Tag: K.J. Martin

Kobe Bryant’s impact is still being felt throughout the NBA

“He was a model for young guys,” #Rockets coach Stephen Silas says of the late Kobe Bryant. “He came into the league with that drive, passion, grit, and meanness.”

On Jan. 26, 2020, the world stopped as news of a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, was reported. Among the nine killed in the tragic incident were retired Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna.

The NBA community was at a loss as most players and fans could not fathom the thought they would never see the “Black Mamba” sitting courtside with his daughter enjoying being a “Girl Dad” again. As a tribute to Bryant, several teams opted for 24-second shot clock violations to pay homage to his retired No. 24 jersey.

Three years later, the five-time NBA Finals champion and Hall of Fame player’s memory remains strong throughout the league.

“He was a model for young guys,” said Houston Rockets head coach Stephen Silas during his pregame press conference on Thursday. “He came into the league with that drive, passion, grit and meanness. All those things you want from a player on your team.”

Silas was a scout with the Charlotte Hornets in 2002 when he witnessed the ferocity of Bryant firsthand on February 22, 2002.

“My first year when I was in Charlotte, one of the first games when I was a scout and sat behind the bench, he made a game-winner in classic Kobe style,” Silas said. “He was always so driven and committed to, for lack of a better word, killing his opponent.”

Cleveland Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who was in Houston for Thursday’s game, also witnessed Bryant’s greatness firsthand as an assistant coach with the Hornets during many of those years.

“It was special,” Bickerstaff said. “There are very few people that draw the attention that he was able to draw and could live up to that expectation every single day. Greatness is measured on a whole other level. Every single night they take the opponent’s best shot.”

Bickerstaff continued his comments:

Every single night, buildings sell out because this person is coming to town, and they wanted to see Kobe play at his best, and he took that to heart. He didn’t go anywhere and disappoint any fan anywhere. He didn’t go anywhere and did not give his opponent his best shot.

You admired the way he competed and how important the game was to him. He never let the outside stuff become more important than the game, and as a coach, you have so much admiration and appreciation for that.

Although Bryant retired in 2016 as the fourth-leading scorer in NBA history, he made an even greater name for himself away from the court. In 2018, he even received an Oscar for best animated short film for “Dear Basketball.” He also became a staple in women’s basketball, lending his voice and time to advance the game his daughter Gigi loved on the collegiate and professional levels (WNBA).

Third-year Rockets forward KJ Martin, a Los Angeles native, took some time before the game to reflect on what Bryant meant to him. As a child, Martin watched his dad, former NBA player Kenyon Martin Sr., battle Bryant on the court during an extended career.

“Growing up, he was always my favorite player,” Martin said from his locker. “Obviously, him and my dad had a lot of battles. In New Jersey (Nets), they played against each other in the finals, and in Denver (Nuggets), they played multiple times in the Western Conference finals. I got an opportunity after the game to get a game-worn pair of shoes (Kobe’s) that I still have to this day.”

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Rockets rookie K.J. Martin sees himself as a ‘three or four’ in NBA

“I look at myself like a three or four, really. Like the role that P.J. Tucker plays with us, with him guarding multiple positions.”

One of the unknowns with new Houston Rockets rookie K.J. Martin is where the athletic prospect might eventually play in the NBA.

Officially listed by the team at 6 feet, 6 inches and 215 pounds, his body type could play either as a guard or forward. In a new interview from training camp, Martin appears to be looking to the frontcourt — and he used veteran Rockets forward P.J. Tucker as a potential template.

Here’s what Martin told Rockets Wire on Friday:

I measured at the combine like 6-7 [6 foot, 7 inches], like 6-7 and a half with shoes. I look at myself like a three or four, really. Like the role that P.J. Tucker plays with us, with him guarding multiple positions.

That’s something that I’m going to do coming in. Just being able to guard multiple positions, and also hitting open shots and using my athleticism to my advantage, running up and down the court. I look at it as whatever my coach needs me to do, I’m gonna go out and do. Whether it’s to guard a two, guard a four, or be able to switch screens, I’m going to try to do everything.

The Rockets traded for the No. 52 pick in the NBA’s 2020 draft to select the 19-year-old, who happens to be the son of Kenyon Martin — the NBA’s No. 1 pick in the 2000 draft and a 15-year league veteran.

A three-star [high school] recruit from Sierra Canyon School in Los Angeles, Martin originally committed to play collegiately for Vanderbilt before opting for a postgraduate year at IMG Academy.

In the draft trade announcement, here’s how the team described him:

Martin spent last season with IMG Academy’s postgraduate team, which posted a 29-3 record, and averaged 19.6 points and 8.3 rebounds while shooting 69.1% from inside-the-arc.

The 19-year-old is the son of Kenyon Martin, who was the first overall pick in the 2000 NBA draft. Martin Jr. attended Sierra Canyon School in California, where he was teammates with Scotty Pippen Jr. and Cassius Stanley, who was selected by Indiana with the 54th overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft.

Martin has been described as “arguably the best athlete in the draft” and he did much better on the shooting drills at the NBA’s combine than many expected, shooting 71% in the 3-point endurance drill.

Martin’s contract is already fully guaranteed for the 2020-21 season, and the Rockets have team options for up to three more seasons after that. Those future years are important, because at Martin’s young age, he isn’t likely to have a prominent role this season on a team hoping to contend. But with Tucker now 35, Martin might figure into Houston’s plans to eventually replace the veteran’s production in the years ahead.

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Media Day highlights: K.J. Martin, David Nwaba, and Ben McLemore

Here are the key storylines from Friday’s interviews (Ben McLemore, David Nwaba, K.J. Martin) at Houston Rockets training camp.

Friday’s interviewees from Houston Rockets training camp were swingman David Nwaba, guard Ben McLemore, and rookie K.J. Martin.

For Nwaba, it was his first interview session since signing with the Rockets in June. Now 27 years old, the 6-foot-5 defensive stopper detailed his ongoing recovery from a torn Achilles, adding that he expects to be ready for the start of the NBA’s 2020-21 season later this month.

For Martin, Friday’s chat was the 19-year-old’s first media availability since being drafted at No. 52 overall. The 6-foot-6 prospect, whose father is Kenyon Martin (an accomplished player and the No. 1 pick in 2000), offered candid thoughts on the role of his NBA lineage; transitioning to the league; and his potential role with the Rockets in the years ahead.

Meanwhile, McLemore shared perspective on how he plans to build off his breakthrough season of 2019-20 — when he led the NBA’s most aggressive team from 3-point range with a 40.0% clip on 3-pointers.

From Twitter, here’s a roundup of the key takeaways from Friday’s media sessions at Toyota Center. The Rockets are still in the “individual workouts” phase of training camp, but they will transition to full group practices on Sunday. All players are expected to be in attendance and available to play at that time, per head coach Stephen Silas.

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