Fernandez frenzy? Let's give him a few games

Onus is on McMillan to let Rudy run

By kerry eggers

The Portland Tribune, Sep 28, 2008, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (7 Reader comments)

Rudy Fernandez of Spain dunks against Dwight Howard in the Olympic gold-medal game at Beijing.

GARRETT W. ELLWOOD / GETTY IMAGES

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I’m here to tell you, Rudy Fernandez doesn’t walk on water.

At least, not as near as I can tell, though I haven’t seen him anywhere near the Columbia.

I know Trail Blazer fans are expecting Fernandez — who arrived in Portland Monday morning to a hero’s welcome at Portland International Airport — to be the second coming of Manu Ginobili.

Judging by the rave reviews Fernandez got from Kevin Pritchard and Nate McMillan during his press unveiling at the Rose Garden Monday afternoon, the Basketball Hall of Fame is just around the corner.

I don’t know how good Fernandez will be during his rookie season in Portland, but I do know it’s premature to say he’ll be the second or third best player on the team, as at least one media observer has suggested.

Three reasons — Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge and Greg Oden.

Fernandez won’t be a starter for the Blazers, at least right away. Maybe McMillan will determine he has to have the 6-5, 185-pound Spanish phenom — a 2007 first-round draft pick by Portland — in his starting lineup at some point during the ‘08-09 campaign.

To begin with, though, Fernandez will back up Roy and be given every opportunity to prove he deserves major minutes.

“He’ll come in behind Brandon,” McMillan says. “He and Brandon will play some together, too.”

With Roy working back slowly in the preseason after August knee surgery, Fernandez will wind up starting several of Portland’s seven exhibition games. McMillan will work him in various backcourt combinations with Steve Blake, Jerryd Bayless and Sergio Rodriguez — the latter a countryman who sets Fernandez up as Dan Rowan once did comedy genius Dick Martin.

Fernandez is a talent, and it’s clear that Pritchard has a hard time containing his enthusiasm when talking about the 23-year-old guard.

On Monday, the Portland general manager told the media, “He’s a major international player. Not one of the best — the best.”

When I asked Pritchard later if Fernandez is already better than Ginobili or Pau Gasol or Dirk Nowitzki or any of a number of foreign players, Pritchard said, “There are some great players, and I probably should qualify it as ‘best young player.’ Outside of NBA players, though, he is the best. He proved that during the Olympics.”

Pritchard says when he saw Fernandez play for Joventut Badelona in Spain last season, “I knew this kid is ready for the NBA now. Not in one year, not in two years — now.”

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