Former San Antonio Spurs player, Bruce Bowen, is participating in a basketball clinic in Rio de Janeiro and spoke with globoesporte.globo.com, to discuss his thoughts on Tiago Splitter, being considered a "dirty" player in the NBA, and more. Please excuse the rough translation provided by Google Translate.

GLOBOESPORTE.COM: You were one of the best defenders who have gone too bothered by the NBA and the opponents, who accused him of until you play dirty. Strong defense is basically what you're trying to teach these kids at the clinic?
 
BRUCE BOWEN: I try to teach them everything. You have to invest in anything that will put you on the court in decisive moments. I hit some great shots because I was there on the court.In some cases, the Gregg Popovich did not draw a move for me, but some do. If you're on the court, has the opportunity to be part of something special. Then you must find the niche that will leave him there. The defense was my finding. I could do other things because the defense allowed me.Today there are so many guys who defend well, then it may be an opportunity for these kids.

When Popovich has now returned from vacation, said in an interview on Tiago Splitter and said just that, the Brazilian has to find his role on the team. He quoted you saying that you just threw some points of the court, and at other points you'd better not walk ...

(Laughs) True. It will be a smooth transition for Tiago. He is accustomed to playing at high level. In addition, you can reach without the pressure of having to do much. He can turn to Duncan and ask, "Hey, Tim, what I need to do here?" And Tim will help you. Tiago (has) luck of having a future Hall of Fame member to guide you.

In addition, San Antonio is a team accustomed to opening the doors to foreign players, see the case of Manu Ginobili, who turned actor there.  To you who know so well this franchise is the right home for Tiago?
 
I think, first of all, the success of Spurs Tiago will leave satisfied. They are aware of who the player and will make things easier for him. What matters is to make him comfortable in a position to contribute. Who knows what can he do? Everything will depend on how much he'll learn some things. For example, the game is not as physical as it is in the NBA FIBA. He'll need to dose intensity, even bringing that energy, but backing off a little.

To hear Bowen talk about how Duncan will be there for Splitter during his rookie year reminds me a lot of how David Robinson was there for Duncan during his rookie year.

For the complete interview click here.

The San Antonio Spurs have arguably gotten better during the offseason and two of the main reasons are the arrival of Tiago Splitter and James Anderson.

Splitter finally came over to San Antonio after three long years. His basketball credentials are well chronicled. He averaged 15.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists on 58.3% shooting from the field and at the ACB Spanish league where he was named the league MVP.

In the Euroleague, his numbers were also a solid 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 53.5% field goal shooting. And in the 2010 World Championship, he managed to held his own against the world's best big men as he led Brazil to a 9th placed finish while averaging 12.8 points, 5.2 rebounds on 54.2% shooting from the field in six games.

On offense, Splitter is primarily a low post player, with great footwork and spin moves. He's good when playing back-to-the-basket and has an effective jump-hook. He can also finish with either hand and is extremely aggressive on putting the ball on the floor and has excellent coordination and fluidity. With his skill-level and high basketball IQ, he can be a good low-post scorer in the NBA. Tiago also has good passing skills, runs the floor pretty hard and is very adept playing the pick-and-roll.

On defense, he will be a huge asset because of his size, strength and length. He is mobile enough to step out and hedge screens with great accuracy. The intensity he displays on the defensive end of the floor tends to get him in foul trouble at times, but this is something that coach Pop will probably talk with him. For him to be effective, he has to learn how to stay on the floor.

Nevertheless as good as Splitter is he not a great rebounder and has become even less productive in this department especially on the offensive end and his lackluster free throw shooting is something he needs to improve.

Anderson was a prolific scorer in college. He averaged, 22.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists on 45.7% shooting from the the field, 34% from behind the arc and is an 81% free throw shooter, numbers that earned him the Big 12 Player of the Year honor.

