Australia's David Andersen officially signs with the Houston Rockets

[Saskibaloia]

Andersen a Hawk of a different feather
Thu, 13 Aug 2009 12:10 PM
By NBL


Former Wollongong Hawks centre David Andersen has been signed to a multi-year contract. by the NBA's Houston Rockets, the team's General Manager Daryl Morey has announced.

Per team policy, financial terms were not released. The Rockets originally acquired the rights to Andersen from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for cash and future considerations on July 14.

Andersen (6-11, 245, Australia), who was originally selected by Atlanta in the second round (37th overall) of the 2002 NBA Draft, joined the Rockets after spending the 2008-09 season with Regal FC Barcelona in Spain. Andersen averaged 11.1 points and 4.1 rebounds in helping FC Barcelona win the 2008-09 Spanish National Championship and a berth into the Euroleague Final Four. Andersen’s list of international accomplishments also includes three Euroleague titles with Virtus Bologna (2001) and CSKA Moscow (2006 and 2008). In addition, he was named to the 2004-05 All-Euroleague First Team while playing with CSKA Moscow.

A native of Carlton, Victoria, Andersen started his career at the Australian Institute of Sport before signing professionally with the Wollongong Hawks (1998-99). He then spent four seasons in Italy with Virtus Bologna (1999-2003) where he won the 2000-01 Italian National Championship, as well as the 2001 and 2002 Italian National Cup. Andersen joined Mens Sana Basket Siena for the 2003-04 campaign and helped capture another Italian National Championship that season. He played another four seasons with CSKA Moscow (2004-08), winning the 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07 and 2007-08 Russian National Championship. While with CSKA Moscow, Andersen also helped capture the 2005, 2006 and 2007 Russian National Cup.

Andersen participated with the Australian Boomers in the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games, averaging 6.5 points and 3.5 rebounds with Australia during the 2008 Beijing Games. He also took home a gold medal at the 2005 and 2007 Oceania Championship. A member of the Australian U-18 and U-22 National Teams, Andersen was named the 1998 Australian Junior Male Player of the Year.

This is wonderful news as this officially means that we have 3 Australians playing in the NBA and possibly a 4th in Patrick Mills, though the young bloke is injured.

I can see Mr Andersen doing well in this first year, though not dominating like Yao has been doing for the past few years. I believe that Andersen will slowly be able gel with former Euroleague superstar Argentina's Luis Scola in the front court along with the ultimate team player: Shane Battier.

However, it will be interesting to see how the Aussie/ Dane will be able to cope with the toughness of the NBA Bigs especially when he has to go up against more athletically gifted players and much muscular ones such as Superman and Shaq Daddy.

What are your predictions for Andersen's first year?

Will he be an immediate impact and put up double double figures and help the Rockets to the Western Conference Finals?

Or will he have a solid year providing the inside-outside presence that they expected him to provide?

And here's a random question for all the Aussie fans out there? If you were Coach Brett Brown, who would you have for your starting centre on the Aussie National Team? Would you choose Bogut or Andersen or Jawai?

For me, it would depend on who we are playing against. However, I prefer the soft touch of Andersen because it compliments the perimeter play of Valencia's Matty Nielsen however, those two aren't the best post defenders. Thus, I would prefer Nathan Jawai in the five spot for physical toughness alongside Andersen's soft post touch.

Or will he struggle completely with the long and tough 82 game season followed by the intense NBA Playoffs?

[Saskibaloia]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZlnVzmOn3c

[rikhardur]

First game of the season and a good display: 11 points (incl. a three) and 5 rebounds in 19 minutes. Rockets lost.

[FIBA Europe Basket]

Personally I think he fits much better in the NBA than in Euroleague. In the NBA it is much more important for a power forward to be able to spread the floor and also it's much harder to defend big men on the perimeter. Also, in the NBA defense is much less important than in the Euroleague. Sure Andersen is a bad rebounder and defender in the NBA but he is in Europe too. But offensively the NBA game suits him much more.

