Team 2008-09: Austin Torros (USA-D-League)
Career: STB Le Havre (France-Pro A, 2003-06), Pau-Orthez (France-Pro A, 2006-07), San Antonio Spurs (USA-NBA (2007), Austin Torros (USA-D-League, 2007-08 and one game in 2009, on loan from the Spurs)
When he was drafted by the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the 2005 NBA draft, the Rouen native was such a surprise pick that it took 45 minutes for the NBA to print a sticker with his name and put it on the draft board. When the Spurs chose him, right after the 2004-05 season, he was averaging 6.0 points and 4.0 rebounds at Le Havre, an average French Pro A team. The next year, this 2.08 meters center, who only started playing basketball at the age of 16, showed great improvement by averaging 9.7 points and 5.2 rebounds per game while shooting over 56% from the floor with Le Havre. French powerhouse Pau-Orthez offered him a "last stop before the NBA", as he was supposed to be the club's starting center in the Euroleague in 2006-07. But the 20-year-old seemed a bit lost at this level. Spent the 2007-08 season with Austin, in the NBA Development League, in which he impressed the Spurs enough to put him into last year's roster. But an ankle injury, not well healed almost ruined his 2008-09 season. Back healthy, he was the last guy invited to the national team after coach Collet got a bit tired of Johan Petro's defensive weaknesses. |
