NBA LOCALS
A weekly look at locals players in the NBA:
Al-Farouq Aminu, Mavericks, Norcross High
Had 13 points and six rebounds in 16 minutes vs. Lakers on Nov. 21
Chris Bosh, Heat, Georgia Tech
Recorded sixth double-double after posting 20 points and 10 rebounds vs. Hornets on Nov. 23
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Pistons, Georgia
Tied season-high three steals at Hawks on Nov. 21
Jae Crowder, Mavericks, Villa Rica High
Averaging 3.9 points in 9.6 minutes in 14 games
Derrick Favors, Jazz, Georgia Tech
Averaging 15.7 points and 8.7 rebounds in 31.0 minutes in 16 games, all starts
J.J. Hickson, Nuggets, Wheeler High
Averaging 7.0 points and 6.6 rebounds in 15.6 minutes in seven appearances
Dwight Howard, Rockets, Southwest Atlanta Christian
Missed fourth straight with a strained knee Wednesday
Jarrett Jack, Nets, Georgia Tech
Averaging 10.3 points and 3.2 assists in 25.4 minutes in 14 games
Jeremy Lamb, Thunder, Norcross High
Scored 21 points on 7 of 8 shooting, including 3 of 3 from 3-point range, in win over Jazz Nov. 26
Jodie Meeks, Pistons, Norcross High
Out until at least mid-December with a stress reaction in his lower back
Anthony Morrow, Thunder, Georgia Tech
Averaging 12.1 points and 3.1 rebounds in 29.4 minutes in nine games
Glen Rice Jr., Wizards, Georgia Tech
Was assigned to Fort Wayne of the D-League on Nov. 20
Iman Shumpert, Knicks, Georgia Tech
Averaging 10.3 points, 2.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 26.5 minutes
Josh Smith, Pistons, McEachern High
Had season-high eight assists at Bucks on Nov. 25
Thaddeus Young, Timberwolves, Georgia Tech
Returned to lineup Wednesday after missing five games because of death of mother
Lou Williams, Raptors, South Gwinnett High
Named Eastern Conference Player of the Week with 23.7 points average in three games, including career-high 36 points
Note: Stats through Thursday
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has made an impression on Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy. Caldwell-Pope was drafted eighth overall by the Pistons in 2013 after two seasons at Georgia, following being named SEC Player of the Year as a sophomore. The Thomaston native played in 41 of 80 games as a rookie for the Pistons.
With the hiring of Van Gundy, Caldwell-Pope has an expanded role. Through Thursday, he has started all 15 games for the Pistons at shooting guard. He averaged 11.3 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists.
“His energy and his competitiveness is something you can count on,” Van Gundy said. “His energy and his work ethic every single day. He is going to come to practice, game, whatever it is, he is going to give you everything he’s got. You got to like guys like that, especially young guys. To me, you’ve got to really be able to count on those type of guys are going to get better as time goes on because he puts so much into it.”
Caldwell-Pope has a vocal cheering section when the Pistons are in Atlanta.
“It’s good to think about how hard I worked just to get here and all that I accomplished,” Caldwell-Pope said.
Bazemore unveils app
Kent Bazemore loves social media.
The Hawks guard is active on Twitter, Vine, Instagram and Facebook. He interacts with fans, does ticket and apparel giveaways, posts photos of his dogs. Bazemore once even conversed with his favorite author after mentioning him in a tweet.
This summer when he discussed upgrades to his website, his agent had a better idea. The gregarious Bazemore needed his own app.
It’s here.
After approximately six months of meetings, planning, prototypes, even a complete remake, Bazemore announced the release of the free app to Android and iPhone users Friday. He even produced a YouTube video to explain the ins and outs of the application.
“I just wanted to branch out,” Bazemore said. “Social media has been a big part of my career in the NBA. … Pretty much anything I press send on my phone, you can see and have access to. It’s a one-stop shop to keep up with me, see how the Hawks are doing, anything.”
Bazemore is the third NBA player to have his own app. LeBron James and Brandon Jennings also have apps, but they are more lifestyle-oriented. Bazemore’s app features his statistics, a fantasy tracker, video highlights, team schedule, chat opportunities, social-media links and contests. He plans to give out tickets to Hawks games around the country.
“It’s all about engaging with the fans,” agent Austin Walton said. “A lot of people aren’t like that. He wanted to be a pioneer.”
The app features Bazemore’s new logo, done by Under Armour, and he plans to give away apparel with the design in contests.
Getting T’d up
In Wednesday’s 126-115 loss to the Raptors, the Hawks received two technical fouls in zero seconds. With 51.3 seconds left in the first quarter, official Tony Brothers issued a warning to Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer for complaining after he disputed a Dennis Schroder foul on DeMar DeRozan. As the teams lined up for the free throw, Brothers hit DeMarre Carroll with a technical foul. Before the attempt, Brothers hit Shelvin Mack with a technical foul. Their crime? They asked Brothers who received the warning.
Quotable
“We’re a very fragile team right now, we were a fragile team from the beginning. Any little adversity hits us, we just shell up.”
— James said after the Cavaliers squandered an 18-point lead and lost 110-93 to the Raptors last week
“As a coach you never like it when you get in those stretches and you can’t practice. Players like it. Coaches don’t like it.”
— Van Gundy when asked about the recent compact game schedule that prevented the team from practice.
“Tonight is a night that tests your mental toughness, that tests your physicality. For a lot of the night, we were good but you’ve got to do it for 48 minutes against a team.”
— Budenholzer after loss to Raptors on Wednesday
By the numbers
36 Career-high point total for local product and former Hawk Lou Williams scored last week for the Raptors
0 Number of NBA minutes played by Hawks first-round pick Adreian Payne, who began a second NBA Development League stint this week
1-2 Hawks record (through Thursday) in games decided by three points or less.
Carroll’s Corner
Words of wisdom from DeMarre Carroll, the man who brought you this quote from last season: “If you see me in a fight with a bear, you better help that bear.”
On whether the Raptors were the best team the Hawks have faced so far this season: “They are pretty good. I think they are disciplined. They kind of gel with each other and know where he other are going to be in spots. They’ve got a great bench. When you have all those components, it makes you a great team.”