The only problem I see for Andersen is that he's really a power forward and the Rockets need him to play center. That will be difficult for him because you do need your center to guard the rim and rebound and Andersen is poor in those areas.

If Yao comes back healthy Andersen would be a perfect offensive compliment to him playing at PF. A better fit on offense than Scola is.

[Saskibaloia]

I predict that he'll have a solid year and make the All Rookie 2nd Team. I can imagine him putting up between 10 to 12ppg and grabbing 5 to 7rpg. However, due to the lack of offensive power, I can't see the Rockets making the playoffs.

[Saskibaloia]

David Andersen has been struggling as of late. In the last three games he has only played limited minutes and has only put up a few numbers in the stats line.

Prior to the season, it was expected that the Aussie/ Dane would start or play a key role in the Rockets this season especially since Yao is sidelined for the rest of the season. However, it hasn't turned out that way. There has been games where he has shown glimpses of the immense potential that he has and the offensive skills that he can bring to any team however, the vast majority of his games we have only seen a former Euroleague star struggling in the league.

What do you think is the reason for this?

Is it because his defensive skills in the post is not to NBA standards?

Is he too much of a European type centre who loves to play in the perimeter thus, reducing his chances of playing in a team where they desperately needed a post presence rather than a Bargnani type centre?

[silnismo]

Well, hes sharing minutes with carl landry, luis scola, chase budginer, and chuck hayes and adding the fact that its his rookie year; His minutes are about right. Now that carl landry is injured, expect him to play more minutes.

I like how he spaces the floor out and has the ability to knock down 3's.

But what he needs, is to develop more of a post up game. He's settling too much for the mid range shots, and should have a better shot selection.

[jugoplastika]

Published on November 16, 2009:

Rockets' rookie Andersen learning how to shove back

The Rockets knew the rookie could score, but has taken to the NBA game with rugged defense and rebounding

By JONATHAN FEIGEN
Copyright 2009 Houston Chronicle
Nov. 16, 2009, 11:06PM

The rebound was up for grabs, but no one was in position to grab it.

The Lakers' Lamar Odom got a hand on the ball. So did the Rockets' Shane Battier. Players converged toward the glass when the Rockets' David Andersen came in, going over the smaller bodies and through a hard foul by Derek Fisher to snare the rebound as far more traditional centers have for generations.

Andersen scored 19 points, his top offensive night in the first 10 games of his rookie season, helping the Rockets stun the Lakers 101-91 in Los Angeles and inspiring L.A. coach Phil Jackson to lament, “We knew he's a shooter, but we didn't see him play at that level.”

In many ways, the breakthrough was not with Andersen's shooting. The Rockets knew he could shoot, even at Sunday's 9-of-14 “level.” It was his improved defense and rebounding that allowed coach Rick Adelman to keep Andersen, 6-11, on the floor for 25 minutes, including the fourth quarter.

“He really battled (Andrew) Bynum,” Adelman said. “He's got to learn how to play people like that. He's got to hold his own at that end so he can be a factor at the other end. That's what's crucial. You just saw what he did: He stretched them out, and he was always the guy open. It's important that he can compete at that defensive end, though.”

Andersen knows that.

“You have to play good defense,” he said. “You can't just be shooting.”

The adjustment to the NBA was not a surprise, but it has been difficult. The combination of competing against different athletes than he saw in Australia and Europe and with different rules and defensive responsibilities has brought expected difficulties.

For all his pro experience, Andersen is an NBA rookie facing the customary challenges. He has impressed the Rockets by working overtime in video studies, meetings and drills.

“One side is defensively, what is allowed in the NBA and how you can play; it just takes time,” Rockets assistant coach Jack Sikma said. “Luis (Scola) went through the same thing when he got here. I think it's probably a three-month process.”

