This is our second in a series of training camp profiles. Today we’ll take a look at Anthony Lever-Pedroza. For yesterday’s profile on Keith Langford, click here.
Being the son of of a former NBA All-Star couldn’t hurt a guy’s chances of getting a roster spot. But Anthony Lever-Pedroza, son of former Nuggets great Fat Lever, is in Spurs camp to earn his own way and battle it out to get a chance to fill the last roster spot on a championship team.
Pedroza comes into camp off an impressive summer playing for the Mexican national team in the FIBA America’s Championship. Mexico may not have won or secured a spot in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, but Pedroza and team Mexico certainly opened some eyes, including a set of eyes that belong to the GM of the 2007 NBA Champions.
In the tournament, the 6-3 guard averaged 13.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists in about 27 minutes of playing time. One of his most impressive performances came against the United States, showing a good all around game with 19 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists.
The American-born Pedroza is an accurate shooter with good range. He could stand to improve a bit in the areas of ball handling and athleticism, but he makes his money with his shot. At Canyon Del Oro High School in Tucson under his given name of Anthony Norwood, he was a USA Today All-America honorable mention and broke Mike Bibby’s state scoring record by averaging 29 points. He was also one of Oregon’s sharpshooter’s and helped the team to the Elite 8.
Pedroza is undersized at 6-3 and 185 lbs. to play shooting guard in this league and he’s definitely not a point guard. The Spurs are already stockpiled with shooting guards and have three point guards on the roster, so I don’t think he has much of a chance to get more than the non-guaranteed contract he has today. From watching his games with Mexico, he has a bit of a strange and high release on his shot, which makes it difficult to defend even for taller guards, but unless he bulks up and adds some athleticism and quickness to his game, I really can’t see him earning the last roster spot based on his shooting alone.
Check back tomorrow as we profile yet another guard, former Memphis standout Darius Washington.