During drills prior to the 2010 draft, Anderson looked excellent, knocking down spot-up three pointers with ease and looked very smooth coming around screens. Sadly, a hamstring injury prevented him to play at the summer league where he could've showcased his talent and skills more.

Nonetheless, a lot people, including ESPN's Rece Davis and CBS Sports college basketball analyst Clark Kellogg, are impressed with Anderson's basketball skills and great character and believe he can fit right in to provide an immediate impact for the Spurs. Whether it is accurate or not, we will soon find out.

At 6'6" Anderson has the size to spell either Manu Ginobili or Richard Jefferson as the teams' backup shooting-guard and small-forward. Jefferson is the only "true" small forward in the roster with Alonzo Gee probably getting a few minutes at the three spot should the Spurs decide to bring him on the roster.

Andersons' terrific range and smooth shooting was impressive in college and coach Popovich seemed pleased with what he has to offer. After overseeing his workout since the injury, the Spurs noticed his offensive proficiency and that could be helpful for the team.

Last year, the Spurs traded for Jefferson to provide more offense but it wasn't enough because the team still lacked a reliable outside shooter. Anderson figures to be an excellent kick-out option for the Spurs because of his smooth shooting stroke.

His 34% shooting from the 3 point range belied his shooting accuracy because he was the focal point of the Oklahoma State's offense back in college and he faced a lot of defensive attention. With the Spurs, he will have more open looks as most of the opposing teams' defense will be focused on containing Duncan, Ginobili and Parker.

Know this: Anderson is more than just a spot-up shooter, he can shoot off the dribble, and he only needs little space to get his shot off. Plus he is able to fade away and create enough separation from his defender to get a good look, while still holding his mechanics steady. He is also a steady ball handler, is very under control and turns the ball over at an extremely low rate considering he was the main offensive weapon at Oklahoma State.

However, Anderson was not known for his defense. That will be his main challenge going into the NBA. If he really wants to earn more playing time this upcoming season with the Spurs, he has to focus more and develop his defensive game.

On paper it looks like Splitter will provide more help to the Spurs than Anderson. Nonetheless, if Splitter's arrival made the Spurs frontline looked better, Anderson definitely made the backcourt deeper and with more firepower.

If both these players impress during training camp, I wouldn't be surprised to see them on the starting lineup by mid-season especially if Popovich decides to keep Ginobili as teams' super sub.

What are your thoughts? Splitter and Anderson are nice offseason additions but who will eventually provide the greater impact for the Spurs? Leave us a comment.

Hola amigos y fanáticos. Hoy estaré repasando con ustedes las noticias mas reciente de los San Antonio Spurs.

Al fin después de un largo verano lleno de cambios para los Spurs se llega la nueva temporada 2010-2011 para la NBA. De acuerdo a la pagina spurs.com de la NBA el primer juego de pre-temporada será el 7 de Octubre en Houston a las 7:30 pm. Con esto en mente hagamos una revisión de lo que hay que esperar de nuestro equipo y sus jugadores individualmente.

Comenzamos por analizar a Tim Duncan ya que nos trae buenas noticias. Aparentemente el entrenador de los Spurs Popovich nos informo que el valioso jugador quien la ultima temporada padeció de dolores en sus rodillas y hasta llego a ser visto con abrazaderas en sus piernas, regresa al equipo mas saludable que nunca ya que regreso al entrenamiento pesando menos, el peso que a perdido se desconoce por ahorita, esto de acuerdo a victoriaadvocate.com. Esperemos que esto ayude positivamente al equipo del los Spurs logrando a hacer a Duncan aun mas agil.

Tambien Tony Parker se a estado preparando al haber tomado accion este verano para mejorar su desempeño en la cancha participando en un entrenamiento que ofrece la NBA, algo que el acepta nunca haber hecho durante el verano entre temporadas de juegos. Ojala que el empeño y dedicacion que a puesto Parker para su mejoria como jugador le ayude a aumentar su puntuacion ayudando asi a los Spurs convertirse en un equipo aun mas fuerte.