Adjustment to rules
It can be difficult after years under international rules, which allow centers to put themselves in the lane and in rebounding position. With that part of zone defenses prohibited in the NBA, and with the responsibilities to help in the defense, Andersen has had to rebound in different ways than in Europe.

“It's bigger bodies, and it's some of the rules,” Andersen, 29, said. “You're not allowed to just stand in the lane. You get put out of position more. You have to get after it more. It's all a bit more open. That makes it a bit more of a jumping contest sometimes.

“It's a lot of positioning. I have to get used to that. Also, it's hitting and getting after the ball. It's a thing I'm trying to learn. It's an adjustment. It's something I have to grow as a player.”

To some degree, Andersen seemed to have taken steps in that direction Sunday. Bynum took just two shots in the fourth quarter when matched up against him. With Andersen able to control Bynum (Bynum had three rebounds in 12 fourth-quarter minutes), the Rockets dominated the boards, and Adelman kept his center on the floor down the stretch for the first time.

Getting his shots
The Rockets believed Andersen could produce offensively. He has improved to 45.5 percent shooting (48.9 inside the 3-point arc), averaging 5.8 points and 2.5 rebounds in 12 minutes per game.

“It's going pretty good,” he said. “I'm just trying to figure things out, see where I fit in the rotation. It's been a growing thing, new experiences, new arenas. It's been pretty intense with all the travel. I have to get used to the NBA players, get used to the NBA refs, let people get to know me a bit, too. It's good. It's an adjustment. But it's fun.”

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...n/6724207.html

[Saskibaloia]

Andersen dropped 7/11 from the field including an impressive 3/3 from down town, along with 7 boards. Unfortunately, the Rockets would loose this encounter with the red hot Utah Jazz.

Andersen has been having an inconsistent first season but on this game he demonstrated that when he's on the ball, he can get red hot and can spread the defense all the way out to the 3 point territory. Unfortunately, the Aussie/ Danish shooting big man has to improve his defense.

[FIBA Europe Basket]

Andersen dropped 7/11 from the field including an impressive 3/3 from down town, along with 7 boards. Unfortunately, the Rockets would loose this encounter with the red hot Utah Jazz.

Andersen has been having an inconsistent first season but on this game he demonstrated that when he's on the ball, he can get red hot and can spread the defense all the way out to the 3 point territory. Unfortunately, the Aussie/ Danish shooting big man has to improve his defense.

Like I said before, he's a PF, not a C. I doubt that the Rockets GM ever even saw him play before he signed him.

[Saskibaloia]

Like I said before, he's a PF, not a C. I doubt that the Rockets GM ever even saw him play before he signed him.

I would say that he's a PF in the NBA but a C in Europe or international basketball. If you look at the videos of him playing in Europe you imagine Andersen being a Okur-type of player but they didn't realised that he's more of a poor man's version of Nowitzki or Bargniani.

[FIBA Europe Basket]

I would say that he's a PF in the NBA but a C in Europe or international basketball. If you look at the videos of him playing in Europe you imagine Andersen being a Okur-type of player but they didn't realised that he's more of a poor man's version of Nowitzki or Bargniani.

In Europe he played PF.

[bfpri]

Man was David Andersen this bad with Australia? The guy is soft, inconsistent and has terrible post defense...

[rikhardur]

Man was David Andersen this bad with Australia? The guy is soft, inconsistent and has terrible post defense...

He could be more consistent, I do agree. But you should have seen him play in Europe for CSKA and Barcelona. Maybe his game is not made for the NBA.

[Saskibaloia]

He could be more consistent, I do agree. But you should have seen him play in Europe for CSKA and Barcelona. Maybe his game is not made for the NBA.

His game is definitely NOT suited for the NBA. He's game is suited for the European leagues.

I think he might end up like Lithuania's Sarunas in terms of their NBA career. Sarunas was an awesome player in Europe but struggled in the NBA. Two different styles and two very, very different leagues.

