Introducing Austin Nichols

by Timothy Varner

Austin Nichols is Ime Udoka is Roger Mason Jr. is Bruce Bowen.

Since the Spurs were eliminated from the playoffs, I’ve tried to paint a big picture of their options this summer. Those sort of discussions always gravitate toward marquee names. That’s fun, and given the current state of team, entirely possible, but as some of our readers rightly point out, the Spurs are not typically in the business of chasing names. They do things differently in San Antonio. Much of what they do is done off radar.

Unless you’re one of our French readers, you’re not likely to know the name Austin Nichols. Nichols is, many would argue, the best player of French Pro A. He’s a noted defender and dead-eye shooter. In this season’s EuroChallenge, Nichols shot 53% from within the arc and 36% from beyond it. As a SG/SF, his 22.3 points per game sit atop of the French League scoring chart. Here’s a little taste:

Nichols can curl and catch, he can corner 3, he can finish at the rim. In an April 2009 interview, former University of Michigan star-now a member of the French league-Daniel Horton said, “[Austin Nichols] is hands down the best shooter I have ever played with, maybe the best shooter I’ve ever seen.”

Before establishing himself with Hyeres-Toulon, Austin Nichols played college ball at Humboldt State and then a couple seasons in the D-League. He’s hoping to parlay his recent play into an NBA contract.

The San Antonio Spurs have invited him to an early summer mini camp, and he’d like to summer league with them from there. Last week, I spoke with Nichols about the summer ahead-a summer in which he intends to “buckle down and get ready to work.”

“I feel like this is a tremendous opportunity for me,” Nichols said. From my perspective, the opportunity is tailor fit. As our readers know, the Spurs like to spread the floor with shooters so that Tim Duncan can do work. One of the most pressing questions facing the team is how to replenish their wings, for the 2009 season and beyond. Nichols agreed with me that his skill set and strengths are a great fit for San Antonio.

But in true Spur fashion, Nichols’ fit runs deeper than what he brings to the court. L’Equipe recently ran a feature on him in which he was characterized as the “anti-star.” That is, a star of high skill and high character. I couldn’t help but ask him to speak to the character question: “I was always taught that no matter what you can do or what you accomplish you have to stay grounded and humble,” he remarks. “This is because everything that has been given to you can be taken away just as fast. I also feel that if you are humble and grounded then you don’t become complacent and you always strive to better yourself as a player and a person.”

The L’Equipe feature quotes his current coach, Alain Weisz, with this evaluation: “He isn’t a killer and I don’t know if he will ever become one. However, I think he has the profile to be a NBA starter. He is in the Bruce Bowen mold, a strong defender able to knock corner 3’s…To me, he is better than Pietrus.” (Thanks to Bruno for tracking down the article and providing a translation for the quote.)

With the big summer ahead, I asked Austin what he has planned. “My plans for the summer pretty much consist of doing whatever it takes to maximize my chances of making an NBA roster,” he said. “I was fortunate enough to get invited to the Spurs mini-camp and I was invited to the Cavs mini-camp as well. I don’t know if any other opportunities will arise, but, if they do, I’ll attend those as well. For training, I am going to work out with Phil Handy this summer.”

What will a day in the gym look like for Nichols? “A typical day of workouts for me consists of doing you regular routine things at first. Like shooting, dribbling, defense, etc. After that I like to focus on improving my weaknesses and perfecting my strengths so depending on the day the workout would be geared toward those things. Don’t really have a set routine, but I do like to be as efficient as I can be in my workouts.”

That hard work has taken Nichols from Humboldt State into the French League MVP conversation. This summer he hopes it takes him a few steps further. Austin Nichols will attempt to be the next car in the Bruce Bowen-Ime Udoka-Roger Mason Jr. train. The same train that players like Udonis Haslem rode into the NBA.

One thing those players have in common-each one does at least one thing really well, and each player gives strong effort on the defensive end. We know this about Coach Popovich: he’d sign a mossy stone with limited handles if he thought it could defend. Based on what others are saying about Nichols, he has a puncher’s chance.

The final question I asked Austin is why the call of the NBA still appeals to him — he’s a star where he’s at, and opportunity for a bigger contract with a Euroleague club is undoubtedly in waiting. His response is the same one Roger Mason would have given a few years back: “It’s the highest level of basketball and it demands the most from an individual on a daily basis. I belong in the NBA because I can meet that challenge. Not to say that I’m above anyone else or anything like that, but I feel that maximizing my potential and the level of my game means playing in the NBA.” So, it’s about more than fulfilling a dream. It sounds like Austin Nichols wants to become a better Austin Nichols.

My plan is to chronicle Nichols’ journey this summer. He’s kindly agreed to let 48MoH check in with him along the way. If Austin has his way, that journey will go from mini camp to summer league to training camp to an NBA roster. Maybe the Spurs roster. I’ll keep the updates flowing. Check back often. Until then, check this out.

(HT: T.J. Thompson for shining the light on Nichols back in early April.)