Another Kings’ Rook With Game
- Though everyone knows who Kings’ rookie Tyreke Evans is, some NBA watchers might not know who this 21-year-old Israeli kid. But you will.
The first few times I watched Omri Casspi, I came away with mixed opinions. On some nights, he was far from impressive and a liability, but there were other nights when I’d softly whisper damn, like a January outing when the Kings visited the Lakers. Though Sacramento lost at the buzzer, when Kobe delivered one of his patented game-winners, the Kings were pushing the defending champs around as easily as a shopping cart for much of the contest. Casspi, a rookie and the first Israeli-born player to play in the NBA, was holding his own defending against Kobe. Further, he was dictating on offense and banging his chest, particularly after a breakaway dunk silenced the L.A. crowd. He finished with a career-high 23 points and 6 rebounds. After that, I was convinced this dude had skills to make a name for himself in the league.
But the return of Kevin Martin has stolen some of Casspi’s thunder. He’s still one of the team’s key contributors, averaging 12 points per game. But as Coach Paul Westphal says, sometimes Casspi’s rookie mistakes hurt him. Still, for a first-year player, the 6-9 forward has been a good addition to the Kings.
Sacramento Bee
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