[FIBA Europe Basket]

His game is definitely NOT suited for the NBA. He's game is suited for the European leagues.

I think he might end up like Lithuania's Sarunas in terms of their NBA career. Sarunas was an awesome player in Europe but struggled in the NBA. Two different styles and two very, very different leagues.

That is the NBA only world view of basketball and it is wrong and totally a myth. Jasikevicius was always the worst defensive guard in Euroleague and Andersen was always the worst defensive big man in Euroleague and probably the softest also (and yes he was a PF really).

This whole thing about NBA vs. Euroleague difference and how it relates to these players is a pure figment of the imagination of NBA only fans. Neither one of them could ever play a lick of defense. They were always awful defenders and that included playing in Europe.

The fact is nothing at all related to any difference in the two leagues. It's simply poor scouting by NBA teams. They are all surprised that these guys cannot defend a shadow once they get to the NBA simply because they never ever scouted these players.

NBA fans have a big delusion that somehow this is related to NBA vs. Euroleague when it has nothing to do with it. They were known as the worst defenders in Europe for years so why would they suddenly play defense in the NBA? Especially in the case of Andersen who is a soft PF with poor post defense and rebounding versus other power forwards in Europe, and is now asked to be a center by an NBA team that never bothered to scout him before signing him.

Andersen is in fact more suited to the NBA than Europe because of the open offense. He simply needs to be used as a spread the floor and high post face up PF/C with the understanding he cannot play defense and rebound. Something like how Channing Frye is used by the Suns. He would be perfectly fine playing next to Yao on offense, again with the understanding he cannot play defense and rebound. Using him as a center and asking him to rebound and play post D against other centers is nonsense. It just shows the Houston GM never even watched one game of his before singing him. He's known as a guy that just crunches numbers and does not actually scout.

Regardless, if you use Andersen on offense with Yao he will be fine, and you just have to accept he is soft and can't defend and rebound. Everyone knows it because his track record with Australia's national team and in Europe shows it. Regardless, his offense is not being used properly at all by the Rockets and he can definitely score in any league if used the right way.

The same with Jasikevicius. He could have averaged 15 points and 9 assists easily in the NBA if he was used properly and played enough minutes. He was way better than Calderon could ever dream of being on offense.

But see, Jasikevicius and Andersen never played D at any point in their lives. If NBA teams don't want that player then why did they sign them? It's nothing at all to do with NBA vs. Euroleague. Calderon is another example. He is a god awful defender in the NBA just like he was in Europe or in FIBA tournaments with his national team. But the Raptors don't seem to care that he can't guard anyone so he gets to play and can put up some numbers.

If Calderon went to an NBA team expecting him to play defense he would never see the court. He's slightly better on D than Jasikevicius was but far worse on offense if both would be used in the same way, which Jasikevicius was not in the NBA.

Point being, players are what they are. It has nothing to do with in this case being from the Euroleague. Kirilenko can defend whether he is in the Euroleague or the NBA because he is a defender. Same with guys like Khryapa and so forth. Calderon and Andersen can't play a lick of defense in the NBA because they never played defense anywhere. Brandon Jennings played no D in Europe, just like he plays none in the NBA.

It really is sad how the NBA only fan disease has totally permeated the opinion of world basketball. You see, if you take an NBA player that can't play D and put him in the Euroleague he gets abused there by offensive players. If you take a good defender from Euroleague and put him in NBA he will D up NBA players. Take a guy like Vasilopoulos from Euroleague and he can D up any NBA player, but he won't score. He will be the same player just like he is in Europe.

Whatever a player is, that's just what he is. Putting him in one league or the other does not change that. Just ask Josh Childress. He was a championship caliber role player in the NBA and that's exactly the same thing he is in the Euroleague.

Players are what they are, nothing to do with this imaginary NBA vs. Euroleague nonsense that NBA only fans come up with - these myths they create out of thin air.

