The Spurs started training camp yesterday with a few new faces and as we did last season, we’ll profile one player per day to give you an inside look at the players competing to wear the silver and black.
Height — 6 ft 9in
Weight — 242 lbs
Position — Forward
Born — June 1, 1985
College — Creighton University
Draft — Undrafted
Anthony Tolliver was signed by the Spurs this summer after standing out in this years Vegas and Rocky Mountain Summer League. However Tolliver’s journey to the NBA has been full of travels. Originally undrafted, in 2008 he played for the the Iowa Energy of the NBDL and played for the Eisbären Bremerhaven in the German Basketball Bundesliga. Also in 2008, he was the 2nd round draft choice for the Butte, Montana Daredevils of the CBA. Also, in 2007 he found a spot with the Cleveland Cavaliers but was waived later that year after only playing 3 games.
While playing with the Spurs in the Vegas Summer League, he averaged 12.3 points and 5.0 rebounds in 23.0 minutes while shooting .571 (12-21) from the field and .615 (8-13) from three-point land. During the Rocky Mountain Revue, he averaged 11.5 points and 3.5 rebounds in 26.5 minutes and went 53.3 percent (8-15) of his shots form beyond the arc.
What made him stand out was his ability to shoot the ball. Last year, the Spurs went cold on offense and especially during crucial times during the playoffs. With no help from the bench, the Spurs sputtered on offense at times. Tolliver, should he make the team, would be a nice offensive punch coming from the Spurs bench. In addition, his three-point shooting should fill the void left on the team after seeing Brent Barry and Robery Horry leave. However his defense is suspect and his post game is questionable.
The contract is not fully guaranteed which means he will have to earn a roster spot b ut he does fill a need for the Spurs, a big man who can hit shots.
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