The Official Site of DJ Augustin

Sat, Nov 8th 2008, 14:27

D.J. Augustin proves a quick study for Charlotte Bobcats

New Orleans native D.J. Augustin got an early start on his pregame workout Friday night, hitting the Time Warner Cable Arena floor about two hours before tip-off in anticipation of facing his home town team as a professional.

Augustin, one of two first-round draft picks for the Charlotte Bobcats, got to face off against the player many consider the best point guard in the league in the Hornets’ Chris Paul.

To Augustin, Paul is more than just a professional acquaintance.

“It’s always fun to go up against one of the best, “ said Augustin, who prepped at Brother Martin before Hurricane Katrina forced him and his family to Texas, where he finished his high school career before heading to the University of Texas. “After the storm, we kind of got close. We’d talk here and there, but that was about it. He’s a great player. He works hard.”

Augustin’s coach in Charlotte, Larry Brown, was saying the same thing about his latest protege Friday night.

“He’s been well coached and got great character, “ said Brown, who might be making room for Augustin sooner rather than later in the Bobcats’ starting lineup. “He’s trying to be perfect, and that’s not always the best. There isn’t anything we’ve told him that he hasn’t already heard or isn’t willing to try. I think he’s going to be fine.”

Augustin has played in all four of Charlotte’s games this season, averaging 21 minutes a game off the bench in place of starter Raymond Felton. He has two double-digit scoring efforts (12 in his NBA debut at Cleveland, 14 in a season-high 26 /1/2 minutes in Wednesday’s game against the New York Knicks, when he got to play against another metro-New Orleans player, Chris Duhon (Salmen High and Slidell).

But Friday was the chance to be schooled by Paul, last season’s MVP runner-up.

“Anybody goes against Chris, it’s a test, “ Brown said. “But I think D.J. really admires Chris. They’re good friends. I’d like him to play a little more like him. D.J. wants to get everybody involved, and he’s a great competitor. It should be fun for him.”

Augustin said he’s taking every outing, every practice as a learning experience.

“You can learn a lot from each player every game, “ Augustin said. “That’s how I’m looking at it. I go out each game and try to learn from my teammates and other players. It’s always a learning experience. You never know. You’ve got to be ready any time you get an opportunity. You go in and do what the coach needs you to do. In this league you’ve got to be ready at all times.”

Yet Friday night’s game, he admitted, was just a little more special.

“It’s always going to be my home, New Orleans, “ Augustin said. “I’m going to have fun playing against them, but just like every other game, we’ve just got to go out and play hard.”

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