Andersen has definite offensive game. If the Rockets GM wanted him, then he needed to understand how to use him properly, what actual position to play him at (PF) and that he will not guard anyone, is a poor rebounder, and that he is very soft. If he did not want such a player he should have never signed him. Any failing Andersen has in the NBA is 100% on the GM of the Houston Rockets. You have a guy played out of position and asked to focus on D and rebounding and physical play - all the things he struggles at his whole career, while not using him really on offense to how he can be used.

If the Rockets wanted a big man from Europe that is a true center, that can defend, that can block shots, that will rebound, that will give hard fouls, that will play physical basketball, that will clog the lane, and that will protect the rim then why in the hell did they sign a guy that never did that in his career?

If that is the case then the Rockets should signed for example Andreas Glyniadakis - someone like that, a Euroleague center that would fit that bill. David Andersen has nothing to do with what the Rockets seem to have signed him for. It's a clear case of how their GM's stat geekiness failed the team for signing a guy and having no idea what type of a player he is and how he would fit the needs of the team.

Believe me, you can sign Glyniadakis and get all the smack down you could ever imagine in the paint, but then again don't expect him to fit Adelman's offense and run up and down the court. He's a slow, plodding big man like Yao. See how this works? Andersen will be fine for the Rockets on offense if they play him next to Yao next year and just concede his poor defense and rebounding and soft style of play. And realize there are not too many 6-11 guys that can run the court and spread the floor - he does have value and yes, that includes NBA value.

If the Rockets want a physical true center then Europe had plenty of guys that would have been much better to sign and probably much cheaper. And the Rockets needed to understand they were signing a guy who was always known for being like a complimentary or finishing piece on good teams, not a lead player by any means. He was always surrounded by several better players on his teams in Europe and known for being a winner amongst such teams. So I am sure he would do much better on offense playing next to Yao with Yao taking defenders away and on a better team than what the Rockets are - a team that is something like a 35-40 win team.

Complimentary offensive players need to play next to lead players to succeed on offense. Andersen had that in Europe on his teams, who does he have in the Rockets? Scola? Not really, because you can't play Scola together with Andersen because they are both bad defenders and can't guard the paint and rim. Ariza? Seriously? Brooks.......he's just a ball-hogging midget SG (although a very talented scorer). Martin? Nope, he's a shooter and a slasher. Battier, Hayes? Don't make me laugh. Andersen does not have a prime Papaloukas or a prime Ginobili playing next to him to create opportunities for him like he did when he was playing in Europe. That's a pretty HUGE difference. Which would probably show if he had Yao next to him.

For all the obvious shortcomings that Andersen has and he is soft, he does have a tremendous skill set on offense for a big man. Whether he shows it or not in the NBA is more of a circumstance thing and not a league issue. Andersen is probably every bit as skilled on offense as Brad Miller is for example. But unlike Miller, he's really a PF and he won't rebound and he's soft. The Rockets should just use him for what he is. Play him at PF and let him run with Adelman's offense and give him some freedom and accept that he will give up some points and rebounds. It's what his teams in Europe did and they got positive production out of him based on finding certain mismatches in offense that he can exploit and cause.

Andersen can draw people out of the lane, he can spread the floor and he can cause havoc for bigs in the pick and roll. Imagine Shaq trying to guard him away from the basket. But at the same time, imagine the Magic playing Rashard Lewis at C on defense - it won't work and it will be a disaster. Now I'm not saying Andersen is the same level outside shooter as Lewis because he is not and his game on offense is more like a hybrid of Dirk and Pau. The point is, Rashard Lewis can cause a mismatch on bigs on offense away from the basket and on the pick and roll, but you would not play him at C on defense. The Rockets GM is mainly to blame if Andersen cannot make it in the NBA.

