GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- The Knicks have two guaranteed roster spots to fill before opening night on Nov. 1 against the Nets.
One of them is likely for Rasheed Wallace. Could the other go to John Shurna?
Shurna's almost mirror image, Steve Novak, is a strong believer that it should.
"He's done a great job at camp," Novak told ESPNNewYork.com after practice on Friday. "He's approached it the right way. He's got a motor on him. He just moves, moves, moves, always trying to get open, always trying to wear the defense down and he shoots the ball so well. I'm obviously biased, but I feel like there's a place for him somewhere. I hope this year with us. He's going to be able to play for a long time."
Shurna has approached training camp the right way because he knows who's the boss, the defensive-minded Mike Woodson. Shurna has been occasionally assigned to Carmelo Anthony during 5-on-5 scrimmages and he hasn't backed down, getting right up in his grill and even forcing a couple of turnovers -- one of which led to a one-man fastbreak dunk.
While Shurna gets a lot of attention for his 3-point shooting (44.0 percent his senior year at Northwestern), he's underrated athletically. He can run the wing, hang with the speedy Raymond Felton and take off far from the basket. In fact, he won a dunk title in high school, which Novak didn't even realize.
"Did he? I love it," he said. "I think he definitely is stronger than he looks, and he gets his hands on rebounds and stuff like that. He's a good player. There's a spot for him, there's no doubt about that."
Novak said he has shot around the 3-point line with Shurna, and has taken the 22-year-old under his wing. Novak recalls what it was like to be in Shurna's shoes years ago.
"I think more than anything, I know that he looks at where I am, being in the league my seventh year," he said. "I remember being where he was that first year in camp, and coming out and trying to find your way. I hope it's good for him to see that I'm still here, that I found a place, because when I was his age, you just pray that there's a spot for you. I just tell him keep working, this is your window, just stay focused. He's done a good job."
Shurna said "it's been great" to learn from Mr. Discount Triple Check, and he's ecstatic about being in New York.
"I thought it was a great opportunity with a great organization in a great city," he told ESPNNewYork.com recently. "This is an opportunity of a lifetime. I'm happy to have the Knicks jersey on the front."
While Shurna went undrafted this summer because he wasn't viewed as a strong defender nor someone who could create much off of the dribble, he's lights out and explosive in the paint. And every team could always use another stretch four.
John Shurna could be this season's Josh Harrellson, a last-man bench guy who could become a fan favorite for his hot shooting and hustle plays -- and some highlight moments for punctuation.
_________________
Who wants a defensive underachieving stretch 4?
Wait, something about this seems awfully familiar.
Oct 07, 2012, 21:24
BananaSauce
forget jorts.
this guy is the next Matrix
or
the white matrix...heh, maybe we'll just call him Neo.
Oct 07, 2012, 21:36
KingStarbury3
Is Novak biased because Shurna is a fellow white man...and how do you spell Shurnasanity?
Oct 08, 2012, 02:32
Forrest17
Do it! Hes young, has size and seems to be pretty versatile. We desperately need a young energy player thats taller than 6'8'' which he is so this is perfect. Because while our young core players are all in their prime, if we get any injuries to our front court we are OLD. And if its for a long stretch of games we can't afford to have our older guys playing a lot of minutes. He seems like hes exactly what we need.
Oct 08, 2012, 09:12
finestrg
I'd like to see the Knicks find a way to keep Shurna and Copeland. Can never have enough shooting...Still don't know why James White was given guaranteed money. He should've been placed in the same boat as some of these other guys -- non-guaranteed/make good training camp contract. I certainly understand the need for a little more 2G depth, but why James White? What the hell has that guy ever done?? What skills does he hang his hat on exactly? Not exactly known for his shooting or for being some great defender. He's known for his youtube dunks...What else? I don't get it. Is the overall skill really there? Enough to warrant a roster spot at a guaranteed $855K? Why doesn't this guy have to earn it like these other non-guarantee invitees??