Bueno y Manu Ginobili tampoco se queda atrás. Manu se sometio a un entrenamiento rigoroso que involucra levantarse durante la madrugada a preparar biberones, cambiar pañales ayudando asi a su esposa con su par de gemelitos. Parece ser que Ginobili opto por disfrutar su tiempo como padre novato.
En conclusion opino que definitivamente los Spurs tomaron decisiones bastante sabias este verano tratandose de las nuevas contrataciones al igual que renovaciones. Aun que acepto que no estuve de acuerdo con algunas determinaciones, realmente fueron las mejores decisiones de acuerdo a nuestro presupuesto. Sin embargo, sigo pensando que la NBA deberia de tener clausulas en sus contratos que prohibiera a sus jugadores integrarse a cualquier otro equipo durante el verano. Estas participaciones son muy riesgosas y las consecuencias negativas terminan afectando al equipo entero. No obstante, le deseo a los Spurs un feliz inicio de temporada!

Muchisimas gracias por acompañarnos en sintonia y recuerden mantenerse siempre actualizados e informados en la mejor pagina de internet. no comments

According to Ridiculous Upside, the San Antonio Spurs have brought in former 2008 draft pick James Gist and Marcus Cousin to participate in training camp:

The San Antonio Spurs have added three new players to their training camp roster this week, bringing in former second round pick James Gist, veteran sharpshooter Kirk Penney along with Marcus Cousin, a 6-foot-11 center out of the University of Houston, according to a source close to the situation.

Gist played for the Spurs in the 2010 NBA Summer League but got injured and was not in action for most of the Summer league. Cousin played for Turkey and Israel last season.

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Editor's Note: While this is not exactly Spurs-related, a good friend of Project Spurs, Ronald Oswalt, organized a pink out for the San Marcos Academy Bears in hopes to raise awareness about breast cancer. We thought this was not only a great idea, but definitely worthy enough to mention. Project Spurs is also silver member of the SMA Bear Club.

San Marcos Academy’s football team made history Sept. 17 when they took the field in special pink Central Texas Medical Center game jerseys. The Bears played the Rangers of Austin-Texas School for the Deaf in a matchup at A+FCU/Ingram Stadium.

The jerseys are part of the team's effort to heighten community awareness about breast cancer services at Central Texas Medical Center.

The Bears of SMA are the first Texas high school football team to wear a special pink uniform as they honor Central Texas Medical Center and their efforts to fight breast cancer. The all-pink Wilson jerseys have the Central Texas Medical Center pattern printed on each shoulder.

Funds raised from sales of the SMA pink jerseys will be designated for local breast cancer support services at CTMC. The SMA players were given the first opportunity to purchase their own jersey. Those jerseys not purchased will be sold for $125 on a first-come, first-served basis, and the final jersey left will be sold in a national sports auction. For information on purchase of the jerseys, contact Ronald Oswalt, special assistant for athletic development, at 512-753-8003.

“We are blessed to be a part of this community and are excited about the opportunity to give back through this fund raising effort,” Oswalt said. “Central Texas Medical Center is an active part of our SMA Bear Club, and we are glad to help them out in return. We also are proud to be trailblazers in sports marketing by doing something no Texas team has done before.”

Central Texas Medical Center is a 178-bed hospital providing a wide range of healthcare services in San Marcos and neighboring communities. The hospital was established in 1960, and the present facility opened in 1983. In late 2009, CTMC completed a $35 million expansion and renovation on a 64,000 square foot Women's Center that includes all private rooms, a Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and a new cardiac inpatient nursing unit with all private rooms. It also includes an on-site, high-risk delivery suite and a customized cesarean section suite.

According to 3News in New Zealand, the San Antonio Spurs are bringing in Kirk Penney to fight for a roster spot in training camp.

If that name doesn't ring a bell, it's because you didn't watch the FIBA World Championship.

