Training camp update: Day 3.

Here are some tidbits I extracted from coach Paul Westphal’s post practice media session following today’s Sacramento Kings training camp:

• Day three is come back to Earth day. After the first two days of camp, fatigue usually sets in so day 3 is devoted to diagramming plays and walking through coverages.
• When asked about which young player is standing out after three days of camp, Coach Paul Westphal responded, “Pooh Jeter probably. He is a stand out in every way.”
• As a follow-up, Westphal was asked which players came in to camp the most ready to compete, which he responded with, “The two players who have been in the best shape and the most consistently reliable have been Jason Thompson and Pooh Jeter”.
• The competition at the small forward spot appears to be down to a two man race between Donté Greene and Omri Casspi. When asked about Francisco Garcia being in the mix, as Westphal had alluded to during Monday’s media day, he said, “there will be times when we see him at the small forward position this year…..we are looking at him at both the small forward and the two guard.” From both his body language and words, I interpreted this to mean that Garcia was not really in the mix for the starter spot going forward.
• When asked about Landry or Thompson playing the small forward spot, the coach was much more definitive, “probably not,” maybe in some zone sets, but he didn’t seem to think either player could consistently cover the position defensively.
• On impressions of Cousins, specifically in last night’s full contact practice: “Last night he was outstanding on the offensive boards, nobody could keep him off the boards. Really quite impressive.”

Antoine Wright and Samuel Dalembert participated in the non-contact morning session, but both players are expected to miss additional time due to injury. Westphal thought that Wright was getting close, but Dalembert was still a few days away. I caught up with Antoine Wright on the elliptical:

http://www.youtube.com/v/hn68Al5uc3g

There is no morning session tomorrow so camp update will be late in the evening. Hopefully, Antoine Wright will be able to do more than break a sweat on the cross trainer tomorrow.