Nor Cal Basketball

Beno Udrih doesn't have to be exceptional. Kevin Martin has to be exceptional. Reggie Theus has to be exceptional. Spencer Hawes and Jason Thompson have to be precocious, and Brad Miller has to be an All-Star. But for the Kings to experience the sort of growth spurt that inspires whispers about a promising future, Udrih has to be damn good at his job.

He has to walk into the office and act like the boss.

He has to defend, score, penetrate and pass, and when his teammates' dribble dents into the Arco Arena hardwood, he has to demand the ball and call another play.

In so many words, he has to be a leader, and we're not necessarily talking about verbal skills. Long before iPhones and text messaging, players communicated quite effectively with hand gestures, dirty looks, look-away passes and the infamous deep-freeze treatment in the locker room.

"We have to get better at both ends," Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie said after his club completed the exhibition season 1-7, "and we're not going anywhere reasonably good unless Beno drives the car. He's really a key component."

Udrih is the point guard. Point guards are always the key component. The Kings don't erupt on the national scene in 1999 without Jason Williams' energy and infectious offense, nor compete for the Western Conference a few years later without an upgrade to the steadier Mike Bibby.

The difference between the recent past and present point guards, of course, is that these Kings aren't nearly as talented. The teams of Williams and Bibby were built to contend. This team is constructed to compete in the near future and contend two or three years after that. Or, given the often mysterious ways of the NBA, when rosters can be transformed on draft day or in the hours before the February trade deadline, maybe the Kings skip a few grades. Maybe Petrie surprises with another midseason coup.

Regardless, it begins with Udrih. The development of the youngsters. An identifiable (and faster) style of play. The disruptive defense that leads to transition opportunities. The reasonable number of shots for Martin – 18 to 20 – and clear recognition of the veteran shooting guard as the Kings' No. 1 scoring option.

"I always liked the pressure," said Udrih, who signed a five-year, $32 million extension last summer, "and this year the ball is in my hands more. That's how it has to be. There's one ball and five guys on the court. Reggie has asked me to (increase) assists, get up to seven or eight per game, and our sets should let me do that.

"We're moving the ball much better than last year. Last year we got the ball and stood around instead of making a quick decision. We were stagnant. We want to change that."

Udrih, 26, has more than adequate talent to succeed. That never has been the issue. At 6-foot-3 and a sturdy 205 pounds, he was picked up off waivers a year ago and subbed capably for the ailing Bibby. He is a skilled passer and an accomplished mid-range shooter, and surprises with deceptive drives to the basket. Though his on-ball defense certainly can improve – at the very least, he's faster than Bibby – the main questions relate to his durability and the forcefulness of his personality.

The former San Antonio Spurs backup has been known to skip practices because of nagging injuries, which doesn't make him unique in the NBA but hardly endears him to teammates or coaches.

"We little guys get banged up," explained Udrih, who has been slowed by a sore hip. "My goal is to play all 82 games, but if I get 75, that would be great."

Said Theus: "Leadership-wise, Beno is still a little reluctant, but I'm looking for him to do that. He has the personality. He has the control, the ball in his hands. I expect a lot out of him this year."

Posted on Wed, 29 Oct 2008 00:00:00 PDT at http://www.sacbee.com/kings/story/1352176.html
Author: avoisin@sacbee.com (Ailene Voisin)