Simply put, Penney was New Zealand.

The 6-5 Breakers guard averaged 24.7 points in six games and scored 37 points against Lithuania.

Penney's invitation to training camp isn't much of a surprise. The Spurs have been working out shooting specialists all summer, and while I may have a beef with the front office's decision to bring in so many guards, instead of addressing the void at backup small forward, I'll make an exception for Penney.

Penney can flat out shoot the ball. He may not kill you with athleticism or speed, but if he's spotted up on the outside or open from mid-range, you're in trouble.

He made 45.8 percent of his shots from the field during the World Championship and 55 percent of his two-point baskets.

Penney played at the University of Wisconsin, where he formed a dangerous backcourt duo with the New Jersey Nets' Devin Harris.

His only NBA experience came with the Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Clippers in two 10-day contracts, but played with the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the D-League in March to prepare himself for the World Championship in Turkey.

I can see Penney playing a role similar to Steve Kerr's, but he'll likely be competing with Gary Neal, Curtis Jerrells, Alonzo Gee among others to compete for a roster spot.

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According to ESPN Dallas, the San Antonio Spurs have expressed interested in free agent forward Ike Diogu:

Diogu's agent, Thad Foucher, wasn't available Monday night, but Diogu said that Denver, Utah and San Antonio are the last three teams that have expressed interest. New Orleans, Diogu said, is out of the picture.

Diogu has dealt with a knee injury but said he is fully recovered and ready to produce for an NBA team:

He said if teams are concerned about his knee, recent MRI exams show no structural damage.

"The knee is fine, no problems at all with it. Basically it's a non-issue," Diago said. "I'm good to go."

At 6'9" 250 lbs., Diogu is a big guy and could help the Spurs in the paint. He can grab some rebounds and play some defense but DeJuan Blair plays a similar role for the team.

Though Diogu would help, right now the Spurs' priority should be looking to add a backup small forward.

Throughout the San Antonio Spurs' 2009-2010 season we here at Project Spurs left a poll question for most of the season asking who was the season MVP -- Tim Duncan or Manu Ginobili?

The debate ran the spectrum of arguments with Spurs fans settling on Duncan being the seasons' first-half MVP and Ginobili being the seasons' second-half MVP.

Duncan started off strong when the team came out of the gates slow. Putting up solid numbers despite being considered "over the hill" for NBA standards. However, in the second half of the season, he slowed down.

Ginobili's season was the opposite. After starting off the season slow, battling injuries and recovering from ankle surgery, he fought back after the All-Star break and went on a tear.

Hard to argue for just one of them because without both the Spurs probably would not have won 50 games and make it past the first round of the playoffs against the Dallas Mavericks.

But in the end, the poll question asked for fans to pick one.

Well the fans spoke out and voted on who was the MVP for the Spurs for the 2009-2010 season.

After 399 votes, the fans voted for . . .

Agree with the Spurs fans who voted? Does Ginobili deserve to be voted as the MVP?

In an interview with eurosport.fr, San Antonio Spurs' guard Tony Parker spoke about playing for the French national team, the New York Knicks trade rumors, his struggles last season, the Spurs' last shot at a title and more:

Before that, he will bounce back after a difficult season in San Antonio ...

TP: It's true that I had a lot of small injuries (foot, hand and ankle, ed.). I think it was a sign. My body told me stop because I followed up during all these years with the NBA and the team of France. Since my 14 years I played 11 out of 13 summers.That's why I decided to rest this time to rebound in the coming years.

For you, this season will be crucial ...

TP: This is my last contract year so he'll have to make a big season. But I do not want to waste my time thinking about these things. When you think about it too much, you're not performing. I'm going to focus more on the fact that we need to play well with the Spurs. We must again become a headliner, because last year we did not really made a big season (San Antonio was eliminated in the semifinals of the Western Conference, ed.). With new players arrived and the fact that I, Manu (Ginobili) and Tim (Duncan) did not play with our national teams, I hope we will be there right away and we will succeed big season.

