Observations on Rudymania
Filed under Blazer Beat on March 17, 2008
Keywords: NBA, Portland Trailblazers, Rudy Fernandez
If you’ve followed the Portland Trailblazers for more than 10 years, your familiar with the term “Blazermania.” Well, there’s a new “-mania” in Stumptown, and it revolves around 2007 NBA Draft choice and current ACB basketball player Rudy Fernandez. Fans are excited by the Spanish athlete’s flair for big-time plays.
It’s unfortunate that the lack of playing time given to Rudy’s friend Sergio might affect his decision. The situations are apples to oranges. Portland has a plethora of point guards, with the most talented splitting time between the 1 and 2 positions because of a lack of a true shooting guard. I’m not the first to realize bringing Rudy on would allow McMillan to slide Brandon Roy to point guard permanently.
Portland definitely needs a shooting guard who consistently produces double digits. Neither Martell Webster or Travis Outlaw (they could be shooting guards as easily as small forwards) are starting material on a championship-caliber NBA team due to their unreliable offense and deficient defense. There might be some competition at the start of the season as Rudy acclimates to the NBA, but once he finds his rhythm, the starting slot would be his.
Does Portland need Rudy to win championships? Nah. Roy, Aldridge and Oden are enough, but Rudy would certainly fill a hole and cement the Blazers’ rise to prominence in the NBA.
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