Austin Daye earns starting spot for Detroit
by Zach Bell on Oct 25, 2010 9:55 AM PDT
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PrintI'd wager that not many people around the country followed the NBA's preseason. If you have, however, you would have known that one of the most impressive players in the entire league was former Zag, Austin Daye. Daye has been sensational in his second year with the Detroit Pistons, doing a little bit of everything and showing great improvement from his rookie season. He averaged 15 points and five boards a game for Detroit and has impressed the Pistons so much, that he will open the season as their starting power forward.
Like we saw during his short time at Gonzaga, Daye is a player that can do so many things well on the offensive end. His improvement defensively, however, might be the thing that cemented his place on the Pistons' starting roster. Here is a great quote from the Detroit News...
He began the game battling the burly Zach Randolph (Michigan State), who's at least 50 pounds heavier. Daye's length and effort frustrated Randolph, who had only two field goals and three rebounds.
As a power forward, Daye will likely give up a bunch of weight to the competitoin but his length and tremendous basketball IQ and feel for the game should help offset the weight difference. If he can continue to play with intensity and battle on defense, he should be a tremendous asset to the Pistons for a long time.
Selfishly, as a Gonzaga fan, it is fun to have a player in the league with so much upside and potential. Ronny Turiaf is still playing in New York, but with Daye, he is so versatile that he is going to be an impact player for many years to come. With the NBA failures of Adam Morrison and Dan Dickau, it will be so much fun to follow Austin as Gonzaga looks to repair its reputation in NBA circles.
Good luck to Austin as he kicks off his second season in the NBA on Wednesday night against the New Jersey Nets.
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Never thought I would see the day
That both a GU alum and an EWU alum would be starting on the same NBA team.
by ZagsFanatic on Oct 25, 2010 11:10 AM PDT reply actions 2 recs
rec'd
I don't hate many things, but i do hate Boise State.
by spokanistan22yuh on Oct 25, 2010 12:53 PM PDT up reply actions
Daye
that’s his last name.
Thx for the comment.
The Slipper Still Fits - SB Nation's home for the Gonzaga Bulldogs!
I hope this comment was supposed to demean Austin
Although people thought his attitude was poor(I disagree) and that he did not work hard while in a Zag uniform(also something I disagree with), there is no denying Austin was a great player at Gonzaga. He helped lead a great team to the sweet-16, winning a few games that season basically on his own. This is incredible news for both Austin and the Zags.
Gonzaga has not had a true NBA presence since John Stockton retired, and even then if you asked 80% of NBA fans where he went to college they wouldn’t have any idea. Now, we have a former Zag who flourished in college, got drafted in the first half of the first round and is starting in the NBA. Donny Daniels can turn that into a few solid recruits.
Congrats to Austin Daye and shame on anyone who would demean Austin as a Zag.
by GoZags09 on Oct 25, 2010 12:37 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Austin
My biggest problem with him was that he seemed to pout and wasn’t tough enough. With that being said, he was just a kid.
Good for him though.
by CLT_ZagsFan on Oct 25, 2010 12:58 PM PDT up reply actions
Nice!
Way to go Austin!
PS – I wouldn’t classify Dickau as a failure. He played 8 seasons with one year averaging 13 and 5. He was the last player chosen in round 1 when drafted (i.e, one spot away from no guarantee of making the league…he surpassed those doubts when signing a second and subsequent contracts). Morrison, on the other hand…
Go Daye, Go Zags!!!
Congrats Austin!!~
I knew he was doing well with Detriot, and I know Turiaf is doing well w/ NY Knicks. This is one of the reasons I was bummed about Amo being released.
Having three current players making millions in the N.B.A. is a nice thing to be able to brag about to potential recruits.
Somehow, having two players just don’t have that same zing to it. But, two is better than none and it is something most Div 1 teams cannot claim to have.
Its gonna be gLoRiOUS!!~
Good job, Austin!
I was a big fan of Austin Daye when he was at Gonzaga. I particularly enjoyed when they interviewed Austin, as he was obviously an intelligent and articulate young man that represented the university extremely well. I think people got the wrong impression of young Austin when he played at GU, as they felt he was a complainer. I thought he was a winner and just wanted to win so badly. He’s obviously matured both mentally and physically in his basketball, and I’m very happy to hear of his success. He will always be a beloved member of the Zag basketball community, as will all the young men who will suit up and play for us this year and the years to come.
Hey ZB?
Not to bring up old wounds but remember all those expressing how he would huer the team if he were back? Starting for Detroit? I’d take him anyday! Then or NOW.
No joke, Mike
I can’t help but think about what I would have given for one year of Daye and Harris alongside each other
Final 4 or bust
To all the naysayers
Daye did choose a school that helped him move to the next level – does anyone really have a problem with that. If I remember correctly, he had a few scholarship offers and chose GU.
For those who say he should have stayed another year – that didn’t serve Pargo did it. If JP came out after junior year he may have had a decent shot at an NBA run.
Be happy for Daye!
by Mark Dawley on Oct 25, 2010 7:57 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
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