Basketball: One more shot at the big time for Marks

By MARTIN DAVIDSON

Sean Marks hopes he's found a semi-permanent locker to call his own with the San Antonio Spurs.

Marks has joined his third US National Basketball Association team in five years, and the Tall Blacks forward is desperately keen to stay in Texas.

The reigning NBA champions signed Marks as a free agent for pre-season training last month and were impressed enough to hire him this week on a fulltime deal until January, when his position will be reviewed.

But it has at least given Marks, 28, a lifeline as he strives to nail down a regular NBA spot.

After the season opening 83-82 win against the Phoenix Suns, Marks is excited at his latest opportunity on basketball's biggest stage.

His position on the star-studded Spurs roster means he needs to be patient as he looks to get some game time after four years of intermittent appearances, first with the Toronto Raptors and for the past two years with the Miami Heat.

A string of injuries - and intense competition for places - have restricted the 2.08m forward to only 57 NBA matches in that time, 23 of them last season. He will not add to that tally immediately, his placing on the Spurs reserves list meaning he will watch their opening five matches from the stands.

"Minutes on court are going to be tough to come by because this team is stacked," Marks said from San Antonio.

"We have a lot of good players in every position here.

"I am going to have to work my way into the rotation and that may take a month, it might take two, it might take four or five . . . I just don't know."

The Spurs have an eclectic mix of players, headlined by Tim Duncan, who this year became the first player to win successive NBA most valuable player awards since Michael Jordan in 1992.

The 2.13m superstar stuck with the Spurs after signing a seven-year deal worth $213 million. Slovenian Radoslav Nesterovic is on a six-year deal worth $70 million.

Eight nationalities figure on the roster including Frenchman Tony Parker, Brazilian Alex Garcia, Argentine Emanuel Ginobili and Australian guard Shane Heal.

Marks said simply making the San Antonio roster was a big thrill.

"My first goal was just to make this team. It's a great team to make and a fantastic organisation. It was high on my priority list.

"At the beginning I think I was looked at as just another body for the training camp. I think I surprised them with my athletic ability," said Marks, who is being used in a power forward or centre's role at practice, banging bodies with Duncan.

"I couldn't ask for anything more. Every day in practice I get to mark Tim Duncan. When you're guarding the NBA MVP and probably the best player in the world it's pretty fantastic. It should be great for my game as well."

Duncan has impressed Marks on a personal level. Not for him the boorish, selfish behaviour so often exhibited by basketball's elite.

"He's a great guy. He's open to helping me out as well.

"He's given me plenty of advice so he's helped make my stay here a pleasant one."

Marks said the professionalism of the Spurs outfit meant he experienced little difficulty in adjusting to a new team, new city, new coach in Gregg Popovich and new strategies.

"I'm actually lucky to be in such an organisation and with a coach who is just so fantastic.

"Everything I've seen and heard about the Spurs organisation and coach 'Pop' have just been great things.

"Hopefully, I'll make it the whole year and can really contribute to this team, whether it's in practice, play or on the floor, whatever."

Marks enters the season feeling refreshed and raring to go.

After an almost constant battle with injuries, he is now in good physical shape after enjoying his first summer off in eight years.

"After last year when I had a terrible time with injuries I feel my body was starting to shut down because I hadn't had a season off for a long time."

Marks had words of encouragement for compatriot Kirk Penney, whose plans to become only the second New Zealander to play in the NBA were frustrated when he was cut by the Minnesota Timberwolves this week.

"I don't think this is the last we've seen of Kirk with an NBA uniform," said Marks, who had kept in almost daily contact with Penney during the past three weeks.

"I think there's good possibilities out there for him still and hopefully there will be a good little surprise for him just around the corner.

"I know he can play in this league and I know he knows that now."

Sean Marks

Position: Centre-forward.

Born: August 23, 1975.

Height: 2.08m.

Weight: 113.4kg.

* Selected by New York Knicks in second round (44th overall) of 1998 NBA draft.

* Traded by Knicks to Toronto Raptors 24/6/98.

* Made NBA debut, becoming first New Zealander to appear in an NBA game, in a 100-85 win over the New Jersey Nets on 16/3/99.

* Signed as a free agent by Miami Heat 1/10/01.

* Signed by San Antonio Spurs as a free agent on 29/9/03.

- NZPA