto, Dallas, Atlanta and the Clippers. Douthit was the Lakers' second-round draft pick in 2004 out of Providence.</div> --Ross Siler Way to go, Sasha! This kid wants to play!
Wow! Sasha finally grew some muscles? Amazing! The guy looked like a little kid playing on the court last year. I still can't believe how someone so skinny could have actually made an NBA squad
damn he was 193 last year? He doesn't look it at all, but I guess it's cuz he's so tall. Good work Sasha. I've always liked dude, I feel very confident when he shoots the ball, hope he improves on his consistency in game next year, him and vlad on the court can be DANGEROUS.
haha. I weigh 190 and Im a lean 12% body fat standing only 5'10. Damn. Sasha must be hella skinny. Do you have photos? I'd like to see what an additional 10 pounds did for him..
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Trench:</div><div class="quote_post">haha. I weigh 190 and Im a lean 12% body fat standing only 5'10. Damn. Sasha must be hella skinny. Do you have photos? I'd like to see what an additional 10 pounds did for him..</div> 190 and 5'10" is big compared to NBA players.....you probably have more of a football type frame, right?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Brian:</div><div class="quote_post">Wow! Sasha finally grew some muscles? Amazing! The guy looked like a little kid playing on the court last year. I still can't believe how someone so skinny could have actually made an NBA squad</div> LMAO ever heard of Allen Iverson ANdrei Kirilenko or Reggier Miller or Tayshaun Prince?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Bahir:</div><div class="quote_post">10 pounds is not much at all, so he probably looks the same as before.</div> Agreed, especially for a person his height. I'd be impressed if he added 10lbs of muscle, but 10lbs of weight is nothing to get excited about. Sasha needs to learn how to use his length better and improve his lateral quickness. Most importantly, he better get his shooting percentage close 50% next year from the field.
He is in a contract year, I see him as a possible Most improved canidate and a possible starter, if Smush chokes
I know ten pounds isn't really a lot, but this quote is what got me excited. (sort of excited) "Whether he realized it or not, Lakers guard Sasha Vujacic was rubbing the newfound muscles on his arms as he talked Monday about his off-season. Vujacic weighed in for his third season at 205 pounds, looking considerably thicker in his arms and upper body, up from his listed weight of 193 pounds as a skinny rookie in October 2004."
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post">Agreed, especially for a person his height. I'd be impressed if he added 10lbs of muscle, but 10lbs of weight is nothing to get excited about. Sasha needs to learn how to use his length better and improve his lateral quickness. Most importantly, he better get his shooting percentage close 50% next year from the field.</div> 50%? I was thinking more like 75%. Shape, Don't you think your being too unkind to the white mamba? I mean come on 50%? P.S. Pictures of new look Sasha anyone, Greatly appreciated.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post">Agreed, especially for a person his height. I'd be impressed if he added 10lbs of muscle, but 10lbs of weight is nothing to get excited about. </div> Hmm, well it probably wasn't 10 pounds of fat. ANd it definitely wasn't 10 pounds of bone. What else could it be? Still 10 pounds isn't all that for a PRO ATHLETE. Edward Norton put on 20 pounds of muscle for American History X and he's a Hollywood actor. But it's not like Sasha needs to be as big as possible. Getting bigger means getting slower which might be bad for his game.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Getting bigger means getting slower which might be bad for his game.</div>actually, getting bigger doesn't mean getting slower. Maurice Greene was 10 pounds lighter & was 10 inches shorter than Sasha, yet he still broke many sprinting world records. Sasha is 205 now, but with his slender frame and height, he could add another another 15 lbs. or so and still maintain that speed and quickness
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting authentiq:</div><div class="quote_post">actually, getting bigger doesn't mean getting slower. Maurice Greene was 10 pounds lighter & was 10 inches shorter than Sasha, yet he still broke many sprinting world records. Sasha is 205 now, but with his slender frame and height, he could add another another 15 lbs. or so and still maintain that speed and quickness</div> What you are talking about is a different kind of quickness. THere are slow-twitch and fast-twitch muscle fibers. Sprinting is an anaerobic exercise. It is no coincidence that players like Jamal Crawford and Tony Parker are some of the fastest guys up the court or from the perimeter to the hole. At some point extra weight negatively affects aspects of a player's speed. IT is not a simple equation so in that sense you are right, but adding more weight can make you slower.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting phunDamentalz:</div><div class="quote_post">190 and 5'10" is big compared to NBA players.....you probably have more of a football type frame, right?</div> I have an athletic frame, but not as slender as your typical basketball player. I wont say I have a football frame either though.. Im buff but not huge? haha.. Sasha needs to go. I've been with shape in this since day one. I never cared for the guy.
<div class="quote_poster">phunDamentalz Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Hmm, well it probably wasn't 10 pounds of fat. ANd it definitely wasn't 10 pounds of bone. What else could it be? Still 10 pounds isn't all that for a PRO ATHLETE. Edward Norton put on 20 pounds of muscle for American History X and he's a Hollywood actor. But it's not like Sasha needs to be as big as possible. Getting bigger means getting slower which might be bad for his game.</div> For starters muscle weighs more than fat, so I really doubt he added 10 pounds of muscle. It's impossible to gain 10lbs of muscle in just a few months. Just imagine taking 10 one pound steaks and slapping it on areas of your body, it's not happening in just one summer. Sasha must have focused on heavy lifting and less cardio over the summer to pack on the extra weight. Lakers4life, with the looks Sasha gets on offense, 50% shouldn't be out of reach. I'd actually like to see him up around 52%.
The biggest flaw in Sasha's game is that he can't finish around the basket despite his height. Hopefully, the weight gain will address that issue and he'll be a better player for it.