You had announced emphatically in New York ...

TP: These are rumors. I can not control them. When you have one year contract, everyone will speak. Tony will go here, Tony will go there ... I can not do anything against that.

Tiago Splitter can bring to Spurs?

TP: I think it will bring us a lot. It is a very intelligent player. He won titles in Europe, so he knows what it takes to win. Thanks to playing with Tim Duncan, I think it will be less pressure. The pressure will be on Duncan, Ginobili or me. Will be freer to do what he wants and it will be time to learn.

Is this the last adventure for the trio Parker-Ginobili, Duncan?

TP: Yes. Personally, I think this will be our last real chance to win a title. Duncan aging. This is our last chance.

For the complete interview click here.

• Buford on new additions, offseason goals

Spurs.com recently interviewed Spurs' General Manager R.C. Buford to discuss the outlook for the 2010-11 season.

Spurs.com – What were the goals and needs of the team leading into this past summer? 
RC – We wanted to do what we could to keep together a group that had a lot of transition last year and to have a great deal of internal improvement. We wanted to add a big next to Tim Duncan, a wing defender and improve our shooting.

Spurs.com – Did all of that really start with extending Manu’s contract last season?
RC – Yes. That jump started the process.

Spurs.com – You added a big in Tiago Splitter during the offseason. What are the expectations?
RC – It’s exciting to bring Tiago into our program. I think we have to be fair to him though and allow him the time to transition into a pretty sophisticated environment. He’s played a lot of places, but this will be new to him from both the standpoints of our system and the NBA as a whole. 

Spurs.com – What does 2010 first round draft pick James Anderson bring to the table and how is his health?
RC – From a wing perspective, he has good size for his position. He had a prolific college career and as a scorer he meets one of our needs. He’s been rehabilitating his hamstring almost the entire summer with the intention of being ready for training camp, so we really haven’t seen a lot of him in our summer development program.

For more, including Buford's thoughts on Gary Neal, Alonzo Gee, Curtis Jerrells, Garrett Temple and Danny Ferry's role with the team, go to Spurs.com for the full interview.

• Duncan among most likable sports personalities

In an article in the Charlotte Observer, some of the most likable and unlikable athletes were listed, according to their
"Q" Score.

Q scores essentially measure "likeability" according to the American public through extensive data surveys and research. There were 1,800 men and women of various racial backgrounds, broken down into percentages consistent with the latest census, who ranked 198 sports personalities from most liked to least liked earlier this year.

The list of likeables had just two African Americans, Michael Jordan and Tim Duncan.

Not surprisingly, Lebron James and Ben Roethlisberger were among the least likable.

• Spurs work out Gilder

Today, the Spurs worked out 6-9 forward Trey Gilder.

Gilder split time between the Albuquerque Thunderbirds and the Maine Red Claws in the D-League last season and also spent some time with the Memphis Grizzlies.

He averaged one point per game with the Grizzlies and 14.6 points and 5.6 rebounds for the Thunderbirds and Red Claws.

Gilder appears to be a player in the mold of Hakim Warrick, a big that needs to add some bulk, weighing in at 205 lbs.

The Spurs likely brought Gilder in to see if he was worthy of an invite to training camp, which starts next week.

For more on Gilder, check out a profile Jon of Ridiculous Upside wrote on him while he was still a rookie with the 14ers.

• Tissot signs Tony Parker to ambassador team

Swiss watchmaker Tissot signed Spurs guard Tony Parker as a Global Ambassador today.

Tissot is the official timekeeper for FIBA and gave the FIBA World Championship MVPs watch awards.

French professional basketball player Tony Parker is joining the high profile Tissot ambassador team. This appointment adds a further highlight to the brand's passion for the fast-paced, precision-dependent sport.

Parker joins Danica Patrick and several other professional athletes on the ambassador team.