If Ronnie Brewer's ready, maybe we should cut James White and take Shurna and Copeland, esp. if White hasn't shown anything in training camp (White wasn't a standout at all in SL -- Copeland, meanwhile, was and Shurna is playing real well in training camp). Even if Ronnie's a week or two away to open the season, maybe they can get away with JR backed up by Kidd... Hey, if Shurna's really opening eyes in training camp, maybe they look at him as a stretch 4 & he winds up making it over Sheed. Who knows..I thought Shurna was a straight up 3, but the dude is 6'9" and he can shoot it...That's the very definition of a stretch 4. Plus the kid has other intangibles (hustler, nose for the ball, motor, passing, etc.). Woody's gonna have a tough call for the last cut.
Oct 08, 2012, 12:06
iJoe
Wow his shot is sooo ugly. Looks like Kevin Martin's.
Seems promising though. Teams can always use high energy shooters.
Oct 08, 2012, 13:03
CoolClyde
sure. he can be the Knicks' Brian Scalabrine.
Oct 08, 2012, 13:22
ronoranina
Quote:
Originally Posted by finestrg
I'd like to see the Knicks find a way to keep Shurna and Copeland. Can never have enough shooting...Still don't know why James White was given guaranteed money. He should've been placed in the same boat as some of these other guys -- non-guaranteed/make good training camp contract. I certainly understand the need for a little more 2G depth, but why James White? What the hell has that guy ever done?? What skills does he hang his hat on exactly? Not exactly known for his shooting or for being some great defender. He's known for his youtube dunks...What else? I don't get it. Is the overall skill really there? Enough to warrant a roster spot at a guaranteed $855K? Why doesn't this guy have to earn it like these other non-guarantee invitees??
If Ronnie Brewer's ready, maybe we should cut James White and take Shurna and Copeland, esp. if White hasn't shown anything in training camp (White wasn't a standout at all in SL -- Copeland, meanwhile, was and Shurna is playing real well in training camp). Even if Ronnie's a week or two away to open the season, maybe they can get away with JR backed up by Kidd... Hey, if Shurna's really opening eyes in training camp, maybe they look at him as a stretch 4 & he winds up making it over Sheed. Who knows..I thought Shurna was a straight up 3, but the dude is 6'9" and he can shoot it...That's the very definition of a stretch 4. Plus the kid has other intangibles (hustler, nose for the ball, motor, passing, etc.). Woody's gonna have a tough call for the last cut.
I agree with all of this. :thumbsup:
Oct 08, 2012, 13:45
orangeblobman
Sign Shurna? For Shurna!
Oct 08, 2012, 15:59
tiger0330
Seems to have a more complete O game than Novakaine. Those vids of him at least show him driving the lane which you never see Novak do. I hope he makes the team and we keep him, getting all these vets at an age where 99% of players are retiring not trying to win a championship sucks to me.
Oct 18, 2012, 09:51
NYk_Reloaded718
Shurna is a big disappointment for me so far, i had high hopes for him as one of the guys that would stand out in the pre-season :boohoo:
Oct 18, 2012, 12:16
BananaSauce
He still got 3 preseason to show set his skills.
He need to show the offense can thru him, which is his strong point. Maybe he needs to start talking to Pablo about his offensive tendency . I believe copeland got to show set his skills because he's familiar communicating to international players.
Even though , plays are not designated for him. He still have a face with a pg to set him up.
Oct 20, 2012, 19:52
KingStarbury3
Looks like there wont be a spot for Shurna. Hes a poor mans Novak, not even. Copeland has the last spot on lock
Oct 20, 2012, 20:34
BananaSauce
yep, looks like it.
Oct 20, 2012, 21:41
Crazy⑧s
Quote:
Originally Posted by KingStarbury3
Looks like there wont be a spot for Shurna. Hes a poor mans Novak, not even. Copeland has the last spot on lock
He'd have to by now, for sure. 34 V Boston, even against their scrubs, is still massive. He can slip to the 4 alongside Camby if we're injury depleted, and adds scoring. I wasn't sold after that first game against Boston, abd even though I've yet to watch the latest game against them, I'm convinced.
