The Official Site of DJ Augustin

Wed, Dec 17th 2008, 09:35

Life As A Rookie: D.J. Augustin

The Charlotte Bobcats
got mixed reviews when they drafted University of Texas point guard D.J. Augustin with the ninth overall pick of the 2008 NBA Draft. There were questions about his shooting touch, and whether or not he could knock down the NBA three. So far this season, however, Augustin is proving his doubters wrong.

“He’s nice, man,” says Emeka Okafor. “He’s going to be real nice. Of course, he’s still a rookie, trying to figure out what’s going on and he’s doing great so far. Once he really gets his bearings and gets comfortable, the sky’s the limit for that young man. “

After shooting 44% from college three, Augustin is showing he can make the adjustment to hit the longer NBA trey. He’s hitting precisely the same percentage from long range for the Bobcats with roughly a quarter of the season under his belt.

“He’s a special player,” beams Matt Carroll. “He’s proven that he can be a top player and definitely a top point guard in this league. He’s a smart floor leader, he’s skilled offensively and I think he’s surprising people with how well he can shoot the ball all the way out to NBA three. He’s great at running the team, he has a great handle, he gets in the lane, he can pass – he really doesn’t have many weaknesses.”

“He’s a player, man,” agrees Adam Morrison. “He can score, can pass it, basically do it all. He’s starting to find his groove, and that’s something this team needs. He’s bringing us help off the bench, and he’s doing a great job. He’s only going to get better, too.”

Augustin has a leg-up as he prepared to play in the NBA, as UT alum T.J. Ford takes a special interest in the program at his alma mater. He loves what he’s seeing from Augustin, who credits T.J. with some of his early success.

“T.J. told me to be sure and take care of my body,” says Augustin. “It’s a long season – we’ve already played almost a whole college season. He told me to take care of my body, get my rest, and make sure I drink a lot of fluids. That’s the best advice I’ve gotten so far.”

It’s not just Ford who has been instrumental in Augustin’s world of basketball, however. From a young age his father nurtured his love of basketball.

“My dad always pushed me,” says Augustin. “He didn’t force me to play basketball or anything, but he saw that I loved it and he told me I had to work hard to be the best. He pushed me to work hard, and so did my coaches. My high school coach, my AAU coach, and Coach Barnes kept pushing me to work hard and it’s paying off now.

“Coach Barnes is a great coach. He prepared me to play in the NBA, and coming in I really felt prepared. I knew what I had to do to play at this level and he really taught me those things. I think it’s important for a player to go to college and learn some of the fundamentals so they can be ready to play at this level.”

Now that he’s hit the big time, Augustin is getting hands-on training from one of the coaching legends. New Bobcats head coach
Larry Brown is hoping to turn things around for the struggling Bobcats, and that starts with helping Augustin take his game to the next level.

“The way he runs the team and his effort on the defensive end has been terrific. He’s a better shooter than people thought and it’s a learning experience for him. He’s not using screens very well on pick-and-rolls; he sometimes turns away from the screen and gets himself hung up in the lane, but he’s been great to work with and he’s had a terrific start.”

Continue reading at HoopsWorld….