Injuries and professional basketball go hand in hand like problems and opportunity. It’s only natural that important players will eventually get hurt and wear down every season; in the process seriously affecting the way history will remember a certain team, player or coach. If the timing is terrible, as it recently was with Kevin Garnett, Jameer Nelson and Andrew Bynum, a year of hard work can quickly go down the drain.
This is why in the end general managers are truly judged on the depth they’re able to create. Anybody can draft Lebron James or Dwight Howard, it’s the duty of finding those “just-in-case†guys who can step in and reincarnate the energy, statistics and intangibles that the fallen starter would have provided that separate the dependable decision makers from Ernie Grunfeld.
With the exciting label of young and talented team on the come up, Portland has seen more debilitating injuries this season than most could weather. Greg Oden, who’s favorite childhood hobby was cracking mirrors, and his fellow seven foot tag-team partner Joel Pryzbilla both had season ending leg injuries. When the two went down, Portland’s playoff run slowed to a speed walk. Their once powerful front line was relegated to the defensively liable LaMarcus Aldridge, 68-year-old Juwan Howard and a second round draft pick who had off season hip surgery.
That rookie? His name’s Jeff Pendergraph and he’s quickly becoming Portland’s heart and soul. Had Pryzbilla and Oden been born with stronger appendages in their lower half Pendergraph would have likely seen less action than Stephon Marbury, but they weren’t and he’s stepped it up.
What makes Pendergraph so interesting is the role he’s been thrust into for one of the league’s more competitive teams. After a disappointing first round exit courtesy of the Houston Rockets last year, Brandon Roy said the one thing his team needed was toughness. At a chiseled 240 pounds, Pendergraph fits like a glove.
What he does when in a game is very routine. Very unexciting. Very secreted. Very important. On offense his literal existence revolves around using his wide frame to set picks for the Trailblazers’ many scorers. Having the ball in his hands is a rarity he’s accepted and canoodled with.
At just 6’ 9†he’s playing undersized at center, but still doing the gritty things on defense that gets him under his opponent’s skin. He takes charges and prohibits lay-ups by doling out hard fouls all the while supplying unprecedented rookie energy.
Since entering the regular rotation, Pendergraph has become the center of attention during pre-game introductions. His teammates crowd around him, like the bad boys used to do with Sheed, and pandemonium ensues. Tagged the Pendergraph pre-game pow-wow by the Oregonian, the rookie has become a motivational pawn. The players love him, the fans love him, his head coach (who’s son was Pendergraph’s teammate at Arizona State) loves him.
While the more reserved Oden and Pryzbilla wouldn’t likely be caught dead as a monkey in the middle center of interest, Pendergraph has embraced it, hopping, shrieking and waving his arms every which way. Now his teammates embrace him.
Has it been mentioned he’s only a rookie? Not that Pendergraph is the second coming of Moses Malone or, heaven forbid, Kenyon Martin, but his actual game will certainly improve; with his fearless, free spirited attitude surely creating a long and productive career.
It’s a timeless situation not just in sports, but in life. Where there’s a major problem, opportunity isn’t far behind. Jeff Pendergraph is a testament to it.
