November 30, 2008:
The Blazers, coaches and broadcasters have been stuck on the team plane in Detroit for the past 3 hours waiting for the weather to clear so we can fly to New York. Still with plenty of time on my hands after wearing down my cell phone battery, eating my second meal out of boredom, and taking some serious grief from Ricey about my “far-too-large-handbag”, I turned my attention to work. I realized that for the second time this season, one of the best veterans in the NBA gave props to LaMarcus Aldridge’s game. Here’s how the story unfolds:
Before the season started San Antonio’s Bruce Bowen said Aldridge was the one player in the Western Conference most likely to have a breakout year. And now before the Blazers battled the Pistons in Auburn Hills, it’s Rasheed Wallace. When asked about the matchup between the two players, Detroit Head Coach Michael Curry said, “Sheed really likes Aldridge. He thinks he’s got great footwork, plays both ends of the court and scores inside and out. He’s a young guy with the total package and you know if Sheed is even talking about him, he’s got to be pretty good.”
Ever since Wallace left Portland and Aldridge came in, the two have been coined “Big Sheed” and “Little Sheed” for their effortless high-release jumpers that are nearly impossible to block.
I caught up with LA post free throws that he always shoots last in warm-ups, and asked what it means to have yet another veteran respect his game. He said, “It’s an honor. When I was in college, I watched film on him (Wallace) when he played in Portland. He has that high release and gets to the baseline so I tried to model my game after him.”
By the end of the first quarter, the score was 25 to 13 Blazers with 13 of those points belonging to Aldridge on 6 for 8 shooting while Wallace was 0 for 2. After the game, with one win down and four to go on this five-game road swing, the Blazers shot 52.2%, with LaMarcus leading the team with 27 points. And in the locker room after the contest, despite the fact that LA was the dominant 4-man in the game, Aldridge said he didn’t mind the moniker “Little Sheed” because “He’s a great player, a hall of famer…he’s one of the best big shooters around, so I don’t mind the comparison.”
Complete with a humble attitude, Aldridge’s game continues to grow and it is being noticed by proven veterans around the league...and beyond. Just like he watched Wallace in college, I’m sure there are plenty of “Little LA’s” out there who are now trying to emulate Aldridge’s game too.
