ORLANDO, Fla. _ Though Mohamed Bamba played a year of college basketball just 80 miles northeast of San Antonio at the University of Texas, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, in midseason form already, said after Friday's shootaround in Orlando he didn't have an assessment of Bamba.
In fact, he said, "Who?" when asked about the rookie 7-footer.
In reaction to a question about what he thought of the Orlando Magic team on film, the Spurs veteran coach said of the preseason opponent:
"I don't watch any film. I have enough to do with my own team, so to try to deal with Orlando, there's not enough time in the day for my own team. It's true. I'm not trying to be a wise guy."
When asked what he thought about Bamba, Popovich added, "About who?"
When another reporter said, "The rookie for Orlando," Popovich had nothing else to offer.
"I just ... I don't know. I don't watch anything," Popovich said, shrugging his shoulders.
Of course the veteran Spurs coach knows who Bamba is, regardless of whether he watched the rookie on film during his preseason games with the Magic. And if not, he could get plenty of opportunities to assess his play Friday when the Spurs line up against the Magic at Amway Center.
Bamba, however, is still nursing a bruised right wrist he suffered in Monday's preseason loss to the Miami Heat. Magic coach Steve Clifford said Friday morning that Bamba, who missed Wednesday's game against Memphis, is probable, but that decision will be made just before the game.
