Clippers Training Camp / Media Day 12/13

[mkwest]

Training Camp kicks off at 3pm.

Team will practice from 3-6pm today, have another practice tomorrow and will have their first 2-a-day on Sunday. Teams are only allowed to have 6 2-a-days before the season starts.

[mkwest]

[RiversideClips]

Those are some great pics. Who is wearing #10? How many players were in camp? Any surprises?

[mkwest]

Those are some great pics. Who is wearing #10? How many players were in camp? Any surprises?

Gordon

It just started at 3, so more info will come in as the day goes on. I'd assume everybody was there except DJ.



Butler will wear number 5.

[RiversideClips]

I guess "Cat" won't be making a comeback w/ the Clips. I miss Mobley, one of my Top 3 Clips in my 15 years as a fan.

[mkwest]

I guess "Cat" won't be making a comeback w/ the Clips. I miss Mobley, one of my Top 3 Clips in my 15 years as a fan.

One of my favorites as well. I know Sam gets a lot of credit and deservedly so, but I feel the Cat was very important as well in transforming that team in 2006. He was pretty much our first big free-agent acquisition and was positive influence and consummate professional. I know he still wants to play, but I wish that he had an interest in coaching and could join our staff.

CLIPPERS ADD AHEARN, FORTSON, HUBBARD, KOCH AND MAJOR TO TRAINING CAMP ROSTER
The Los Angeles Clippers today signed free agents Blake Ahearn, Courtney Fortson, Marcus Hubbard, Adam Koch and Renaldo Major to complete their training camp roster.

Ahearn is currently averaging 25.0 points, 7.0 assists and 1.8 steals for the Reno Bighorns of the NBA Development League. A member of the 2011 USA team that won the bronze medal at the Pan American Games, Ahearn has appeared in 15 career NBA games with the Miami Heat (12 games, 2007-08) and San Antonio Spurs (3 games, 2008-09). Ahearn has played for five NBDL teams and is the active league leader with 395 career 3-pointers. He was the 2007-08 NBDL Rookie of the Year with the Dakota Wizards and was named the 2009 NBDL All-Star Game MVP. Ahearn starred at Missouri State, where the 27-year old was named to the All-Missouri Valley Conference First Team as a senior in 2007.

Fortson, 23, has appeared in eight games for the Los Angeles D-Fenders of the NBDL this season and is averaging 17.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.9 assists. A former star at the University of Arkansas, Fortson was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team and averaged 17.9 points, 5.7 assists and 5.2 rebounds during his sophomore season. The Montgomery, Alabama native also played for BC Steaua Turabo in Romania and the NBDL’s Reno Big Horns in 2010-11.

Hubbard has played for six different NBDL teams, averaging 9.9 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.1 assists last season for the Austin Toros and New Mexico Thunderbirds. In his three season NBDL career, Hubbard has appeared in 121 games and averaged 8.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.0 assists while shooting 44.1 percent from the field. A standout at Angelo State (Division 2) in San Angelo, Texas, Hubbard averaged 15.4 points and 6.6 rebounds for the Rams in 2007-08 and was drafted by the Dakota Wizards in the first round of the 2008 NBDL Draft. Hubbard also appeared in eight games for CD Sagrados Corazones in Chile.

The 2009-10 Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year at Northern Iowa, Koch (pronounced Cook) is currently averaging 8.2 points and 7.2 rebounds in five games for the NBDL’s Bakersfield Jam this season. In 22 games with the Jam in 2010-11, Koch averaged 6.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists. After a stellar college career in which he averaged 11.7 points and 4.9 rebounds as a senior, and led Northern Iowa to the Missouri Valley Conference Championship in 2009 and 2010, Koch played in 11 games in 2010-11 for CEZ Nymburk in the Czech Republic,

Major, 29, is an NBDL veteran who averaged 15.7 points and 5.5 rebounds while shooting 51.3 percent from the field last season with the Dakota Wizards. Along with Ahearn, Major was also a member of the 2011 USA Pan American Games bronze medal winning team. Major started and appeared in all five games for the U.S. during the tournament. A standout at Fresno State University for two seasons from 2002-2004, Major appeared in one game with the Golden State Warriors during the 2006-07 season, scoring five points. Currently a member of the Bakersfield Jam, Major was an All-Star with the Dakota Wizards in 2007 and named the Development League’s Defensive Player of the Year.

The Clippers’ training camp roster currently stands at 18 players.

Clippers.com

[RiversideClips]

Cat was Kaman's tutor. I have so many pics of Mobley holding on to Kaman's shoulder while giving advice. Cat was o instrumental in Kaman's growth.

[mkwest]

Caron Bulter @realtuffjuice seems to have some pep in his step. Knee looks great. Throwing down some nice dunks.#Clipperscamp

LA Clipprs

Cat was Kaman's tutor. I have so many pics of Mobley holding on to Kaman's shoulder while giving advice. Cat was o instrumental in Kaman's growth.

That's one of the things I liked about him. Even after he was traded and forced to retire, he still had love for the team and organization.

[mkwest]

Caron Butler quickly corrects media saying "recovered... My knee is no longer an issue" in response to someone saying he was "recovering".

LA Clippers

Brad Turner (LA Times) stated that Eric Bledsoe had surgery to repair a torn lateral meniscus on October 7th. He'll be out 6-8 weeks

We need to try to get Billups if at all possible.

