The Spurs have started training camp with a few new faces, and as we did last season, we’ll profile one player per day to give you an inside look at the players competing to wear the silver and black.
Height — 6 ft 6in
Weight — 220 lb
Position — Guard/Forward
Born — February 23, 1987
College — Oregon
Draft — 2008, Round 2/Pick 18, Suns
Malik Hairston had a solid 4 years at Oregon, averaging 14 points per game, off of 50% shooting, and 39% from three. An injury slowed junior year left him with low marks, but he rebounded his senior year to post 16.3 ppg, 52% shooting with 43% from three, and his 73% free throw mark will be nice for this team.
Consistent playing in both the Las Vegas Summer League and Rocky Mountain Revue showed 7ppg (high 17 vs Atlanta), 48% shooting, making his only three against Phoenix, and put 2.5 rpg on the books (high 5 vs Utah). While these numbers won’t blow anyone away, they were steady and consistent, which is exactly what San Antonio needs from its role players.
Hairston has shown an ability to see the floor well, and deliver some nice spot on passes. A great team player, he doesn’t go out of his way to showcase his three point shot, but it’s there, and should be reliable with the Spurs big 3 taking the pressure off of him. He is also very athletic, so he could become a solid defender if he puts the work in, and also has the ability to get down the floor for some big dunks on the break. His consistent performance, team play, and athleticism could give him a leg up as he tries to keep a roster spot on the team.
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