After a roller coaster rookie year, San Antonio Spurs' Nando De Colo is making the most of his EuroBasket 2013 playing time, in preparation for the 2013-14 NBA season.
The 26-year-old De Colo’s off-season has been a busy one. From the shooting guard experiment in Las Vegas Summer League, to his time with the French national team, it’s obvious that the sophomore guard is eager to prove himself in the NBA.
Via EuroBasket2013:
But the thought of not responding to coach Vincent Collet's call did not cross his mind, as for him playing for France goes hand-in-hand with his personal development.
"This summer I wanted to come to the national team because since three-four years we've been working together and we want to do something important for our country."
"I also try to work on myself, to improve and be prepared for next season too, and I can do both at the same time.
De Colo’s ambitious playmaking, which managed to impress in small doses, mostly earned the French combo guard DNP’s and trips to Austin to continue his development. But in France, the consistent playing time can only help.
Even if France looks different, De Colo's role on the team remains basically unchanged.
He contributes about 20 quality minutes in every encounter and serves as a jack of all trades for Collet in the backcourt, averaging 8.8 points and 1.9 rebounds-per-game so far in the tournament.
There’s no denying his ability to score and distribute off the bench, but with his fluidly changing role on the Spurs and constant costly turnovers, maybe this offseason is exactly what he needs to take his NBA game to the next level.
If not, his expiring contract could be a slight asset when the trade deadline comes around. Not to mention Patty Mills and Cory Joseph chomping at the bit to move up in Coach Pop’s rotation.
