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summer league invitation <> serious
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/4/...ectid=10518951
Basketball: Penney Spurred on by serious talks with NBA side
Kirk Penney's mysterious absence from the Tall Blacks' transtasman series against Australia can finally be explained - the NBA beckons once more.
The Breakers guard has been attempting to revive his NBA dream, trialling with the San Antonio Spurs following their elimination from the Western Conference finals at the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Penney, who played briefly for the Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Clippers in the world's highest-profile basketball league, has been involved in summer workouts with the Spurs under coaches Gregg Popovich, who has four NBA les with the Spurs since taking over as head coach during the 1996-97 season, and former Sydney Kings coach Brett Brown.
Previously his absence from the Tall Blacks squad for the two tests against Australia, the last of which was played last night in Melbourne, has been explained away as a holiday with his American girlfriend before joining the squad in Canada for a tri-series involving Lebanon.
The reason for the subterfuge is unclear. Although in December last year he inked a new two-year deal with the Breakers after an impressive first season in the Australian National Basketball League, he is allowed to trial with NBA teams in the off season.
"Everyone that plays in the ANBL signs a collective agreement that gives them an out to play in the NBA if they get a full contract," Breakers general manager Richard Clarke said.
"We have a good relationship with the Spurs which is part of why Kirk was there. It was more a case of him working out with them rather than trialling for a spot."
That might be the case but a Herald on Sunday source said that the Spurs' coaches were impressed with the ANBL first-team all-star's ability to read screens and find space to shoot.
"He enjoyed his time there," Clarke said. "He was seeing where he was at in terms of his game and he was pretty happy from their comments as to where his game had progressed to since they'd last seen him.
"He'd progressed because of his role in the ANBL where he is more than just a spot-up shooter, but he hadn't heard anything more in terms of being picked up."
If Penney is picked up by the NBA giants, who number future Hall of Famers Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobli among them, it won't be the first time the Breakers have suffered at their hands.
Two years ago American import Rich Melzer was picked up by the Spurs and offered a contract. Although he was eventually the last man cut from the roster as it went from 16 to 15 the Breakers had no choice but to let him walk out of his contract at the time.
summer league invitation <> serious
Oh no. Iz on now.
It was four years ago, you should be over it my now.Oh no. Iz on now.
Sounds like he just went to minicamp. Rod Benson didn't mention him in his blog, so I can only assume he's no good.
Love Kirk Penny. He really made my UW bball experience amazing. He's just not that quite good to be an NBA player imo.
Ok what am I missing with TIMVP Kori?
An airplane.Ok what am I missing with TIMVP Kori?
A wink.
A question.
That's all.
Ohhhh yeahhhhhh
I remember now
TIMVP gonna supply bowen with a shank knife during training camp?
Someone please enlighten me...
Read what Kori said.
I think I have heard the story before, but if I haven't I already got the jist of it from that
???
Like five years ago timvp and I were coming home from summer league and we had to sit separately on the plane ... timvp was like 2 rows behind me.
Kirk Penney and other players were on the plane. So, we stopped somewhere to switch planes and KP asked winked at me and asked me something like, "How long is your lay over?"
When we got off the plane, I was telling timvp the story and before I even got started, he said,"Yes, I saw him." (gritting teeth)
So since then he has hated Kirk Penney.
It's not every day you get hit on by a Tall Black.
Just don't shoot the messenger.Oh no. Iz on now.
insecure man!!
....J/K
why get mad, take it as a compliment.
he even not good enough for the eoruleague
He can't create shots for himself but if you are looking for a player to come off screens and hit open jumpers, then he would compare with anyone in the world. Shane Heal often calls him one of the best shooters in the world.
However he doesn't have the athletic tools to defend at the 2 in the NBA. He's tough as nails though.
Whats the eoruleague?he even not good enough for the eoruleague
He's far to good to be in the Aussie league.
You gotta be secure in your wife's staying with you. Other guys are just guys - can't fault them for trying it out. If there's nothing there, they should back off, but that's another issue.
Wisconsin all day in this !!
Your UW bball experience? You from Madison??
Penney's back home timvp.
http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/536641/1883386
Penney's return boosts Tall Blacks
Better late than never for the Tall Blacks as they welcome back Kirk Penney after his brief visit to the NBA.
Penney missed the two match series against Australia to take part in a mini-camp with NBA side the San Antonio Spurs.
Guard Penney has brought the New Zealand basketball squad to full strength ahead of Wednesday morning's Tri Series match against Canada in Toronto.
Fellow guard Jeremy Kench said it is great to have Penney back after he missed the two-nil series loss to the Boomers and that he has already fitted in well at training.
Tall Blacks coach Nenad Vucinic confirmed that Penney was happy with his performance in San Antonio but that no one knows if he has got a chance of being signed yet.
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