Danny Granger was born in New Orleans and raised a football fan, which means his tolerance for the unpleasant is stronger than most. Patience allowed him to wait for the Saints to win the Super Bowl and it's helping him cope with the grim realities of his job.
As the top player on a Pacers' team headed nowhere fast -- except to another bitter finish -- Granger must sit tight and keep dreaming, something he has practiced almost as long as his jump shot.
Here are the Pacers, in a nutshell: They're stuck with bad contracts through next season, probably aren't sexy enough as a franchise or city to sweet-talk free agents in two years and will miss the playoffs for the fourth straight time. Oh, and they're suddenly winning games and hurting their chances of getting a top-five Draft pick for the first time in 22 years.
Granger is clearly their only major asset. Unless the Pacers get a lucky break, he might keep that distinction for a while. That's what's most troubling for him and the team. There's little hope on the horizon. Granger might have to wait at least 3-4 years before he's surrounded by talent.
"They say your best years in the NBA are from age 27 through 31? Well, I turn 27 next month. So there's still time. I'm hopeful," he said.
Most of the other lottery-bound teams cling to something that tells them a change is coming. The Clippers know they'll get a healthy Blake Griffin, plus a high pick, and possibly a solid free agent next season. The Nets have a billionaire owner in the wings, tons of money under the salary cap and perhaps the first overall pick. The Knicks can spend money, too. Chicago has Derrick Rose and money. And so on.
Rest of article- http://www.nba.com/2010/news/features/s ... index.html
Saw this article on NBA.com today when i was bored and figured to post it, in case anyone didn't see it and wanted to read about Danny Granger. I feel bad for him. He's a star with no help. Maybe one day....
