Blazers' Batum blossoms on France's national team

[Warren2ThaG]

http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2009/09/large_batum.euro.JPG

Blazers' Batum blossoms on France's national team

"The Trail Blazers' offseason has been sprinkled with contract negotiations, free agent pursuits and rehabilitating players. But through all the newsmaking endeavors, an equally noteworthy event has developed quietly thousands of miles from Portland.

 

Nicolas Batum, fresh off his breakout rookie season, has shown both maturation and an improved game this summer during high-level international competition in Europe.

 

Batum, who starts alongside fellow NBA players Tony Parker, Ronny Turiaf and Boris Diaw on the French national team, has displayed increased confidence, a newfound aggressive nature and versatility while playing in EuroBasket, a premier international tournament.

 

"The best players in the league are always trying to add something to their games (in the offseason)," Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard said. "You're either getting better or getting worse. Well, I really feel like he's gotten better."

 

When training camp opens in two weeks, the Blazers figure to have three starting positions up for grabs -- point guard, small forward and center. Batum will compete with veteran Martell Webster to retain the starting spot at small forward he unexpectedly earned about this time a year ago.

 

And heading into camp, coach Nate McMillan says, Batum is the favorite.

 

Although reports from Blazers workouts suggest that Webster has looked phenomenal in recent weeks during pickup games at the practice facility, the fact remains that the one-time starter missed virtually all of last season with a foot injury and only last month was cleared to resume full basketball activities.

 

Batum impressed in Webster's absence last season, particularly on defense, as the starter on a 54-win team. And his play this summer has reinforced the fact that the Blazers orchestrated one of the steals of the 2008 NBA draft when they acquired Batum, the 25th overall pick, in a trade with the Houston Rockets.

 

Pritchard traveled to Europe in late August to watch some of his players during the qualifying rounds of EuroBasket, which is the European championships. In addition to Batum, Blazers players Rudy Fernandez and 2009 first-round pick Victor Claver (Spain), Joel Freeland (Great Britain) and Petteri Koponen (Finland) were competing.

 

Pritchard returned to the U.S. giddy about what he saw from his players. He seemed particularly smitten with Batum, whom Pritchard said looked more confident and played more aggressively than last season.

 

"Last year he blended, did whatever Nate asked and whatever the team needed," Pritchard said. "(Now) he's showing that he can make more plays. He looks a little bigger and even a little more athletic and you know how athletic he is.

 

"I think he's a more aggressive player. I think he's willing to try to make aggressive plays. He's taking it to the basket, finishing over people. He just looks comfortable and aggressive."

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http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2009/09/blazers_batum_blossoms_on_fran.html

[ThurZ Omega]

Hopefully he comes back with a little more swagger in Portland. He'll need it, with Martell scheduled to return..

[andreusito]

Yeah until he played Spain.