[RiversideClips]

I would take a flyer on billups, for 5 mil per year

[mkwest]

First NBA practice went well.. Love my teammates and organization. A band of brothers.

Trey Thompkins

I would take a flyer on billups, for 5 mil per year

It was something that we needed to explore even before an injury, but even more so now. We could probably get by with what we have if the schedule wasn't like it is.

[mike3]

Keep posting these mkwest, loving hearing ppls thoughts on the team and the first practice/s with photos etc. and I dunno about you guys? but im excited to see how Butler plays, I like his game and especially if first reports are his knee looks good. Good seeing him in that clippers uniform imo

[mkwest]

The Butler is Back in Town

At the end of his first practice as a Clipper, Caron Butler stopped Blake Griffin mid-stride and grabbed at Griffin's calves.

"Give me those hops!" Butler yelled with a smile.

“I'm going to be vocal. It's not about scoring, it's going to be more about just your presence as a big brother to a lot of the guys out there. They're going to help me too, with the youth in this squad. They're going to encourage me and move me in practice, and keep me with a pep in my step.”

“He's going to bring a lot of scoring offensively and a lot of toughness defensively,” Blake Griffin said.

Butler called Griffin a “special piece” when going through his reasons for signing with the Clippers. He also pointed to the fact that he is returning to Los Angeles, a city he remembers well from his one season with the Lakers. Above all was the chance to lead the Clippers, a group of upstarts he believes is ready to contend.

“I wouldn't have come here if we didn't have a realistic shot of playing winning basketball and competing night in and night out,” Butler said.

Ryan Menezes, Clippers.com

Back to Work - Camp is Open

“It went really well today,” Griffin said. “I was really excited with how well we did things. You know, last year was so different because there was a new coaching staff and a lot of new players, so nobody really knew what to expect. But this year a majority of our guys knew exactly what we were doing and were ready to go.”

“It’s just good to be out there. The guys were excited,” Head Coach Vinny Del Negro said. “We had good energy in practice. It’s the first step of many, but it’s nice to get back out there.”

“Our guys can really play. Now they need to learn how to play and win,” Olshey said. “I think the roster continuity, the stability in the coaching staff, and then adding a veteran like Caron [Butler] that can echo the sentiments of a guy like Mo Williams is exactly what we need.”

According to Kaman, there was one problem with the nearly three-hour practice.

“I actually didn’t know we couldn’t do contact,” Kaman said. “I just found that after practice. I’m thinking, ‘What happened to the 5-on-5,’ you know. And with me, being a little bit older, it’s kind of tough to go through all of those drills with the younger guys. I just wanted to play. That’s what I like doing, so that was a little disappointing.”

The NBA mandated that teams could not run full-contact practices on Friday, but are permitted to do so beginning Saturday.

After practice the team gathered at mid-court and sang happy birthday to Bledsoe, who turned 22 on Friday.

He said he planned to “Go home and chill and maybe hang out with the fellas.”

Eric Patten, Clippers.com

[mkwest]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zGtUVntRYQ[/youtube]

I hope Kaman keeps the beard.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dMzmw6tlf4[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdN6gNzby98[/youtube]

[Forte IV]

Kaman truly does look like a Cave man lol. Jeez.

[mkwest]

Clippers went full contact today-- how'd it go? VDN: "a little sloppy, but it's only the second day of practice" #ClippersCamp

Madelyn Burke

She also that Thompkins looked impressive.

[mkwest]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5O-KZY0A5Zo[/youtube]

[mkwest]

First Full-Contact Scrimmage Highlights Day 2 at Clippers Training Camp

“Chris [Kaman] and Blake [Griffin] are going to draw a lot of attention. Eric [Gordon] as well,” he said. “And myself and Mo [Williams] just have to space the floor and make things happen. We’re doing a good job of that. The first day was so good, and we want to continue to build off that.”

Del Negro concurred, saying, “[Butler] gives us another look, another scorer out there. It will open up the game more for Chris and Blake underneath, I think. And take some pressure off Mo and Eric.”

Ryan Gomes, who started 62 games at small forward in 2010-11, will come off to the bench, allowing the career 10.8 points per game scorer, to backup both forward positions. Historically, Gomes has rebounded better as a power forward. He also creates mismatches outside with shooting range.

“I think coming off the bench you have a little bit more of a spark,” Gomes said. “You can study the game a little bit longer and see what’s happening with the starting unit. Then when you get in with the starting unit or you get in with the second unit you know what kind of things you can exploit. I played a lot ‘4’ in Minnesota before I got here, so I’m accustomed to playing that position. And the way we run our offense we stretch the floor. You see Brian Cook shoots a lot of outside shots because of some of the plays we run and I think I can fit into that realm as well.”

“He’s (Kaman) not in game shape yet,” Del Negro said. “He scrimmaged. He hasn’t missed anything in practice. He’ll lose a few pounds and get in better condition like a few guys. That’s pretty normal for this time of year, you know, some guys are farther ahead than others. They’re working before and after. They’ll get their work in and they’ll be ready.”

The Clippers will conduct their first two-a-day workout on Sunday.

Eric Patten, Clippers.com

[mkwest]

Impressed by rookie Trey Thompkins in day 2 of Clipper camp. He was matched up vs Chris Kaman much of the day. Could be nice 2nd end pick.

Ralph Lawler

[mkwest]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grhKtE70ijg[/youtube]