Sounds Like Team Spirit
Blazers chat with the media
Two-time All-Star and MVP candidate Brandon Roy describes the team’s development: “We’re not going through the learning process anymore.”
View Slideshow »The Blazers’ major free agent acquisition, point guard Andre Miller, jokes about season expectations: “The only thing guaranteed is the contract.”
View Slideshow »Star power forward LaMarcus Aldridge was in a good mood despite the fact that his contract status is uncertain: “I didn’t think [negotiations] would be this hard.”
View Slideshow »Juwan Howard charmed the press during Media Day, talking about Portland’s fans: “They let the other team know it’s going to be a dogfight in here.”
View Slideshow »Center Greg Oden spent the whole summer working with Blazers assistant coach Bill Bayno on his defensive mobility to reduce his fouls.
View Slideshow »After missing all but five minutes last season, Martell Webster, when asked about how far the team could go, had high hopes: “All the way.”
View Slideshow »One of the Blazers’ two early second round draft picks, Dante Cunningham, laughed with the press about getting dunked on by Greg Oden in summer pickup games.
View Slideshow »Point guard Jerryd Bayless thought he had a shot at the starting position this season, right up until the Andre Miller signing.
View Slideshow »French import Nicolas Batum knows Portland much better after spending a year in the Rose City. His favorite French restaurant? Fenouil.
View Slideshow »With the signings of Andre Miller and Juwan Howard, center Joel Przybilla is excited that he’s no longer the “old man” of the team.
View Slideshow »Another year, another position controversy: eternally embattled point guard Steve Blake put on a happy face at Media Day.
View Slideshow »Rudy Fernandez, fresh off a championship over teammate Nicolas Batum’s French team in the EuroBasket tournament, was una fantasma as his round with the media lasted for less than five minutes.
View Slideshow »Despite an injury that has wiped out the beginning of his rookie season, forward Jeff Pendergraph remains in good spirits: “I’m used to walking on crutches.”
View Slideshow »Travis Outlaw drew laughs as he debuted a short ‘fro at Media Day with the explanation, “I forgot to cut it.” He says he’s ready to “bust some new moves.”
View Slideshow »What’s old is new again: Portland native Ime Udoka is happy to be back with teammates Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge as he returns to the Blazers after two years with the San Antonio Spurs: “They feel like baby brothers to me.”
View Slideshow »Juwan Howard takes his role as a mentor on this team very seriously. “You know how coaches have an open-door policy? So do I,” he said. “If any teammates want to soak up information like a sponge from me, they can.”
The unofficial tip-off to a Portland Trail Blazers season doesn’t begin on the hardwood: it starts in a dark luxury suite beneath the Rose Garden stocked with chicken strips, Jones soda, and spicy turkey wraps. This is, of course, Media Day, a chance for the local press to get their first cracks at the players after a summer spent apart, and the first bit of actual team news in months. It consisted mostly of variations on a theme: a player sits down in front of an array of microphones and answers questions for 10 minutes, and then takes off for individual interviews. For the most part, the Blazers stuck to a couple of optimistic talking points, namely, “Greg Oden has improved a lot over the summer,” and “We’re aiming to win the division outright.”
The big stories at this year’s edition were the additions of veteran point guard Andre Miller, power forward Juwan Howard, and small forward and Jefferson High alum Ime Udoka, and how they’ll mesh with the team. Of course, there was also a definite undercurrent of intrigue about playing time, as the Blazers have seven players dueling for three starting spots. Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait to see how all of this turns out. Fortunately, the wait won’t be too long.
