‘I’m sure they love having him in the gym,’ coach Brian Dutcher says
The screen dividing the courts at San Diego State’s JAM Center practice facility came down. The intensity went up.
It’s not the first time Leonard has conducted offseason training at the JAM Center or elsewhere in San Diego. It’s actually a fairly regular occurrence. But for this SDSU roster, half of which are newcomers, having “Y” practicing on the adjacent court is a new experience. He was on the original 12-man roster. USA Basketball representatives came to Los Angeles in early July to assess his progress after knee inflammation cut short his NBA season in the first round of the playoffs. Then he participated in three practices at Team USA’s training camp in Las Vegas last week.
“I was, quite frankly, very disappointed with the decision,” Frank said. “Kawhi wanted to play. We wanted him to play. I was there the first two practices. He looked very good and was a full participant in everything they did. … I really wish they would have given Kawhi more time. Pierce was a key figure, both in public and behind the scenes, helping SDSU win the ballot referendum allowing it to purchase the Mission Valley property from the city and then build Snapdragon Stadium, the centerpiece of a major campus expansion. The stadium’s upper suite level is named in his honor. Dutcher presented him with a Final Four ring.
Keshad Johnson, who signed a two-way contract with the Miami Heat shortly after going undrafted, is averaging 10.5 points and 6.0 rebounds in 25.1 minutes in two Las Vegas games. He has a slight advantage in that he played three prior summer league games in Northern California, including a 21-point, eight-rebound performance against the Los Angeles Lakers.
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