And don't tell me that there are not other NBA players that don't play a lick of D. Most NBA teams are allergic to defense and full of players that never play D. Granted, Andersen is a terrible defender, but Rockets fans are used to Mutombo and Yao at center so they have no realistic base point to compare defense. I really don't think for example that Andersen is that much worse than say a guy like Biedrins on D.....in some NBA teams they could not care less about his defense, but they would use his offense mismatch potential. Try to realize that Euroleague teams generally put far greater emphasis on D than NBA teams do, and in general there is far more intense defense in the Euroleague than in the NBA. Go watch some Euroleague games and then switch to NBA and it's unreal how much more intense the D is in the Euroleague in most cases (and try to make sure it's actually a EUROLEAGUE game you are watching). And yet, with that being true and with Andersen being a bad defender in Europe - his teams could still find a way to integrate him on offense and to minimize his softness, his poor rebounding and D (as in play him at PF and/or get him to cause physical bigs to go to the bench for them not being able to guard the pick and roll).

Other teams that care about D and rebounding would at least use him at PF on defense to minimize that. Not play him at C on defense. You have to understand this guy was a poor defender, poor rebounder, and soft Euroleague PF and is being asked to play C in the NBA and for a team that needs rebounding, physical play, and paint and rim protection from him. It's completely nonsensical and illogical on the part of the Rockets GM to put him in that position. And Rockets fans won't cut him any slack because rather than find out and analyze, they will just make up imaginary myths like, "it's just because Euroleague is different from the NBA and he can't play this style of game", rather than ask why did the GM sign a guy of this type of player when that was not what the team needed?

Like I said, what the Rockets seem to need, his name is Andreas Glyniadakis. But don't expect him to be shooting threes or playing next to Yao, or running up and down the court in the Adelman offense. You would have all the physical play, rebounding, shot blocking you could want, but a guy that is only used in offense in a half court pick and roll or the low post - which would not fit Adelman's offense in even the slightest way. So I think Rockets fans need to stop criticizing and bashing their players so much when it is not really the player's fault and when it is unfair. Rockets fans are about as bad as Panathinaikos fans - the two by far worst fan bases in the basketball world for bashing unfairly their own players, while on the other hand worshiping beyond any logic or justification certain of their other players.

Cut Andersen some slack, he's adjusting to the NBA which takes time (about a full season I would say for most Euroleague players), learning all new players in the league, and he's playing out of position on defense and on offense he's not playing with lead creators on offense like he is used to. He's a bad rebounder and defender, and he's soft, but at the same time a 6-11 guy with his mobility and his skills is an NBA player. To question that is silly and to blame his problems on "NBA versus Euroleague" is completely wrong.

[Jon_Koncak]

FIBA Europe

Despite your obvious anti NBA bias your actual basketball analysis is very good and insightful.Ppl should start cutting you some slack here.

One note about Jasikevicius though.Judging by what Indian Pacers fans wrote in their boards it wasn;t just his terrible defence that did'nt allow him to play more minutes in NBA.It was also his mediocre ballhandling.It may come as a shock to most euro fans who treat Saras as some kind of God but it's true and one of the well hidden dark secrets of european basketball.He dribbles to high and plays with his back a lot.NBA guards would pressure him on foul court and disrupt Indiana's offense.That's why Carlisle mostly played him at 2 where he was also destined to fail as he had to face mostly super athletic guards.Other than that Pacers fans acknowledged that he was a terrific shooter and passer but that wasn;t enough.

[CKR13]

David Andersen was dealty by the Houston Rockets to the Toronto Raptors.

[sinobball]

Dude scored the winning shot against China NT yesterday. Before that shot he shot 0/7 from the field. He certainly saved the best for last.

[Saskibaloia]

Hopefully, the lad can bring his A-Game to the World Championships as Australia desperately needs him to step up and show why he was one of the best big men in EuroLeague basketball in the last few seasons as currently the Boomers are without their NBA Star (Bogut) and NBA player Nathan Jawai who provided Australia with one hell of an inside physical presence at 6'10 127kgs.